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Jesus & the Letter of James Silence marked embarrassment when Jesus asked his disciples what they were arguing about, because it was about who was the greatest. He sat down and called them together and defined greatness in terms of priorities: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them, and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child. . . .” Jesus’ words that day could well describe the Letter of James, because it’s been seen historically as the “lesser of letters,” Martin Luther calling it, “the epistle of straw” because – unlike Paul’s letters - it didn’t talk about Jesus. The letter was addressed to Christians scattered around the world – not to a particular congregation, as Paul’s letters did. The letter focused on practical instructions – What does a Christian do about his or her faith? The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary has an amazing way of allowing history to shine on present circumstances involving us personally/individually, our nation, our national church, the Anglican James is written for all Christians who claim to believe but do not act; who fail to control their tongues; who let strife run wild. All such attitudes and actions make a mockery of true religion. Against this kind of sham the author urges his readers to embrace pure religion in which belief and conduct, words and deeds form a unified and beneficial whole. [As James says] Faith apart from works is dead. Faith and works, like body and spirit, are bound together. Faith without works, like a corpse without spirit, is dead. (The Letter of James, pages 913-914.) As I re-read the Letter of James I heard words that we all need to hear right now in this crazy time: Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom… Where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good James doesn’t talk about Jesus, but imagine the benefit to the world if various people – including you and me - could hear and live by these teachings on Christian morality. The leader of the Roman Church might learn to control his tongue, to acknowledge Christian violence such as was directed against Islam during the Crusades, and – together with Muslim Imams - take the lead in renouncing violence. Leaders of our nation might learn that true power is based on respect that comes from our vision of the equality of all people, rooted deeply in American tradition, the strength of our nation, recognizing the limitations of force to bring peace. Imagine the vision that could bring our national Church together, as mutual acceptance replaces divisive attitudes and self-righteous actions. Imagine the grace and courage that could come to the leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion in the face of attempts by bishops of other cultures to control our ethics of inclusiveness. Riding the shuttle to General Convention last June, a Korean Bishop said: “In my country it gets so cold in the winter that porcupines have to hug each other in order to survive. This is, of course, very painful for the porcupines, but absolutely necessary.” (from Deputy Bo Chapman of Maryland) How instructive this thought is for Christianity and Islam, liberal and conservative Americans, diverse groups in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. Hugging: painful but absolutely necessary. Like Jesus’ attitude toward the little child, asking his disciples – us! - not to be naïve or childish in the face of life’s harsh realities, but to be open and welcoming, as servants of a loving God. No guarantee of success, but a way to a life filled with meaning, mutual acceptance and good will. And out of it a hope for reconciliation and peace. Copyright: Ernest W. Cockrell
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