I am doing a little thinking today about the cities we live in. You know that PLACE is so important to me. Imagine my delight when Buddy Hoffman suggested I read “Sidewalks in the Kingdom” by Eric O Jacobsen. I haven’t gotten past the introduction yet and he’s already speaking my language. So just for an appetizer, look at this list of characteristics of what it means to be a city.
- Shared public spaces
- Mixed-use spaces
- Non-essential beauty and artistry in the local buildings
- A local economy
- Presence of strangers
- Connections through the critical mass of people
In other words, our cities and towns need to have their own identity, that quirkiness that makes one place more interesting than another. And if I’m reading the promise of this book correctly, it’s going to begin to develop a theology of how Christians can impact that process and work within the PLACE God has given them. Sounds like a fun read!
