Marginal Christianity

http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2012/07/william-stringfellow-project-private_11.html Posted on 7.11.2012 Stringfellow begins Chapter 3 of A Private and Public Faith--The Simplicity of the Christian Life--with his Incarnational refrain, that there is no division between the sanctuary and the world, the church and the marketplace, or the moral and the political. God is radically present and available in the world--every part of the world, every part of your life and mine. Knowing this is the basis of the "simplicity" of the Christian life: The simplicity--not ease--but the simplicity of the Christian life is founded upon the fact of the presence of the Word of God already in the common life of the world. The practice of the Christian life consists of the discernment of (the seeing and hearing), and the reliance upon (the reckless and uncalculating dependence), and the celebration (the ready and spontaneous enjoyment) of the presence of the Word of God in the commo...

http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2012/07/william-stringfellow-project-private_10.html Posted on 7.10.2012 In Chapter 2 of A Private and Public Faith--The Specter of Protestantism--Stringfellow examines the relationship between the priesthood and the laity. For Stringfellow the central work of the church is the witness of the laity in the world. The priesthood exists to prepare, send, and support the laity in this task. Stringfellow was missional. He writes: No person--for that matter, no creature, no idea, no institution, no nation, no issue, no action--is beyond the reach and intercession of some member of the Body of Christ. It is in this way, indeed, that is, by the width and depth of the implication of Christians in the life of the world, that the unequivocal fact of grace is communicated, that the universality of Christ is represented, and that the ubiquity of the Word of God in the world is exposed. For lay folk in the Church this means that there is no forbidden...

http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2012/07/william-stringfellow-project-private.html Posted on 7.09.2012 William Stringfellow published his first book--A Private and Public Faith--in 1962. The dust jacket of my first edition of A Private and Public Faith is pictured here. The quote at the bottom reads: The author hits hard at the manipulation of religion for personal, corporate and national self-interests; and sets forth the possibility and content of a relevant and honest witness to Christ in both private and public affairs. The back cover of the dust jacket has a quote from Karl Barth describing Stringfellow as "the conscientious and thoughtful New York attorney who caught my attention more than any other person." As most fans of Stringfellow know, during Barth's visit to America Stringfellow and he interacted (with others) in a public discussion. Barth was so impressed with Stringfellow's questions and comments he looked at the American audience and ...