ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 28, 2026
I always find it fascinating when watching an older movie, and though the storyline is clearly set in another moment of time and the writers were writing from a very different moment in history, the theme of the movie remains relevant. In fact, it speaks truth to our current moment in ways that seem a bit surprising. There appear to be certain truths that bridge time, and equally important, history continues to repeat itself… that is, until we choose to really learn history. It is always concerning when we learn dates, names, and where the big battles were fought, but do not learn everything that led to the important moments. I don’t blame teachers, but a system that wants an easy way of evaluating progress. For instance, the Battle of the Alamo occurred in 1836. That is an important piece of trivia that is either right or wrong on the test, but at the end of the day, there is nothing helpful in simply knowing a date if the hope is to determine how to make us a safer and more just society. Though the Alamo is raised up as a mighty moment of resilience, along with a people finding inspiration on the other side of defeat, it is much more complicated. As people fought for independence, part of the independence was a desire to maintain the use of slave labor as Mexico had outlawed slavery in 1829. It is a reminder that there are often many layers and hidden agendas behind what appears to be a rather straightforward story. Humans have always liked simple and uncomplicated stories. It allows us to have clear delineation—there are those who are good and those who are bad; the event happened because the bad people did something bad; the victors were celebrated and were given the right to write the simple story, or at least their version. The Bible is filled with simple stories, but alongside the Old Testament, there were writings from the sages and rabbis who argued and brought to light many different ways of looking at what appeared to be a simple story. And Jesus told simple stories in the form of parables, including when he said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…” It seemed so straightforward until one pauses long enough to recognize the absurdity of such a statement. It is in that recognition that one is able to begin the journey of real discovery. Let’s learn history beyond just a superficial reading, and let’s learn the stories of faith beyond those who want us to read them in a very narrow and unnuanced way.
Holy God, Supreme Care-giver of all that exists, provide us senses that are able to take in the beauty, complexity, and absurdity of this world in which we live. Help us to take notice, appreciate, and even be challenged by what we learn. Amen.
