A Fresh Perspective

In the Apostle Paul’s correspondence with the Corinthian church, he advocates something truly radical when compared to other organizations and institutions. Paul argues that while all members of the Christian community are loved and valued equally, God bestows special honor and dignity on some whom we would never expect. He contends that those parts of the body that appear to be “weaker” are actually indispensable to the health and well-being of the body (see 1 Cor. 12:21–25). We could read “weaker” as “more vulnerable” or even “less useful.” In the conventional wisdom of this world’s organizations and institutions, such “weaker” members are considered expendable.         Paul is probably echoing the language the Corinthians were using in order to issue an implicit warning. Paul is saying: You who fancy yourselves to be “stronger,” to be more spiritual or knowledgeable, you’d better be careful. The ones you call “weaker” are the very ones to...

When we open our lives to the Spirit and the Spirit finds a home where the Spirit can express herself freely, we discover the joy, beauty, power, and meaning of community. Unfortunately, we often read the letters of Paul from a post-enlightenment, westernized mind-set, which means that we tend to privatize and individualize much of what he says. In actuality, Paul is addressing the community corporately and should be interpreted and applied to the whole body, the church, not to individuals privately. Yes, much of what he says can and should be applied to our individual lives, but it’s important to first read Paul in a communal context. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul talks about singing psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit “among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (Eph 5:19). The emphasis here is on community—“among yourselves.” The dominant emphasis in this letter is on encouraging, uplifting, growing, and edifying the body (the commun...