For this gathering cycle we wanted to focus on the practical (and deeply challenging!) wisdom teaching of Jesus in the gospels and in particular on the sayings known as the ‘Beatitudes’ (such as ‘blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ etc.).
We spent time exploring the possibility that the people mentioned in the Beatitudes (the poor, those that mourn, the meek, the merciful, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted) could be seen as descriptors of God. We also wondered whether these qualities needed to be intentionally pursued or whether they grew ‘naturally’ within the lives of people who are following in the way of Christ.
Charlotte Bannister-Parker from the University Church in Oxford city centre came as our guest speaker.
