There is a challenge for Christians today to treat all people equal. On a personal level, I discovered 3 years ago that I had entrenched prejudices. My family and I travelled abroad on holidays for the first time. I was 14 years old and we went to Salou in Spain. I was naturally excited but nervous because I could usually make friends with people very easily on holidays, as we would only travel to somewhere in Ireland. This time various cultures and races would be present. Most of the population of the hotel seemed to be English and I thought that because I was Irish I would not give any of them a chance. Looking back now I see a link between the behaviour of myself and the prejudice between the Jews towards Christians in Acts 3-5.
On the second day of my holiday I was playing alone in the games ground and was approached by a young black male wearing an England jersey, I found out his name was Ali and we talked and although our backgrounds couldn’t have been more different we became good friends. I learned that I was intolerant and prejudice against other races when I went to Spain, because of the history between Ireland and England I felt that all English were all the same. Ali was of a different race but it didn’t matter to me and we would often make jokes about which was the better team, Celtic or Rangers?
Today as I write this, Celtic and Rangers face off in the Scottish League and researching I found that the recent statistics for Old Firm games suggest that at every game there will be a handful of attempted murder attempts, scores of assaults and many casualties throughout the city, some of whom are people just unfortunate enough to get caught up in football’s troubles. On occasion there will also be death. I found it impossible to believe we could joke about this whereas back in Northern Ireland and in Scotland people get murdered simply because of it. I learnt a lot from this experience and fully appreciate the importance of equality and acceptance of all people. The organisation Accord promotes good community relations between all members of the community. Through regular meetings, activities and outings people are encouraged to discard their prejudices just like Saul did in Acts and learn to communicate with people of different religions and religious backgrounds.
Stephen was one of the seven deacons and a victim of sectarianism; he was stoned to death by the people who did not accept his religious views. When Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit he began working great wonders amongst the people but members of the Hellenist synagogue opposed his religious views. No-one could withstand his arguments and so the Jews resorted to force and Stephen was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin. His career was to be short; but he was the first to see that Christianity was not just for the Jews but was God’s offer to the entire world. Stephens’s speech shows the universal nature of the gospel. This is a powerful example of how Christians today can live the word of God. Especially now in Northern Ireland, Stephens’s actions can challenge both Catholics and Protestants to put behind them the violence of the past and help them work together to build a better world without sectarianism, a place were all people are equal.
Before Stephen is sentenced to death he wants everyone to know that the gospel is universal for all Christians, he also forgive his executers. Stephen’s speech has significance even today for all Christians, ‘Stephen’s speech from the beginning to end sums up that the presence of God is not restricted to one building or one land’ (Bruce 1977 p141f) underling the universality of Christianity and setting an example for Christians today. In Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on Remembrance Sunday 1987; a bomb went of that killed eleven people and injured many more. It could have provoked a response of anger and revenge; instead what emerged was a dignity that reflected tolerance, understanding and reconciliation - the Spirit of Enniskillen. The way Stephen dealt with the problems of racism and sectarianism can be brought in connection to the Spirit of Enniskillen trust programme, both responded to the problems of Sectarianism and Racism in a non violent way, instead by encouraging people to broaden their horizons and experiencing community divisions, where they gain first hand experience of how people from different backgrounds are learning to live together and putting it into practice in their own lives underlining the universality of Christianity and is a lesson for all Christians today.
In Acts Chapter 9 Saul (formerly racist and sectarian) was converted with the Holy Spirit and Saul the persecutor becomes Paul the apostle to the Gentiles. Before his conversion, Saul made efforts to suppress Christians and was very hostile towards them and persecuted many.
“..Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord.” By comparison Saul could be connected with today’s Osama Bin Laden or Hitler from the past.
Saul’s conversion reveals that God was not happy that he was a racist and sectarian and that his actions and were wrong. Christians today realise that God is against racism and sectarianism and Christianity is universal and for all nations. Saul’s conversion challenges us Christians to understand the importance of recognising the importance of unity and solidarity among all Christians because all are equal and Jesus give up his life for each and everyone of us. Saul’s conversion had a major significance for the early Church because if it wasn’t for Saul Christianity would not have spread so far and it his conversion has great relevance for today because it shows us that there is hope for even the most sectarian or racist and it is never to late to turn to God and repent. In Northern Ireland there has been damaging effects of sectarianism. We are submerged in our own religious prejudices resulting in ignorance and fear of other communities and a lack of respect and intolerance for others religious and political beliefs, not to mention the hundreds of lives taken over the past 30 years.
In Northern Ireland we live in a world of hatred and discrimination, similar to Saul’s behaviour towards Christians. Paul is a great example of how people can change and this encourages us to respond to the sectarian world we live in today the way we behave in Northern Ireland and all over the world. The best example for Christians in Northern Ireland today is David Ervine, formerly of the UVF who spent 13 years in prison for his terrorist-related crimes but changed his ways and went on to head the Progressive Union Party making progressive links for peace in Northern Ireland and played a major role in the Good Friday Agreement. David Irvine similarly to Saul was sectarian but converted and changed his ways, both men setting an example for Christians. Christians today can learn from them to put aside their hatred with the help of the Holy Spirit, convert and repent to become better Christians and strive for a better world without Sectarianism or Racism.
In conclusion, Acts shows us that Christianity has been set out for all, a universal and inclusive Church. Both sectarianism and racism were prevalent in the early days as it still is today. Yet the actions of the early Christians in particular Stephen and Paul challenge us Christians today to respond to racism and sectarianism. Paul who was both racist and sectarian was converted and he became responsible for the outreach of the Church, he realised the Church was for everyone and without him the Church may never have reached its worldwide status.
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