The Third Sunday of Easter, 5 May 2019
The Third Sunday of Easter, 5 May 2019 Acts 9:1-6 [7-20] Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 St. John 21:1-19 Background: Conversion In the lectionary for this day we have conversion stories, the “conversion” of the disciples named in the Gospel who choose to follow Jesus, and the account of Paul’s Christophany on the way to Damascus. It might be good to look at the notion of conversion apart from the religious principles that might seem to accompany it. Of special help here is the thought of Lewis Rambo, Professor of Psychology and Religion at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Readers interested in a more complete sampling of his thoughts on conversion should read his book, Understanding Religious Conversion . Here are his seven steps of religious conversion. 1. Context – The content of what an individual brings with them to the point of conversion. It includes how they were raised by their parents, their education, work, and social and cultural cont