What can one say about Jesus that would add new insight to a Christian's understanding of the man from Galilee? Consider this. The one we call upon to be a harbinger of peace and an example of justice and mercy is often the reason why people today continue to divide and exclude. Instead of seeing Jesus as a unifying force for all Christians everywhere, bigotry and bias expressed in multi-faceted ways in the name of Jesus stifle the transformative power inherent within our faith traditions. We have rejected, condemned, killed one another based on our interpretations of the one we call Prince of Peace. We need a new narrative, one that acknowledges there is more to the story of Jesus of Nazareth, his life and his mission, than what we profess and proclaim. Without a more inclusive and compassionate understanding of the one we know as Jesus, not only churches, but our beloved planet, with all of its inhabitants and nature's graced diversity, cannot - will not - survive. Jesus is an example of how we humans can continue to be a beneficial link in the evolutionary chain. His living spirit - a holy Spirit - is calling to us all.
