Introduction: Christian Citizenship
Derek Poole

Comment
Priscilla Reid

From the Director
David Porter

Outside the Camp
Donald Watts

Citizenship
From 'For God and His Glory Alone'

Love: An attribute of Citizenship
Graham Cheesman

Memory and Redemption
David J Montgomery

Holy Nation
Lois Barrett

Grace Healed Eyes
Steve Stockman

Negotiating the Future
Deirdre Mullan

Book Reviews
Alwyn Thomson and Dorothy McMillan

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THE X-FILES REVISITED
Driving to school with my father was a rather hazardous experience. Innocent pedestrians stepping out onto zebra crossings were unaware of their danger. Other motorists were falsely confident as they responded to green lights. "Red! Red! The lights are red!" I would shriek hysterically and Dad would reply beatifically, "Oh are they? I was just meditating on John's gospel." It illustrated for me, at an early age, what Peter meant when he described Christians as aliens and strangers. My Mum's observation was, "You know your Dad, he's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly use."

The theology I was brought up on taught me that I was a citizen of another country. Like Abraham, here I had no continuing city but I was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. As a result I retreated into a safe Christian ghetto, whose characteristics were based on the things we couldn't do, rather than anything positive. It seemed strange then that Christian 'aliens' appeared to have stronger ties to this foreign country than its non-Christian citizens. They prayed for the wee province in protective, hallowed tones. Any attack on it had to be resisted as a work of the enemy. Our material lifestyle, and the means to maintain it, had very little of the temporary nature of camping about it. I suppose it was a bit like going on a Eurocamp holiday, with your pre-erected tent and all your mod cons, and fooling yourself that you are the great outdoors type, into camping in a big way! When we become Christians the word of God explains that we are born into a new family, the family of God. But coming to Christ and giving our allegiance to him as the one who should now rule every aspect of our lives does not make us disembodied souls, with no responsibility to the community of which we are a part.

Until relatively recently in Northern Ireland, being 'separate from the world' was all about externals. The legalism of the Pharisees took over and we lost sight of the liberating and exhilarating grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In rejecting this stance, many of us struggled to find a way to express our difference and went for 'looking the same'. We became self-indulgent, presuming on the grace of God. But it is very evident that in following Jesus we are called to live by the principles of a very different kingdom. Jesus clearly outlines this kingdom's manifesto in the Sermon on the Mount. It is a call to live for others and not for ourselves. Obviously it can't mean some kind of holy huddle that makes only sporadic forays into the world when it is absolutely necessary. It is not a monastic withdrawal from society. It is to be actively involved in our world in a way that shows people we are not just about a set of beliefs or a self-help group, but called to a life together, with God at the centre.

Jesus instructed us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." As citizens of the Kingdom of God we are to bring love, mercy, righteousness, justice, peace and compassion into our current sphere of influence. It will affect how we make our money and what we do with it. It will affect our attitude to the environment, our view of social justice and our politics. I hear the earth-shattering clash of two kingdoms in the life of Jesus. In my life it's more like a whimper, because I'm more comfortable paying lip service to one, but finding my ease in the lifestyle and attitudes of the other. It's the X-files revisited!

Priscilla Reid - an elder of the Christian Fellowship Church at Strandtown, Belfast. She is a frequent speaker at conferences throughout Ireland, and is a member of the ECONI Steering Group.