Greetings From the Editor
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the ministry team of The Living Pulpit, I am delighted to bring you a special Christmas issue that has come together with the overall theme of CONNECTIVITY. The term may not have been sighted commonly in company with preaching, but our authors remind us that it is squarely in the mainstream discourse of our society. It turns out to be dear to those who navigate through the world of the web and social media, where there are connections to be made.
The current issue showcases how the modern thrust of CONNECTIVITY may get into a delightful conversation with traditional theological affirmations, such as the incarnation as God connecting with us. As we browse through this issue, we will encounter witnesses to the reign of God, who guides us through messy confusion that has become all too common in human history. We are emboldened to hope however, for our preachers have taught us to see God’s presence in the midst of obscurity and brokenness. The universe is immense, beyond ken, but God’s care for all beings is insuperably meticulous.
We are not to lose sight of the perils of this twenty-first century that started with many prayers of peace for a new millennium. There is no shortage of dividing walls (see Eph 2:4), but we are thankful to our preachers, who uncover links that have gone unnoticed so long and help us rejoice in a grace that takes us by surprise.
Every day we have been connecting dots. Sages of humanity have offered us many gigantic charts that illustrate our pursuits. They often come with trees and branches, each sustaining others far and near. Some philosophers invite us to take a step further and consider how our endeavors may be depicted, not in a hierarchy, but in a network of underlying support. We encounter thought-provoking examples in the writings of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, two French thinkers, who have appropriated the image of a rhizome from life sciences. Like a rhizome, our preaching ministry helps us see the dynamic dance of our thoughts and visions that connect under the surface. Confronting the powerful that lord their power over others and seek to order all things in hierarchical terms, our God-talks and visions construct another underground railroad that facilitates freedom for all who yearn to breathe free.
This issue on CONNECTIVITY is seeing the light of day thanks to the team who has come together to bridge connections by contributing their skills, time, energy, and above all, the passion for the kingdom of God. Connectivity that brings us together also charges us to take the gospel to all that groan under the crushing load of life. So we pray for the peace of God to migrate like a nomad into the world that hungers for reminders that we are one with the abundant multiplicity that God created in the universe.
Jin H. Han
Editor in Chief
