A thousand years before the birth of Greek philosophy, the forbears of the biblical authors inhabited a world in which the families of the earth coexisted in the land with different languages and cultures. In the story of Luke, as with the rest of the Bible, the author’s focus is not on identity, but locality, the place where you are found. 

Using the lens of language, food, skin color, beliefs, music, and other passing characteristics, community builders apply identity as a powerful tool for social organization. From the conquering Greeks of history to Caesar Augustus in Luke, to the social engineers of our age, community builders depend on philosophical identity because the nature of their anti-eucharistic project is to overrun and control locality. 

Thanks be to God, who sent his son to show us the way back to neighborly fellowship with all creatures that live and dwell in our locality under the heavens, in the watchful care of the biblical shepherds of Israel. 

Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Luke 2:4-7
Episode 459; Luke 2:4-7

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Rise Again by Alexander Nakarada
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4897-rise-again
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/