Anti-Cancel Culture
The idea that we live in a "cancel culture" has been circulating for the last 5-8 years. According to Wikipedia "Cancel culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it be online, on social media, or in person. Those who are subject to this ostracism are said to have been 'cancelled'." Most frequently folks are cancelled because the opinions they express are deemed wrong, oppressive, or inappropriate by a group of people. In popular culture we see over and over how people make mistakes, get caught and are cancelled. We also see groups call out people for ideas contrary to their own. Depending on the power or influence of the group calling you out you could be cancelled. The prevalence of cancel culture has contributed widely to the polarization of society that we experience today politically, culturally and religiously. Cancel culture has infiltrated the church as well. We see leaders or fellow church members mess up and they are cancelled. If some one doesn't hold the same theological views that we do, they are cancelled*. Values like listening, empathy, healthy disagreement and forgiveness do not thrive in a cancel culture.
That is why I am so drawn to the anti-cancel culture that Jesus inaugurates and that we will be looking at this Sunday in John 21. If anyone deserved to be cancelled it was Peter. Peter, who boasted of his superiority to the other brothers (Mark 14:29), who completely missed the humble way in which Jesus was bringing his kingdom (John 18:10,11), who denied he even knew Jesus - with imprecations (Mark 14:71,72). Surely he would be cancelled. But Jesus doesn't think like that. Jesus doesn't think like us. He knows Peter. He loves Peter. He pursues Peter from the very moment of his resurrection (Mark 16:7). He restores Peter, gives him back his dignity, gives him a task to do and something worth dying for. My cancel culture weary psyche can't wait to dive into this with you on Sunday!