Hospitality
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
We’ve heard the term so often that we have stopped listening. The most visible catchphrase of well-meaning church people everywhere is “radical hospitality.” Here’s the thing: this frequent usage has rendered the term almost meaningless. When ideas are thrown around without a deep understanding of their implications, they become little more than buzzwords—word salad devoid of substance. To fully grasp the concept of radical hospitality, dissecting both "radical" and "hospitality," exploring their meanings and the dynamics they create is essential.
The term 'radical' has a rich historical context and is often associated with political movements and social change. Derived from the Latin word radix, meaning root, 'radical' implies a fundamental change or a departure from the norm. It signifies something profound and profoundly transformative, a shift that goes beyond superficial adjustments to alter the very foundation of a system.
In hospitality, 'radical' signifies a transformative approach that challenges conventional norms and expectations. It's not just about being polite or generous. It's about creating a space of inclusivity and acceptance, a willingness to extend oneself beyond one's comfort zone and embrace and welcome the other. This transformative aspect of 'radical' hospitality has the potential to reshape societal norms and foster a more inclusive and accepting community.
For most of us, radical hospitality involves reading the room, being friendly, and using common sense. If, by chance, you get asked to host an end-of-Ramadan celebration in the fellowship hall (because a tornado destroyed the local mosque), call a church council meeting and hash it out. That’s a real chance for radical hospitality. Those events, however, are infrequent. If this happens to your church, you’re going to be on CNN, and the world will be watching how you define radical hospitality.
We make things radical that aren’t all that radical. If we treated everyone equally, there would be no need for adjectives like “radical” to modify words like hospitality. Hospitality should be able to stand on its own two feet. We should be able to be hospitable without being radicals. Our goal is not to be more radical but more gracious and welcoming. We want to move to an adjective-free world where we can go the second mile and welcome others as second nature.
At its core, hospitality is about welcoming and caring for guests or strangers. It involves creating a space where others feel valued, respected, and safe. However, it is often bound by cultural norms and expectations, where the host assumes a position of power, and the guest is expected to conform to certain behaviors. In contrast, hospitality disrupts these power dynamics. It is about meeting people where they are, recognizing their inherent dignity, and creating a space of genuine encounter and mutual transformation.
Hospitality is about welcoming others and transforming ourselves in the process. It disrupts traditional power dynamics, inviting a mutual exchange where both parties are transformed. It is about meeting people where they are, recognizing their inherent dignity, and creating a space of genuine encounter and mutual transformation. Instead of me welcoming you to church, we welcome each other to this shared moment of communion and community. Hospitality is about seeing and meeting people as people, whether they are marginalized or not. Hospitality and equality are inherently linked.
The term "radical" carries political connotations that can be discomforting. It suggests a challenge to the status quo, a call to action requiring stepping outside established norms and practices. This can be particularly unsettling in religious circles, where tradition and stability are often valued. Hospitality is not just about welcoming and changing the structures that exclude and marginalize people. It’s also about drawing your church community together. Everyone should feel welcome. Look at the church through the eyes of a visitor. What might make you feel unwelcome? If you see anything, have a conversation with your church family. Listen to one another.
To truly practice hospitality, churches and other institutions must go beyond inviting people to come to them. Instead, they must actively engage with their communities, reaching out to those often excluded from worship spaces. This means stepping out of comfort zones and traditional spaces and entering the community to build relationships. Actively engaging with the community is not just a suggestion; it's a necessity for practicing hospitality.
You may call it generous welcoming, deep reception, or radical hospitality. You do you. The name is less important than the actions represented by the words. Hospitality is a profound and transformative concept when understood and practiced in a Christian community. It requires a deep commitment to inclusivity, mutual respect, and genuine encounter. It challenges power dynamics and cultural norms, inviting the host and the guest to be transformed. While “radical hospitality” may be overused and misunderstood, its essence remains powerful and necessary in creating genuinely welcoming and inclusive communities.