“It was a difficult book for me to write. My thought was pulled in two different directions by the blood of the innocent crying out to God and by the blood of God’s Lamb offered for the guilty. How does one remain loyal both to the demand of the oppressed for justice and to the gift of forgiveness that the Crucified offered to the perpetrators? I felt caught between two betrayals—the betrayal of the suffering, exploited, and excluded, and the betrayal of the very core of my faith. In a sense even more disturbingly, I felt that my very faith was at odds with itself, divided between the God who delivers the needy and the God who abandons the Crucified, between the demand to bring about justice for the victims and the call to embrace the perpetrator. I knew, of course, of easy ways to resolve this powerful tension. But I also knew that they were easy precisely because they were false.”
From Miroslav Volf’s Preface to Exclusion and EmbraceÂ
Remarkable quote and exactly the word I needed to hear this morning as I face the work of today. Thank you, Erika, for blessing us by lifting up God’s truth in our lives again and again. You have a very sweet ministry going with this blog.
Jennifer,
I had read this book many, many years ago. I picked it up again Friday night, and could hardly read past the preface, I was so gripped by the weight of what he was saying. What great things to consider during Lent! I had intended to do Amy C. quotations throughout Lent, but felt moved to share this after reading it. I am so glad your spirit was equally touched. Thank you for sharing that.
Volf’s a northstar.
Erika, I have ordered the book for myself. By now I have figured out that you have excellent taste. If that’s what you’re prescribing for Lent, I’m there.
I am from the same country as Volf, Croatia. However, i grew up in canada since about two years old. I can relate to the concepts of ‘thin’ faith that Volf refers to. My family embraces the type of nationalistic and patriotic catholicism that perpetrates much of the differences between the Serbs (orthodox) and Croats (Catholic) and Bosnians (Muslims). Volf’s work is particularly deep in that he gives thought and theological reflection to issues that, for most in that country, only elicit violence toward the other.