Hospitality as a Theological Principle Regarding Discipleship

Christians do not find it difficult to agree that hospitality is what they are called to do.

Romans 12:13 reads, “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”

Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have

entertained angels without knowing it.” Lastly, 1 Peter 4:9 reads, “Be hospitable to one another

without complaining.” The list is not limited to just these three verses. The multitude of verses

that call for its use ensure the agreement that hospitality is a value Christians are to hold. The

details of what this looks like and to whom one shows it, however, are where disagreements

stem. Today, people may choose who they believe deserves hospitality or show it in ways that

look different from how others show it. This is not its intended use. Hospitality is a useful tool in

discipleship, so it is necessary that it is shown in a correct fashion. The problem in its use in

discipleship lies in the “selling point.” Approaching someone with the main idea that they are

sinful and therefore should follow Jesus to make up for that is unsuccessful and unhospitable.

This is not going to convince someone that Jesus is worth following but showing Jesus’ love

through one’s hospitality is more likely to. Hospitality is a theological principle that is a vital

tool in the pursuit of discipleship. It is a love that should not be limited to any person or any

place, but used to create relationships

The Greek word translated to hospitality in the Old Testament means “love of strangers”. 1

This love is interpreted differently than love is in current English vernacular. Werner G.

Jeanrond describes this difference between two types of love: eros, the platonic, and agape, the

Christian.2 He shows “eros as the human form of egocentric and desiring love which strives to

reach the divine sphere by its own strength” and “agape as the form of love which originates in

1
Francis, “Hospitality and Community After Christendom,” 48.
2
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 116.
God and therefore requires a human attitude of receptivity and passivity.”3 Eros is a love that

people attempt to bring from within themselves. It may, though not always, hold some sort of

underlying, selfish motive. Agape, however, rejects this idea and instead is based on the principle

that Christian love comes from God.4 This holds that the love from a Chrisitan does not come

from themselves but is a way for God to show love through people. The second part of the

translation of hospitality is “of strangers.” This choice of words shows that those who Christians

are to love is not limited by any factor. To only show love to those one is comfortable around,

believes is deserving, or deems acceptable based on their held discriminations contradicts what

agape essentially is. Agape love requires it to be shown to strangers. Jeanrond continues by

correlating these types of love with types of religion, distinguishing Christianity as a “religion of

love” and others as “religions of law”.5 Straying from dissecting the differences of love as a

principle across religions, Christianity holds love at the core of the faith. A religion of love is

open to everyone, including the sinner, even the stranger, pointing back to the second part of the

translation.

A common misconception about hospitality is that it must be done in a home, but this is

not true. Jesus embodied hospitality without a home. He shared meals with those seen as the

lowest of society. Luke 5:29 reads, “And Levi made [Jesus] a great feast in his house, and there

was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.” The presence of

tax collectors was a testament to Jesus’ value of hospitality because they were hated by and

shunned from the rest of society. Jesus, of everybody, would be the only person to have any

3
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 116.
4
Pattison, Stephen, and NetLibrary, Inc. Shame: Theory, Therapy, Theology. (Cambridge, U.K.; New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2000), 40.
5
Roth, “Don’t Dismiss Safe Spaces,” 60.
reason to act as above others, yet he chose to eat with these people, welcoming them with his

company and love. Welcoming does not need to be in a home, but a community much like the

one created here. Jesus also fed many people, something commonly associated with hospitality

today. In Matthew 14:15-21, he feeds 5000 people with fish and loaves of bread. This was not

convenient, just as hospitable acts today should not be expected to be convenient. He has

compassion for others and blesses them with knowledge. Mark 6:34 reads, “When he went

ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep

without a shepherd.”Again, he shows hospitality by going to a group rather than bringing them

into his home. This compassion for people stops any discrimination of who should or should not

be shown love and hospitality.

