Christianity “from below”
Wrongly accused of cutting telegraph wires, a young Sikh was taken from his home by British soldiers and flogged publicly. His friends called on C. F. Andrews, Anglican clergyman and friend of India, afraid the man would do violence to himself or others. Meeting him, Andrews realized words would not suffice. Instead, Andrews knelt and touched his feet, asking for forgiveness.
The gesture, familiar in the East, broke through his humiliation and rage. Through the conversation that followed the man reported that he had forgiven the injustice and his face lit up with joy and peace.
This is an example of what Bonhoeffer meant by Christianity “from below,” Christianity that doesn’t arrogate power and privilege for itself.
It’s from Christ in the Silence [(London: Hodder & Stoughton. 1933), pp. 94-96], C. F. Andrews’ exposition of the Farewell Discourses of the gospel of John, the interior life underlying his years of service to India, Britain, and the world.
Wonder what such an approach could mean in the world today.
Tags: C.F. Andrews, humility
July 1st, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Amen