As our nation struggles with these politically and socially divisive times, I wish to present on understanding the evolution of righteousness to reconciliation in scripture – righteousness simply meant right relationships or how we live rightly with each other by caring for one another with hospitality and compassion, while reconciling simply meant restoring of those right relationships when they go wrong – and how that happens outside or beyond religion. Bonhoeffer’s study on Religionless Christianity, “To be a Christian does not mean to be religious in a particular way” can help us not only understand that evolution, but apply it to our lives and churches. I want to share so many places in scripture where God revealed faithful righteousness beyond religion, and created room for reconciliation. After the presentation I will open the floor to those who wish to share stories and conversations where they have witnessed faithful actions happenning outside of our religious restraints.

My dreams and visions are that if we, as the church, see ourselves as religionless Christians we can learn how to work with all people of faith, no matter what faith walk they are in or from.