Discussions of faith-related topics often require the building of a relationship to be made

first. Andrew Francis puts the growth of a relationship as it moves towards conversations of faith

as the following progression: the building of a friendship, a view of one’s “Jesus-based value

system,” then a time where questions can be openly discussed.6 One act of hospitality that creates

community is a shared meal. Meals facilitate the feeling of a safe space. Michael S. Roth’s Don’t

Dismiss Safe Spaces narrows in on the impact of the feeling of safety. He describes what it looks

like and what it results in. This is “the feeling that one can speak one’s mind without being

attacked...”7. He later establishes the idea that respect should also be included.8 From both

parties, respect must be established for even a chance at consideration of the other side’s ideas.

This respect in combination with the safety felt in a community created by a shared meal builds a

6
Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, 115.
7
Francis, Andrew. Hospitality and Community after Christendom. (Crownhill: Authentic Media, 2014), 48.
8
Jeanrond, Werner G. A Theology of Love. (London; New York: T&T Clark, 2010), 114-116.
friendship. Through the building of a relationship, one party will begin to notice the values held

by the other. Hospitality is a way for Christians to act as Jesus would, ricocheting his love onto

those they interact with. Andrew Francis writes, “[Hospitality] also says what kind of community

we live and believe in, as well as aspire to and want to share.”9 Hospitality is how Christians

show Jesus to the world. Hospitable actions represent Jesus and reveal faith more effectively

than words can. Later in his book, Francis shares a story: “One of my newer friends, after sharing

a meal with others in my home, said that he felt like he had been with Jesus’ disciples. A rich and

real compliment, particularly as he is not a believer.”10 This is where hospitality is used as a tool

for discipleship. Acts of hospitality that reflect Jesus’ love begin relationships that foster faith-

based discussions.

The efforts towards discipleship today are heavily influenced by the unsuccessful “honor-

shame” culture. This attitude brings an effect that is opposite from the intention. “The word

shame is derived from a Germanic root skam/skem... with the meaning ‘sense of shame, being

shamed, disgrace.” It is traced back to the Indo-European root kam/kem: ‘to cover, to veil, to

hide.” ... The notion of hiding in intrinsic to and inseparable from the concept of shame.”11 By

pointing out one’s shame or suggesting that they should be shameful about something, they feel

exposed. This vulnerability causes a person to retreat. They pull back from listening to anything

the one who exposed them may say, because they do not want to risk re-exposure. This is not an

environment that fosters conversation, which is exactly what is necessary for discipleship. Shame

is a part of Christianity, but those who understand this cannot expect others to understand this or
9
Michael S. Roth, “Don’t Dismiss Safe Spaces,” in Ways of Knowing: The First Year Seminar Anthology, 7th
Edition. (XanEdu, 2021), 59.
10
Francis, “Hospitality and Community after Christendom,” 48.
11
Gibson, Krystal. “Hospitality.” Discipleship.org. Hospitality - Discipleship.org.
see it as a part of their life. Shame is part of Christianity as one studies and begins to recognize

which of our actions/struggles are sinful, but this is something that develops in faith and is a part

of one’s relationship with God. It cannot be expected of those with foundations of their beliefs

which differ to have the same perspective. So, a change in perspective from Christians is

necessary. When discipling others, shame is seen differently by those of no or different faiths, so

placing shame on them has only a negative effect.

Hospitality is a theological principle that is often misunderstood or misused in today’s

pursuit of discipleship among Christians. It is used in selective situations or with negative

intentions that stray from how the “love of strangers” was intended to be used. Hospitality is the

love of strangers not limited to particular people nor locations. It is a tool to build relationships

that promote discipling conversations. This is the perspective discipleship should be based

around, leaving behind the “honor-shame” attitude expressed today.

 Bibliography

Francis, Andrew. Hospitality and Community after Christendom. Crownhill: Authentic Media,
2014.

Gibson, Krystal. “Hospitality.” Discipleship.org. Hospitality - Discipleship.org.

Jeanrond, Werner G. A Theology of Love. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2010.

Michael S. Roth. “Don’t Dismiss Safe Spaces.” In Ways of Knowing: The First Year Anthology,
7th Edition, 59-60. XanEdu, 2021.

Pattison, Stephen, and NetLibrary Inc. Shame: Theory, Therapy, Theology. Cambridge, U.K.;
New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.