Rufus Jones – What is Vital?

The time has come – it is long overdue – for a Christianity that is fresh and vital and in conformity with established truth, but, what is no less important, proves its reality by the test-tube method of corresponding results. Too long our Christianity has consisted of words – has begun and ended in words. We must have a Christianity that is self-demonstrative in results. Too long the Church has seen the world sag down to the pagan level and fight the wars which it has blessed and furnished youth to go out to fight, instead of being the organ of that divine love – that agape – which Christ lived and died to illustrate and transmit. And when these disastrous wars were over the Church has contented itself once more with pious words and talk instead of organizing a crusade of love to feed the hungry and rebuild the world on nobler lines. Every local church in Christendom ought to be a creative center of transforming life and love in its community…We should then have a Christianity of power and not one of ancient statements and present-day talk.