Active Faith

In the name of radical honesty, let me just say,

Nothing against Paul Chilcote, but I was not interested in reading this book. 

I don’t know when it happened, or how it happened, but at some point I stopped liking books. I mean, not entirely. I like the concepts of books, sure. I just don’t have the attention span for them. For the past eight or so years, every book I’ve started, I haven’t finished.

Then, add in the fact that I have a generally tense relationship with faith texts, it’s safe to assume that I was not excited about Active Faith.

It took me a while to start. But when I did, it was very much worth it. 

What I appreciate most about this book is its practicality. Chilcote brings the scriptures of Jesus’ life into our modern-day. He explains the importance of the values of progressive Wesleyean theology- humility, hospitality, healing, and holiness. Even further, he supports his claims with biblical verses and step-by-steps to begin implementing these very values into our day to day.

Humility

This value is about posture- the posture we must take to lift others up. And that in practices such as quietness, reflection, prayer, and gratitude we learn to model the servitude of Christ to others.

Hospitality

This value is about connection- the walking with, and to. And in our warm welcoming, we find ourselves embraced with strangers, friends, family. 

Healing

This value is about restoration- the kind of gentle intention we must bring to spaces and people. And in the consideration of neighbors, in the desire for harmony, we move with urgency in our hopes to reconcile. Not just spiritual needs, but physical needs, emotional needs, mental needs, environmental needs.

Holiness

This value is about the interaction with love- the unconditional love that is experienced, then shared. Through prayer, through the meditative and deep listening to God’s voice, our hearts and minds are inwardly refined towards holiness.

Active Faith is a helpful tool for anyone struggling to fit faith into their context. This book establishes a framework of spirituality that is considerate of the marginalized, of those on the fringes that have, so often, got overlooked by the Church.

But, we are now a new Church. A Church with an open table, that is constantly in the process of bringing in more chairs. But we’re new at this. And we’re gonna need help. Active Faith is a start.