I believe that I have been naïve about holding onto even a redeemed view of any faith-based nationalism, especially one aligned with Christianity. The more deeply I read the Gospels, the more carefully I read Paul’s letters, the more is revealed to me about the truly subversive and radical nature of Christianity, the ways in which the teachings of Jesus upend and transform our world and bring us back to the root of all things, God’s love and grace.
Language conflict can be subtle -like the shifting of a Pauline message that in Greek calls for the equitable redistribution of resources by need and ability into an English “fair balance” that promotes a very unjust practice of giving the same to everyone. There isn’t a huge learning curve when a different translation is offered in such a situation. Yes, this small but significant language shift does totally reframe the traditional take on Paul’s message to the church, both today and then in Corinth, but it brings that message more in line with the Gospel, more in line with other things Paul says, and is more helpful to any community learning how to love each other.
I discovered in my work with young people that they might choose specific words and phrases to test and question, try out and explore, or struggle to describe but that they were also always testing our reactions to their words. Were we listening? Would we be triggered by something salacious or edgy and cease to see them? Could we reach behind the words and hear what was really being said?
