When I worked as a carpenter remodeling older homes, I was sometimes part of the demolition crew. As the name suggests, this involved tearing things down, breaking through old walls which were sometimes permeated with years of coal dust, and removing ancient two-by-fours. The work was often messy and occasionally even dangerous. Still, I must confess that swinging a sledge hammer had its appeal. It could be wonderfully satisfying to knock things down! Tearing down old walls was selective, of course. Our crew didn’t want to bring the whole house down—just remodel it. It was wonderful to be involved in rebuilding as the project moved along, to trade in a sledge hammer for a finish hammer, to create new rooms in which a family could live, love, and grow.

While the scripture from Ephesians begins with the breaking down of a wall, it goes on to celebrate new construction. There is now peace and reconciliation between those who once were separated and regarded one another with hostility. The writer rejoices in the building of a new Temple, an inclusive household. Continuing to employ the imagery of architecture, Ephesians describes the apostles and prophets as the foundation of a new Temple with Christ as its cornerstone. Gentiles and Jews alike are joined together like so many building blocks, fashioned into one structure by Christ himself, the artisan as well as the cornerstone of this new dwelling place for God.

In our own time clearly there are walls of hostility which need to come down. There are other walls which need to be maintained. And there are new walls to be erected—walls which protect human dignity and give sanctuary, walls which give structure and continuity to life and love, to faith and community.