I’ma lean on Stringfellow for help explaining this,
What Babylon means theologically and, hence, existentially for all nations or other principalities in the dimensions of fallenness, doom, and death, Jerusalem means to each nation or power in the terms of holiness, redemption, and life. Babylon describes the apocalyptic while Jerusalem embodies the eschatological as these two realities become recognizable in the present, common history of the world.
In simple terms, where Babylon breeds hate and oppression and death, Jerusalem fosters loving, liberating and life-giving relationship…
Truly, the #JesusMovement is about making our way to Jerusalem…
…the City of Peace…the City of God…
The Beloved Community…
Jerusalem is the only counterbalance to Babylon. The Beloved Community is the only hope for those held captive by Babylon.
And like an embassy of the Kingdom of God, Jerusalem is made manifest by the Church. The Church is “the biblical Jerusalem, in her vocation as the holy nation, standing apart from but ministering to the secular powers.”
At least it should be and needs to be…
Only the REAL City of Peace can stand against Babylon…
So when Babylon system is the vampire (shout out to Bob Marley) – really and truly breeding death and destruction, you know that Becoming Beloved Community cannot be something the Church just talks about…
Beloved Community cannot simply be an abstract idea that gives us warm and fuzzy feelings…
It must be something we are really ’bout the business of becoming…right?
Only the Church, as the Beloved Community, can keep Babylon at bay. Only the Beloved Community can love those who’ve been held hostage by Babylon…liberating them and giving them life.
Don’t let them fool ya! Or even try to school ya!
Babylon wants to convince us that Beloved Community isn’t something we will really see “on earth, as it is in Heaven.” And so – like that beautiful person you see on occasion that you would love to marry one day – Beloved Community remains a beautiful idea that we’re satisfied flirting with, while still believing it to be “out of our league.”
So instead of doing the things and building the relationships that would help us at Becoming Beloved Community, we just go to events and rallies. We read books and watch documentaries.
We want to be close to Beloved Community. To be inspired by Beloved Community. To speak with others of your admiration and love for Beloved Community.
But subconsciously we’ve been convinced: Beloved Community will never exist…not in this lifetime…not on this side of Glory.
And while Beloved Community remains an abstract hope, Babylon remains a tangible reality terrorizing humanity.
While the principalities and powers continue to exact death, the love that is liberating and life-giving remains but a pithy saying…
Where is this love to be found? #BobMarleySay
Certainly, our society is seeking Beloved Community…even if they don’t know that’s what they seek.
You can sense it…right?
That people are looking for hope. Looking for something more. Seeking something other-worldly…
They know they want to be free from the death and destruction of Babylon. They know they want to escape the hopelessness and frustration presented on the evening news…
Yet, how will they find…how will they embrace Beloved Community?
In this socio-political climate, you know people need Beloved Community. And you want to provide people with a real place where they can really find refuge & sanctuary from Babylon…right?
You believe in Becoming Beloved Community and want the Church to really become the Beloved Community…
So, how do you start to create that space where Beloved Community truly exists? How do you overcome the obstacles to Becoming Beloved Community?
