This Sunday seven young people were confirmed in the community I serve. Confirmation in Methodist Tradition is the moment a person takes on the responsibility for their faith, seeking to commit themselves in response to God's grace to a life of faith.
I offered the confirmands a movie clip by Stanley Hauerwas in which he makes numerous challenges. One of the the comments he makes is that we as parents are unwilling to allow our children to suffer for the gospel. We create a kind of sentimental Christianity of niceness- a Christianity which is so enmeshed in the strands of greed that it scarcely knows or believes there is an alternative. Rather it places a veneer of religion onto the predominate societal flow.
What would it mean for our children to take a stand against violence and war, greed and lust. These stands don't endear one to society. Are we willing to let our children suffer? I have wrestled with this for the last while. My son is 2 years old- I want the best scholarly education for my child- but what kind of education does he get going to a school with only the wealthiest. Which education is more important? The scholastic education or the socialisation he receives from those who come from the wealthiest of homes.
Helen and I have no answers at the moment sadly we are just wrestling- hopefully we are in good company- the new name given to Jacob who wrestled with God was Israel the one who wrestles with God- we as Christians claim our roots in that tradition.
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