Introduction
Please raise your hand if you have been personally victimized by Paul’s letters to the early church. Who has crashed out because of what Paul wrote to these early churches? Personally, I’ve had countless crash outs; my most recent episode was, in fact, on Wednesday.
Reading Paul’s letter to the Colossians feels kinda nice at moments. At the start, I feel like a hype person, cheering him on, and then… we get to the end of chapter 3. Paul, buddy, what do you mean slaves should just be good to their masters? (I won’t even mention the verses before this because that’s for another week lol.) What is this all about? It feels so contrary to everything he has said before. How do we read this passage, especially in light of Juneteenth?
This passage has historically been used to justify atrocious treatment of enslaved people, especially in America. The Church in America has failed enslaved people over and over and over again because it loves to cherry-pick the verses that enable and affirm the power and status of white Americans above that of Black people. How do we reconcile all of this?
Let us imagine Paul writing this letter to a church living in the Antebellum South. Masters and slaves are present, and Paul confronts the power dynamics head-on(ish). He addresses the relational dynamic without hesitation and calls both parties to submit to one another in light of their baptism. Paul does not turn tables over (regrettably), but instead creates a picture of what it means to live into this community of shalom they have been called to. While it may seem small at times, the transformation of these power dynamics in the interpersonal sphere can become a catalyst for social change.
What does love require? It requires us to shed our power, our greed, and our tainted self-importance, and to clothe ourselves with hearts of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Can we do it?
Betty Wilton and the Teaching Team
Text:
Lord’s Prayer
Christ, who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
