In our increasingly post-Christian, pluralistic, and sometimes anti-Christian society, many of us are starting to think about how we can relate to our friends, coworkers, and neighbours. It is no longer safe to assume that everyone you meet or speak with has had an encounter with Jesus, church, or the bible. Many people are now being brought up fully disconnected from the church; it is no longer re-introducing Jesus but introducing him for the first time. This is the basis of Uncommon Ground: living and engaging with people who have a different framework, different religious, political, and fundamental beliefs, and approaching these conversations and relationships with humility, respect, and tolerance. This is not a "how to interact with non-Christians" book. Instead, the stories shared by the authors offer insights into different situations and opportunities the authors have experienced. It shows how God can work in and though these conversations with people you disagree with and shows us that even if the differences between our beliefs are vast, we can still approach conversations and interactions with tolerance, respect, and humility.
The introduction provides a good framework to keep in mind as your read through the anthology. Then, the rest of the book paints a beautiful picture of how God works in all things, and how, as followers of Christ, we must live out how Christ has commanded us in the New Testament. Specifically, how the greatest command is to love thy neighbour, with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describing the characteristics of love. I would encourage anyone wrestling through how to open up and engage in these conversations to read this book. I believe it is important for everyone to start thinking through how we can foster conversation and love through our differences and find ways to relate to each other on this uncommon ground. This book will be available in our church library on Sunday. Stop by and check it out.
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