Liturgy that Matters – May 17, 2020 – Acts 17:22-31

Themes: When the philosophers in Athens inquire about Paul’s “strange teachings,” he responds by pointing them to their own instincts, their own intuition, their own experiences of the Sacred which words have not yet properly defined. We wonder what this might have to offer back to those who identify with the Christian tradition but struggle to find relevance in the teachings that have been allowed to change so little in the church. What might the “unknown one” that we experience but struggle to name revive in our own understanding of faith and religion? Additionally, we examine verse 26 through its use in history, arguing for and against equality and emancipation. We ask what threats and possibilities such a verse poses for today’s culture that prizes unity at the expense of the marginalized.