There is no "them"
A video discussing the theology of shared humanity.
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On Tuesday, I shared a quote from Father Gregory Boyle:
“There is no ‘them.’ There is only us.”
It’s one of those lines that sticks with you…because it names something true that we spend most of our lives trying to ignore. We live in a world built on separation, categories, and hierarchies. But Jesus didn’t come to validate our labels, He came to erase them.
Father Boyle has spent decades living this out in the streets of Los Angeles.
As the founder of Homeboy Industries, he works with former gang members, offering jobs, therapy, and…most importantly…unconditional love.
He doesn’t see projects. He sees people. He doesn’t sort the “deserving” from the “undeserving.” He just welcomes everyone with tenderness. He says, “You don’t go to the margins to make a difference. You go to the margins so the folks at the margins make you different.”
That’s the kind of gospel I want to follow. The kind that refuses to ask who belongs…because Jesus already answered that.
In this week’s Behind Mainline video, I’m diving deeper into the theology behind this idea: That there is no “them.” There is only us.
We’ll explore this idea of shared humanity, why spiritual formation depends on seeing the image of God in everyone, and how this truth plays out in the mess and beauty of real life.
Because if our faith doesn’t move us toward people…especially the ones we’ve been taught to avoid…it’s not formation. It’s just performance.
Enjoy this week’s video below.
P.S.
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