Gratitude opens the door to one of the greatest gifts of all time – community. Alone, resistance is impossible; together, united in gratitude, I think we can change the world.

Many church people bemoan the commercialization of Christmas. Our response is understandable. However, I want to suggest two different approaches this season.

I bear witness that the hardship facing Christians in Bethlehem is a microcosm of the suffering and plight of all Palestinians living in the Holy Land. The world needs to understand the truth about the systematic oppression facing this community — and see past the bad-faith efforts to deny and conceal it.

Each Friday in The Christian Citizen, we publish a Religion News Roundup with summaries of religion news stories and links for those who want to read more.

The core vision of the Kingdom of God is not that we could escape this present world, but that we could make it beautiful. Not that we would abandon it, but that we would renew it. Not that we would destroy it, but that we would resurrect it.