tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497531321890746707.post1211176953494772937..comments2024-01-31T15:10:55.111+00:00Comments on Transition Quaker: The Practice of SanctuaryCraig Barnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201061939693242954noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497531321890746707.post-74210180085981460162017-05-08T00:46:21.830+01:002017-05-08T00:46:21.830+01:00From Jim Corbett's "As a faith practice, ...From Jim Corbett's "As a faith practice, sanctuary brings back into focus our community's covenant to serve the peaceable Kingdom." to the later statement, "Offering sanctuary is an act of faith; a statement of hope in the possibilities of human solidarity" this blog post tries to point us to the "hope and possibility of a world transformed by the presence and guidance of God." But before that can happen, we must understand what "faith" is. It is more than belief and a blind hope, it is other than a religion or system of beliefs. Abraham heard the voice of God, believed the voice of God, and acted accordingly. Thus he is called the father of the faithful. Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith, therefore, has a firm foundation beyond the possibilities seen by those who have no faith. That faith itself is the evidence and substance of such a foundation that is built up by our encounter with the author of faith who writes it upon the hearts of all who will hear his voice. The writer of Hebrews continues to state explicitly that Jesus is "the author and finisher" of our faith. (See Heb. 12:2) And when Paul tells the Corinthians that we "walk by faith, not by sight" he is not stating a handicap but an advantage. It is the demonstration of living in the life and power that only comes by hearing and following the voice of God that will convince the world that their sight amounts to blindness and all their solutions offer no help to mankind's problems.<br /><br />So how do we acquire this faith? There is only one overlap between humanity and "the presence and guidance of God." John 1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. This is the light that enlightens everyone that comes into the world. John goes on to tell us that the Word became flesh and dwelt/dwells among us, full of grace and truth. He identifies the Word as Jesus, who stated "I am the light of the world" and who bid his followers to believe in the light and to walk in the light. Why? Because this is where we experience the presence and guidance of God. This is what made the early Friends the people of God in the face of all the persecution the rest of the world could throw against them. Edward Burrough wrote, "And in all things we found the light which we were enlightened withal, (which is Christ,) to be alone and only sufficient to bring to life and eternal salvation; and that all who did own the light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withal, they needed no man to teach them, but the Lord was their teacher, by his light in their own consciences, and they received the holy anointing." (Works of Fox, Vol. III, p.13) This same experience of walking in the light of Christ will produce appropriate "acts of faith" that will answer the crying need of humanity around us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com