Just as the church is not limited to a particular country, language or custom, so it is not bound by time. Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, remembering and following in the footsteps of those who have come before us in the faith, the church in its pilgrimage on earth aspires to a better country — that is, a heavenly one.
By God’s grace, all of us have the capacity to do the repairing work of forgiveness but we also have the capacity to work towards reconciliation, respect, and love.
Some causes related to fairness, treating people right, caring for vulnerable persons, and respecting the dignity of all persons are not simply a matter of perspective, but are basic to our humanity, and basic to living the Christian life.
There is a reason why “A Man Called Ove” was a New York Times bestseller. In a world where people seem more divided than ever by the “principles” they live by, it is a book whose message sneaks up on you as you begin to consider not only the principles you live by, but why others hold onto the principles they do.
I would recommend the book to pastors and congregational lay leaders who are grappling with how best to engage with young adults. Rather than lament their absence or attempt technical fixes toward the adaptive challenge such engagement presents, perhaps a better approach would be to read Seel’s book together with some members of the millennial generation. I believe the resulting discussion could be rich and informative for all involved.
Judson Press author, Rev. H. Stephen Shoemaker lists several of his favorite recent reads.