I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…all of you should be in agreement and there should be no divisions among you!  – The apostle Paul to the congregation in 1st century Corinth (1 Cor. 1:10)

As I write, my congregation in San Francisco is about a month into the book of 1st Corinthians, a remarkable Pauline text that just seems ripe for such a time as this. I believe there are many ways this will bear true, but let me begin with this one: the apostle Paul is vexed about a divided Church in a divided world. Continue reading →