Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 October 2007 07:14:05
This weekend I've been "doing" inclusion again as a topic, both through discussion and in terms of what's been going on in my own headspace and have really been struck by a few examples I've encountered this weekend of inclusive language and cultural elitism within Christian discussions.
Discussion 1: all discussing a topic when somebody says, "well I think we all knew what Foucault meant when he was talking about this...." I have to be honest I was gob smacked, we were in a body where people knew about the topic on one level but to assume that we were all up on the relevant theory was amazing. Yet too often in various discussions we do this.
Sermon comment: "As those of you who have been to Israel will know..." Now in some churches that would be a fair enough comment. However, this visiting preacher didn't really know our congregation and, to my knowledge, the congregation that morning wasn't filled with people who'd been to places like Israel. Had he been referring to France, Spain or one of the Greek Islands he may have got away with it, but again there was an assumption there about the type of people who'd be in church.
Lounge comment: The person at the front starts talking about the history of Swing Low and an open mike session that happens in a local pub. Now, that was using inclusive references.