we're serious about "incarnational ministry", as well as "solidarity with the poor", then should we......only wear clothes obtained from Goodwill or the Salvation Army, where we expect the poor to get their clothes?
...only eat the relatively cheap, sometimes outdated food often offered at local food pantries?
...use primarily public transportation, which we expect the poor to utilize?
...deny ourselves restaurant meals or Steelers tickets or other fringe benefits of being "middle class"?
...refuse better health care, making use instead of only emergency room care?
If not, then what does "incarnational ministry" mean?
And how then do we practice and embody our belief in the Doctrine of the Incarnation (which, for United Methodists, is defined simply in Article II and Confession Article II)?
Would it be fair to ask these questions of ministerial candidates? Or candidates for election to General Conference? Or the episcopacy?
No answers; just questions.
"We must see another's poverty as our own
and be convinced that the poor can wait no longer."
- John Paul II, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1992
We should definitely not subject the poor to Steelers "football". That would be cruel ;)
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your blog.
>>Morgantown, WV<<
Your Honor, I move that the previous statement be stricken from the record! With the possible exception of words of appreciation!
ReplyDeleteHard questions...Thank you for posing them. Imagine if we did this?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this thought-provoking post.
ReplyDelete