A Troubled Church

One of my favorite and most used New Testament letters is the one written to the Galatian Churches.  The plural is used because it seems that this letter of the Apostle Paul was passed around and read by a number of churches in the region of Galatia.  Becoming a fan of this letter started in seminary.  One academic quarter was spent studying this particular letter and the grade for the course was determined by a self written commentary each of us did on the entire letter.  I still have my hand written composition book (or personal commentary) and have used it numerous times over the years of ministry.    

This afternoon I sat down on the deck outside and read the letter again.  Using a new Bible purchased this year enabled me to read with what I hope was fresh eyes.  At least there were no under linings and margin notes to steer me toward the truths which shimmered before me in past readings.  Somehow I felt led to it.  While such may sound strange to some, I have come to a place over the years of trying not to ignore inner urges to read certain sections of the Word.  Galatians is not a long read and even a slow read does not and did not take an inordinate amount of time.   

As I reflected on the reading, I came to the conclusion that part of the urge to read this letter had to do with its context and mine as well.  It was written by the Apostle Paul to a church in trouble.  The heresy which concerned the Apostle was a rising Jesus-plus theology which declared that one thing more was needed in addition to faith in Christ.   The church which baptized me, nurtured me, and ordained me is in trouble today and its troubles, trouble me.  I am not sure I found that for which I was searching, but then I do not know exactly the thing for which I was searching.   Whatever it might have been, the reading reminded me the church has endured and survived  many a theological storm and I pray this one will not be the exception.