Can Vineyard Churches be Reconciling communities…..

[Lynda Burnhope]

Abstract:

How do we live as reconciling communities that are true to the social, political and economic implications of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, recognising the key principals of justice, freedom and forgiveness? We will assume the perspective of Pannenberg, Moltmann and others that all theology is eschatologically oriented, because it is God’s saving action through Christ that not only gives hope to the future, but draws the future to itself. This should help us in our mission to build New Creation communities based upon the values of redemption and restoration.
The challenge in this ‘already but not yet’ space is that we have to accept that all hospitality is only partial, in the sense that when we open our metaphorical door it may be to an angel or the devil (Derrida). Until the final eschatological banquet where the banishment of evil has already been accomplished (Rev 21), we have to discern how and when to exercise what Boersma defines as the inevitable ‘violence’ of hospitality in the same way that God displays wrath from the depths of His love. How do we verbalise and live out this eschatologically driven vision of hospitality without it sounding anything like contemporary terrorist ideologies?