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Have you ever been a refugee?

The Christian church started as a large group of Jews in Jerusalem. Life in the ancient world was tough: early on, opponents of  Christianity persecuted the church, causing many to flee from the city. Tragically, violence like this was not uncommon in the ancient world. The new Christians in this situation were forced to relocate, living in new cities as transplants. Wherever they went, they were strangers, followers of a new, unpopular religion, and they probably faced all the troubles typical of refugee status. Many of them were poor, disadvantaged, and lacked the social connections needed to get ahead in their new communities.

James is an epistle (letter) probably written by Jesus’ brother James to new Christians who had been driven from their homes.

The epistle draws heavily on the Old Testament Scriptures. Unlike many of the other New Testament epistles, it’s not a message from someone to a single group, but to individuals spread abroad.        It evokes both the impersonal style and the content of Jewish  Wisdom Literature (like the book of Proverbs). But despite its Jewish style, James is intensely focused on what it means to follow Jesus.

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Anglican Parish of Maddington
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