“Slow Church” on Patience

Earlier this month, I had a post on patience, one of the chapters of Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus by Christopher Smith, John Pattison, and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. It’s a book that’s packed with insight; it’s forcing me to confront some of my own beliefs (and biases).

Here’s some of what the book has to say on the subject of patience. And the authors are quick to point out that by “patience” they don’t mean “passive waiting.”

“The effects of human restlessness have rippled throughout creation.”

“One of the key tensions created by technology is the tension between the goodness of work and the crushing consequences of overwork, or, in theological terms, between the goodness and necessity of work and our call as the people of God into a Sabbath life.”

“Western culture, in all its technological grandeur, has become obsessed with overcoming suffering.”

“Our call is to compassion – a word derived from the Latin meaning ‘to suffer with.’”

“Patience is how compassion is embodied in our lives.”

It’s an important book. I can’t recommend it too highly.

On Monday, my Slow Church post will be about work.

Photograph by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.