What is Christian Literacy?


Literacy refers to the ability to use a language - to know what words means, to be able to use grammar, sentence structure, to be able to converse in that language is to be literate.

Religious literacy means having the ability to understand and speak about our faith intelligently. It’s the ability to communicate the basic tenets of our religion.

I'm very grateful to B.U. Professor Stephen Prothero for his excellent book, "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn't." This book, along with my desire to teach the faith, served as the inspiration for this effort.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Abba


The great religions of the world seek to answer various questions about God and life. Buddhism strives to answer the question of human suffering and how to transcend it (Enlightenment). Islam seeks to answer the question - what does God ask of us? What does it mean to be obedient to God?(the Five Pillars of Islam) At its core Christianity seeks to answer these questions: what is the nature of God and how can one be in relationship with God? That brings us to our first word in this Christian Literacy Project - Abba.

In Jesus’ day Abba was one of the first words that a little child would learn. It’s Aramaic for “Daddy.” It’s also the word Jesus used for God. In fact, it’s accurate to translate the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Daddy who art in heaven.” How would that sound on Sunday morning?

How can we relate to our Creator? Well, it’s a whole lot easier if we think of our God as Jesus did, as Abba. As a warm, tender, loving parent.

Thought for the day: God loves you like a Daddy loves.
Question: How would your prayer life be different if you truly believed that God looks at you the way a loving parent looks at their young child?
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your incredible, unconditional love. Amen.
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