Adam Webb

Faith, Religion,and Society

Prof. Crossen

5 December, 2016

Question 2:

Kinship to most people means that you have a connection to someone based on blood

or by marriage and that you share characteristics with them. According to Greg Boyle, it means

that you share a deep connection with someone else no matter if you are related. You just have

to listen and care about each other’s lives so that both of you have a better understanding of

each other. He believes that “No daylight to separate us. Only kinship. Inching ourselves closer

to creating a community of kinship such that God might recognize it” (pg. ch9). That means that

nothing can really separate people, except their bonds between them. The more and more

people try to find kinship with each other, the more likely that the world will learn how to relate

and deal with their problems nonviolently. Also, he believes that when this finally happens, God

might realize how much the world is changing and improving.

In my life, I have seen many forms of kinship in many different situations or events. The

one that is closest to Greg Boyle’s definition was in 2010 during the National Boy Scout

Jamboree. People from all across the Pittsburgh area signed up to go to one of the biggest

events in Boy Scouts and most people did not know each other. We all got split up into small

groups where we had to learn and understand each other due to the fact that we would be living

and working together for over week. Kinship is very important thing that will bring the world

closer together and more understanding. We all really learned a lot about each other and got a

real deep understanding of each other.

Question 3:
 I believe that in his statement, “Soon we imagine, with God, the circle of compassion.

Then we imagine no one standing outside of that circle, moving ourselves close to the margins

so that the margins themselves will be erased,” Greg Boyle means that margins are the

differences between people. Anything from who their friends and family are to where they live in

a community. The people who are in the margins are the people who are trying to bridge the

gaps like what Greg Boyle was trying to do or are just parts of multiple groups or communities.

Greg was trying to bridge the gaps of the margins between the different gangs and other people

in the community to try to help set them on the right track to better themselves and the

community around them.

Another person in the margins other than Greg Boyle is the waitress or “Jesus in an

apron.” She was in the margins, because she did not care who she was serving, she treated

everyone the same. No matter of your race, religion, or skin color, you were treated as equals

and nicely. My major is Engineering and the way I could make the margins disappear would be

by creating things for everyone and not for just a certain group of people. I would be using my

creativity to make new products that could help anyone and everyone no matter of their race,

religion or skin color. The people in the margins are the people who help and care for everyone.

Question 4:

It is a very hard decision for me to chose whether I disagree or agree with this statement

due to the fact that I like parts from both side. But I am more leaning on the side of disagree due

to the fact that what he is doing does not require the image of God and his teachings. People’s

inner voice and their moral compass can tell them how to help the gangs. Anyone can do it who

wants to help people and have the best interest at heart for the people they are trying to help.

As Boyle said, “Kindness is the only strength there is.” Which means that the only thing that the

only thing that you need to help someone is kindness.

 Not everything that Greg Boyle does requires God to make it valid or to support what he

is trying to do with Homeboy Industries. But on the other hand, it really helps using God to help

support and strengthen the good he is trying do with the neighborhood boys and gangs. But

even though God and religion helps very much with what he is doing, it is not required, because

anyone can do what he is doing with a little effort and care for his community and the world

itself. In the novel, the way Greg Boyle taught the Homeboys what is really important what they

should really be doing with their lives. God or his image is not required to do anything in the

world, but it can help in some ways. The belief in God is very a powerful thing that can empower

people and their words, but people can help and improve other people’s lives without it.