Church is a community of memory–of hope, primarily, but also largely of memory (the one enables the other). We remind one another constantly of our central stories and their meanings, our values and our symbols.

“This is the bread of life and the cup of salvation.”

“Remember your baptism and be at peace.”

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

We remind each other not because we think our knowledge of these assertions is deficient but because we understand ourselves well enough (that is, theologically enough) to know we need constant reminding.