I love samurai armor. During the years I practiced kendo while living in Japan, I wore the protective armor required for that martial art. Samurai armor, however, is much more intricate. It is strong, lightweight, functional, and flexible. It is custom-made for the wearer. On the whole it is quite different from the stiff and heavy armor worn in medieval Europe or the heavy armor of Saul custom-made for him and described in 1 Samuel 17.
In our passage from Ephesians (6:10-20) on this Sunday upcoming, the writer to the Christians in the great city of Ephesus urges them to "take up the whole armor of God." The metaphor is a surreptitious critique of the aphorism "Might makes right." But what does it mean to put on all these pieces of protection? And to what end? We'll explore this on Sunday, August 25 along with the spiritus gladius, the sword of the Spirit, symbol of St Paul and St Paul's, Key West.
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