Paul and Imagination

We started a new series at Rochester Church tonight. We're working through Paul's first (really his third) letter to Corinth. I enjoyed talking most about Paul. The Jew/Hellenistic Philosopher/Roman Citizen/Follower of Jesus used all of his experience and education to expand his conviction that Jesus was the Jewish Hope for the world.

Our teaching site is now up-to-date.

Paul's ability to translate the life of Jesus in Israel to the life of the Church in Corinth is masterful. From kurios replacing messiah to honor and shame, party invitation lists, and political allegiance--Paul is the master of doing what modern thinkers call contextualization. Which, in simple terms, means "having the imagination to see how the story of Jesus is already at work in a given culture while at the same time imagining how the story of Jesus can bring goodness, justice, beauty, and community to various situations."