Sermon: "A Strange Little Letter"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

Our Second Reading this morning - from St. Paul's Letter to Philemon - is unusual in several ways. One very obvious distinction of this reading is that we see here nearly the entire letter. St. Paul's closing is not included, but the rest of his letter is found here - and that is unusual indeed. Most of our readings in worship present us with a portion of a letter or a book or a gospel, without the context of the reading. Thus, we do not know what comes before the reading or after it, unless we go to the trouble of looking it up in the Bible. However, in this reading, we get nearly the entire letter.

Another distinctive feature of Philemon is that it is a private and personal letter. St. Paul addresses it precisely to Philemon, not to a church or a group of believers in a city or town. Other names are mentioned early in the letter, but it becomes clear very quickly that Philemon, the head of the household, is really the one being addressed. Indeed, he is being appealed to, by St. Paul, in a direct way.

Also, this letter is not a theological treatise that requires a dictionary to read and a biblical commentary to understand. Rather, the letter is something like one of us might write - a personal appeal, with one particular matter in mind. Because of the unique aspects of the letter, then, we gain some interesting perspectives on life in the world of St. Paul.

Philemon was a fairly rich man, who owned slaves in his household. He made his home available as a gathering place for the believers in that area, and because of his position as host for such gatherings, he and St. Paul were well-acquainted with each other. Another person who may have been involved somehow in that faith community was also a slave in Philemon's household - and his name was Onesimus.

Now, Onesimus had something of a checkered past. He was indeed a slave. But, at the time of this letter, he had become a run-away slave, who had left Philemon's household without permission. In addition, he apparently also had stolen some things from the house when he left. We do not know all the details of his journey, but Onesimus made his way to Rome. Whether by previous design or by accident, he came into contact with Paul, who was himself under house arrest in Rome at the time.

As a result of Paul's association with this run-away slave, Onesimus became more involved in the life of the faith community in Rome. On a daily basis, also, he was helpful to Paul, who was obviously restricted by his imprisonment. Paul refers to him as his "child." Whether that reference is to their religious connection or to the significant position in Paul's household played by this former slave or to both, we do not know. But, it is clear from this letter that Paul and Onesimus had become quite close.

St. Paul's purpose in writing Philemon was to ask him to take back this run-away slave, to forgive him, and to refrain from excessive punishment of him. Now, Paul was indeed in state custody, and it may be that he wrote the letter, thinking that something would soon change his own circumstances, leaving Onesimus at loose ends. Or, it may be that Paul was appealing for reconciliation between these two friends of his. Or, perhaps he did not have the resources to support Onesimus any longer. But, for whatever reason, he was appealing to Phlemon to take Onesimus back. That - simply and directly - is the purpose of this letter.

An appropriate question for us to ask, then, is this: Why in the world is The Letter to Philemon in the Bible? Or, put another way, how did this personal, private letter attain such a place that it is included in holy scripture? I would offer you a couple of possible answers to those questions this morning.

The Letter to Philemon shows us that Christianity can be alive and well, even within oppressive social circumstances - like slavery. St. Paul does not advocate the end of slavery in this letter; he does not even lobby Philemon to free Onesimus. Rather, St. Paul calls for the exercise of Christian behavior, within the context of the current social structures and mores.

Therefore, in our day we might observe that Christianity can be practiced in places as diverse as the United States and Nigeria, for instance. Christianity might look somewhat different in such differing situations and circumstances. Indeed, Christian practice in one place might lead to behaviors that would not be appropriate in the other. Further, it might be inappropriate to impose the practices of one place on the other - as was done previously in colonial times and has been suggested in our own day as well. But that is probably not in the best interests of Christianity, nor even faithful to it. Indeed, the example of St. Paul himself argues against such an imposition of the culture of one society on another one. Surely, the Letter to Philemon testifies that Christianity can be practiced faithfully in a diversity of cultural settings.

Secondly, the power of this little letter involves the call to personal, internal conversion - and, as an effect of that conversion, the call to practice faith that stands the test of accountability. That is, St. Paul challenges his friend and fellow Christian, Philemon, to live out his public faith in his own private life. St. Paul calls for an authentic faith, in terms of action … in this case, the action of reconciliation. Or, in the words of a favorite collect of mine from Easter Week, "Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith…"(BCP, p223).

In conclusion, then, I commend the Letter of Paul to Philemon to you today. The setting and story of the letter may remind us at times of a first century soap opera. Indeed, as I was writing this sermon, that image kept emerging to me, I must admit. Nevertheless, I have tried to suggest this morning that the message here is quite current and practical for our Christian lives as well. May we recognize, therefore, that the call to practice a Christian life is valid and appropriate, in any situation in which we find ourselves. And secondly, may we strive to reconcile what we do day to day with what we say that we believe. May we, therefore, indeed show forth in our lives what we profess by our faith. Amen.

Copyright © 2007 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee