AUGUST 2006

THE JOY OF CHRISTIAN CONVERSATION
Paul T. Stallsworth

American Christians at their worst will say: "Okay, we are Christians. We are a church, and we want to be totally unified. So we cannot discuss anything that is controversial or serious. We cannot discuss theology or politics, morality or culture, war and peace. If we talk about any of those things, we bring discord and division to the Church. And that is the last thing we want to do."

For fear of bringing discord and division, many American Christians sweep difficult, controversial, let’s-not-talk-about-it issues under the rug and move on to deal with the demands of their daily lives. The trouble is that the rug, under which all those topics get swept, can begin to resemble a hill, if not a mountain. Also, by keeping such topics away from its common life, the Church misses some golden opportunities.

Christian conversation is simply conversation among Christians -- usually in a small group -- about the most interesting, serious, important matters in the world. Christian conversation is not afraid of controversy or disagreement, because the bonds of baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit hold Christians together in unity, even in the midst of disagreements. (Again, unity in the Church is not created or maintained by us trying to avoid difficult topics.)

Christian conversation is good for Christians in five (5) different ways.

First, Christian conversation encourages us. At times, in daily life out in the world, the Christian can feel out of step, isolated, and alone. But meeting with other Christians will encourage each to continue following Christ and being the Church, through thick and thin, in season and out, even in the lonely places.

Second, Christian conversation inspires us. Conversation with other Christians can motivate us to follow Christ more faithfully or to dig more deeply into the Church’s faith. After a lively Christian conversation, a participant might be moved to look into: the validity of the pacifist witness through history, the life and thought of Karl Barth, the just-war teaching of St. Augustine, or the literary relationship of The Gospel According to Luke and Acts. Again, Christian conversation pushes us to grow, to deepen, to get active -- in faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

Third, Christian conversation corrects us. All of us organize our lives around what is comfortable, convenient, and supportive. To a great extent, we spend time with those who are very much like us. Therefore, it is very important that we be thrown into a Christian-conversation group in which all do not agree about everything, in which there will be disagreements. Working through disagreements with other Christians will bless us with the gift of humility and with the challenge to present our case as persuasively as possible. The bottom line: Christian conversation will not let us live in illusions about ourselves, our opinions, the Church, or the world. It will correct us.

Fourth, Christian conversation trains us. Conversation with other Christians helps us to practice talking as Christians about the challenges of our day. It is not easy to talk about applying the faith of the Church to the issues of our time. But it must be attempted, despite the difficulty. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, demands as much from His Church, from us. We are to be Christians all the time, 24-7, in all places, in all tasks. Christians who have come and gone before us, and Christians who are now with us, can help us with these language lessons in Christian living.

Fifth and last, Christian conversation is just plain fun. (And that needs no further comment.)