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The Ekklesia Project began as the result of conversations about the works of Catholic political scientist, Mike Budde, and Protestant theologian, Stanley Hauerwas. Both Budde and Hauerwas hold that the primary task of Christian churches is to live as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Budde and Hauerwas, each in their on way, go on to claim that churches’ efforts to live faithfully to Christ in the United States have been compromised by their own self-understanding and purpose, and hindered by their accommodation to the culture of the United States. To live as faithful followers of Jesus Christ is to give priority of one’s allegiance and loyalty to God’s Kingdom over any other entity seeking that same allegiance and loyalty. Such a commitment is a political commitment, thus making faithful followers of Jesus Christ a unique politics.
Those involved with the Ekklesia Project agree with Budde and Hauerwas and have believed it useful and helpful to organized in such a way that their shared efforts enable them as individuals, congregations, institutions, and traditions live more faithfully as the Church.
As the Ekklesia Project’s website, ekklesiaproject.org, states, participants share the four core convictions that they are unapologetically God-centered, Church-centered, Shalom-centered, and Political. In order to live more faithfully, participants in the EP do a variety of things to strengthen the church, encourage one another, and seek out new friendships. Among the things they do, they say probably the most important thing they do is to talk with one another about being faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Those conversations, with intention, involve scholars, pastors, and laypeople.
Consequently, my guests for this episode are Kelly Johnson, a scholar/theologian, Kyle Childress, a pastor, and Chi-Ming Chien, a layperson. They help us understand the Ekklesia Project better and its importance.
The music for this episode is from a clip of a song called ‘Father Let Your Kingdom Come’ which is found on The Porter’s Gate Worship Project Work Songs album and is used by permission by The Porter’s Gate Worship Project. You can learn more about the album and the Worship Project at theportersgate.com.