Not a poem. A paragraph from Brueggemann's Living Toward a Vision. I've broken it down into smaller thought units, to allow the flow of the prose to slow down, allowing our own thought to catch up with his.
If we are going to talk about peace,
we have to make a fundamental decision
about ourselves.
How we make that decision
will determine in large measure
how we shall speak about theology.
Narrowly preoccupied citizens can do theology
around questions of sin, guilt and salvation.
That is an important task.
But people charged with resisting chaos
and making peace,
must not be preoccupied
with those interesting but confining questions.
Rather, theology must be done
around the issues of freedom and power,
authority and responsibility.
And when those issues are faced squarely,
we shall be speaking about peace.
And when those questions are resolved,
we shall be on the way to authentic shalom.
we have to make a fundamental decision
about ourselves.
How we make that decision
will determine in large measure
how we shall speak about theology.
Narrowly preoccupied citizens can do theology
around questions of sin, guilt and salvation.
That is an important task.
But people charged with resisting chaos
and making peace,
must not be preoccupied
with those interesting but confining questions.
Rather, theology must be done
around the issues of freedom and power,
authority and responsibility.
And when those issues are faced squarely,
we shall be speaking about peace.
And when those questions are resolved,
we shall be on the way to authentic shalom.
Gosh, this is good - and timely! Thank you for making it accessible.
Posted by: chris | May 15, 2009 at 06:01 PM
Glad you're back Chris! Not surprised you like it.
Posted by: Jim Gordon | May 15, 2009 at 06:39 PM
love it........so simple in many ways yet so profound.....
Posted by: Margaret | May 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM