ICF - Professions of Faith

Sunday 1st June 2025 - 7th Sunday of Easter

Acts 16:16-34; Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21; John 17:20-26; Psalm 97

The world of work comes under very clear scrutiny through today's New Testament reading from Acts. The slave girl who follows Paul and Silas could be described as being under a two-fold oppression. Firstly there is the spiritual oppression of a 'spirit of divination' and then the soci-economic oppression of her exploitative owners. Modern interpreters might discuss long and hard how to understand the super-natural aspects of this narrative, but what cannot be ignored is the clear connection between the spiritual and the economic. In driving out the spirit that possessed her, Paul and Silas release her from both. In setting her free from spiritual oppression, they release her from economic exploitation.

A contemporary congregation might be invited to consider what examples of economic oppression continue to prevail through the world of work and commerce today. This story invites us to consider how what might be considered as the spiritual aspects of our faith, present a similar responsibility to act and speak against these economic realities. This might be further developed by acknowledging the existence of modern-day slavery, offering opportunity to recognise and pray for the work of those who seek to detect and combat this evil. Contemporary law requires UK companies to ensure the absence of slavery and people-trafficking in their supply chains. This offers further opportunity to recognise how the principles of this episode are lived out in the world of work.

Such considerations highlight how work can be both a vehicle for human flourishing and fulfilment, but also a means of exploitation and abuse. This underlines the importance of being a Christian community that embraces the reality of work, and promotes those perspectives that frame it as contributing to the common good.

Paul and Silas' eventual imprisonment generates opportunities to consider and pray for those who work in our own prison service. By recognising the injustice of their detention, a congregation might also focus on the work of human-rights lawyers, campaigners and those who work to review and undo unsafe convictions.