"Common Ground" - Sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Common Ground
Easter 5 – Narrative Lectionary 4
May 18, 2014
Grace, Mankato, MN
Acts 17.16-31

I meet with a group of pastors most weeks in a text study group, discussing the upcoming passages for Sunday. After a time of eating lunch and checking in, we look at the Bible readings, from both the Revised Common Lectionary and Narrative Lectionary. (Slowly, but surely, I think we are winning them over to the Narrative Lectionary.) We are all ELCA Lutheran pastors, or had been, until recently when we were joined by Pr. Ashley Whitaker. Pr. Whitaker has an interesting background: she is an ordained American Baptist pastor who went to Iliff School of Theology in Denver, a United Methodist seminary. Furthermore, she serves a united congregation in Mapleton that is affiliated with both the American Baptist Church and United Church of Christ. She has been a delightful, if not provocative, addition to our group not only because of her sharp mind but also because of the different perspectives she brings, which has pushed us and challenged us in many ways, all of them good. What makes our conversations lively, enriching and even possible is that we are able to begin our conversations from the common ground of love of and service to Jesus Christ.

The situation is the same, only different, for the apostle Paul who is now in Athens, the religious, philosophical and cultural symbol of the Greek world. It is a city full of idols and altars to a multitude of gods and contains people of all philosophical stripes, from Epicureans to Stoics. Except, it seems, they aren’t too familiar with Judaism and they certainly are not familiar with this new religion, Christianity. As Paul talks about Jesus and the resurrection, the local philosophers are curious, but also skeptical. So they invite him to the Areopagus, which is not a place but rather a group of people. It’s more of a council that evaluates new ideas coming to Athens. As he addresses them, Paul realizes that he must back up and find a connection with if he is going to be able to talk with them.

So, rather than highlighting the differences between what he believes and they believe, Paul does “contextual theology,” that is, he finds common ground, and he does so by fitting his language to that of his audience. He speaks to them in a way they can hear him. Paul looks for those places that are shared with them as a starting point for discussion. What he starts with is our shared ancestry as human beings who are spiritual beings as well. By mentioning the altar to the unknown god, Paul turns what may be a superstitious gesture on the part of the Athenians into recognition that all of us reach out to that God who is not fully revealed but wants to be known to us.

This move on Paul’s part is not some kind of bait and switch technique or evangelism strategy that he learned Apostleship 101. Rather, this is a way of being with others that recognizes our shared lot in the human condition. It recognizes that Christians of other stripes and non-Christians alike can express truths about God. As a colleague of mine once said, “I believe we have the truth in the Lutheran church, but we don’t have all of it.” This way of being recognizes that God is present to all people, working in, with, and through their lives. This is something I constantly have to remind myself, that I don’t bring God to people; at best what I do is to help discover God together. When we meet people where they are and explore common ground, it opens a great conversation that deepens understanding on both sides and gives God room to work.

My experience with Pr. Whitaker and others shows me this is the way to be with non-Christians as well. In fact, we should be able to find common ground with atheists in the conversation between religion and science. It’s not about building a base of knowledge or belief, but rather establishing a relationship of trust, hope, and love. We can do this because of the one who emptied himself by taking on human flesh to meet us where we are. For you, our high school grads, who are embarking on a new part of your life, this is way for you to grow in your own faith as you meet people of others: provocative, lively, and enriching. Amen.