Few things printed in the public press inspire me … and how I love to be inspired! But today a colleague passed along this op-ed on the Rev John Stott who died recently.
I remember being a 22 year old bright eyed brand new high school teacher at a Christian high school in Southern California. Straight from spending the summer at Forest Home working with high school kids and with a crisp diploma in hand, I began my long teaching career. In my other hand was John Stott’s book, Basic Christianity. His writing sung to that compassionate and fiercely just heart that had drawn me into Christianity in the first place. At 22, I had spent my adolescence as an earnest kid reading the more black and white Christian authors … but had found myself still hungry for the Jesus who communed with the Woman at the Well. Then, I found Stott … and Basic Christianity.
Now nearly 30 years later, deeply offended by the political ‘Christian Extremists’ we see in the public sphere, I am still in love with Basic Christianity. The Jesus who regardless of gender, birth-right, education, ethnicity, wealth, able-ness or disableness, age or amount of hurt you had caused or suffered, came to offer grace, love and forgiveness TO ALL. The Jesus who invited us into the brilliant paradoxes of this life … if you love, it will often hurt; if you need to be first at all cost, you will ultimately be last; all people are both radically valuable and radically imperfect; those who have suffered are often those most generous and compassionate; those that have, often blame those who have not; if you love well, life will always feel like it ends too soon; not what you do but how you love will be your greatest legacy. This Jesus still invites us to bring humility and loving kindness to each other. This Jesus stood against the kind of religious extremism we see in all its various sheep’s clothing around this globe. And he stood for all the acts of justice and grace that happen every day as well.
Thank you John Stott for providing for our public discourse the reminder of Christianity’s name-sake. If it is not loving, just, compassionate, grace-filled, true … it is not Christian.
Thank you, Tina, for writing this tribute. I loved John Stott when in college, along with Francis Schaeffer….both profoundly shaped my thinking and being and believing. Now I want to go check my bookshelf to see if Basic Christianity is still there among my “70's” books, some of which are still very contemporary….others….not so much.
I've heard many good things about the book “basic Christianity” and maybe I should give it a go. Looks like you are doing well and Happy! I'm still madly in love with my High School Love and we're working on Number 30!
Keep up the good work Tina
Dennis