Please forgive the lack of posts over the last few weeks. Studying at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary continues to be fantastic, but it has left me with barely enough time to work my part-time job besides studying, let alone post here, but I had to share this with you.
In my Spiritual Formation class, we’ve been trying out various spiritual practices. This past week’s practice was Lectio Divina – reading the Bible and listening for what God is saying to us through the scriptures. It’s intentionally spiritual readings, so careful exegesis isn’t really the point; in fact, it’s beside the point.
One of the passages my professor suggested was Mark 2:1-12, the story of the healing of the paralytic. Jesus returns to Capernaum and goes home.
So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.
I mulled this over, not looking it up in the Greek or anything, and thinking about the comments on the blog and the numerous conversations I’ve had outside with people. I thought about that feeling I’ve gotten about there not being room for me in Christianity because I don’t agree on one or another issue that many conservative Christians consider the core of orthodoxy. Sexual ethics for same-sex attracted people, for example.
In many ways, I think I’ve internalized this. I joke with friends about being a heretic, but deep down sometimes I do wonder if there’s room for me in the house of Jesus. Continue reading “Digging a Hole in the Roof of Jesus’ House”