What Is This New Teaching? | Beyond the Walls Late Edition | Jun 28 2026

Are faith and reason incompatible? Can science, history, and philosophy prepare us to hear the true meaning of the Gospel? In Acts 17, Paul’s missionary journey brings him to the city of Athens, one of the cradles of Western philosophy. At the time, Athens was a cosmopolitan metropolis and its people were known for always seeking new ideas. After getting into arguments about the Messiah at the local synagogue and debating with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, Paul is invited to speak at the Areopagus, a council associated with judicial and religious cases. Paul’s speech argues that the true God transcends the physical world and thus cannot be understood through statues made of gold, silver, or stone. While this was an attack on the traditional ways Greeks had worshiped the old gods of their religion, Stoics, Platonists, and other philosophers had argued for centuries something very similar. This gave some in his audience the tools to understand the depth of Paul’s message. Many people have come to our community exploring new ideas and seeking new ways of understanding ancient texts. In Community of Christ, we seek out truth wherever it is found. As the hymn says, “we limit not the truth of God.” Alongside the witness of scripture from ancient Israel, we acknowledge that philosophical traditions from East and West, science, history, and other academic fields can prepare us to understand a reality that transcends the physical world, and like those Athenians at the Areopagus, be ready to hear the depth of the Gospel. On this Pride Sunday, June 28, 2026, we invite you to share a time of reflection and fellowship and to celebrate the worth of LGBTQIA2S+ persons. Pride reminds us that truth is also found in voices that have too often been dismissed, silenced, or treated as a threat by religious and secular authorities. This year we are focusing on witnesses of God’s revelation beyond the four canonical gospels, including the letters of Paul, Hebrews, and the letters attributed to James, Peter, Jude, and John. We will also read Acts, Revelation, and some important early Christian texts that were not included in the canon: the Didache (or Teachings of the Twelve Apostles), the sayings Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene). 📖 Full worship bulletin: https://www.centreplace.ca/bulletin 🎵 All music performed by the Beyond the Walls Choir and @MichaelKarpowicz. Copyrighted music with permission by OneLicense A-739874 🌐 Beyond the Walls is an online worship service with live ministry from around the world. Our global congregation gathers every Sunday at 12:00 pm ET and 6:00 pm ET. We’re an inclusive, non-dogmatic, progressive Christian community that affirms all gender identities and expressions, embraces interfaith and skeptical perspectives, and rejects literal interpretations of scripture. #churchonline #churchservice #worshipservice