Tara asks:
Given the differences in theology,etc. between the numerous Christian denominations, where do you think the Christian Church (as a whole) should put its emphasis? I mean, is there a space for Christian unity and if so, what would it look like?
Tara, I very much like an image from 1 Corinthians, where Paul describes the church as being like a body. Some people are the eyes, some are the feet, and so on. I think that denominations are similar in that way--they serve different purposes in the larger body, and make it possible for more people to fit in right somewhere.
It's an interesting question, though, where the entire church should be bending its energies. Whether it should be or not, the church today is wrestling with the many changes in culture and society that have come about as the result of modern science, sociology, psychology, and history, and the challenge to hierarchy presented by modern thinking. The big gay question is the most recent outgrowth of this: the gay rights movement is an extension of feminism, which was made possible by the industrial revolution. Life and culture are shifting very rapidly compared to, oh, say, Western Europe from 800-1200AD. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, medieval scholars). And you'll notice that homosexuality is an issue, if not a ridiculous preoccupation, with most denominational bodies in the US, just as ordaining women was about 20-30 years ago.
What this means is that the church is working hard to stay relevant. This is necessary work--a kind of developmental task that can't be avoided--but unfortunately it pulls us away from our core tasks: teaching, worshipping, serving, sharing the gospel, building community. And it's a distraction from our work serving the vast numbers of the poor, globally, as well as the spiritually hungry right here in the US. The Christian Church as a whole is called to love God and neighbor. I realize this is a very general statement, but hey, I'm quoting Jesus so I should be able to get away with it.
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4 comments:
i've got a question. kind of church history/practice/? question. a friend and i were talking the other night about how both of us had very christian grandfathers die and grieving was really frowned upon during the service. it was all, they're in heaven now, etc. and so it made me think is this is evangelical protestant thing to frown on grief and other emotions in general (esp. negative emotions like depression, anger, etc) or is this a thing of church history through the ages? if so, where did that come from? i know the verse that says "we do not mourn like those who have no hope," but there needs to be an adequate place for grief. so just wondering your thoughts on that matter.
shannon
While I think you are correct that Western Europe progressed very slowly/little from 800-1200 AD (compared to the rapid pace of today's social history), I think that it is incorrect to say that the gay rights movement sprang, Athena-like, from feminism. Certainly, as a later movement in the modern sense, the gay rights movement owes much to the feminist movement and the civil rights movement, but it is not a direct descendent of either. Further, equating acceptance of sexuality with greater acceptance of people who are outside gender norms is a worrisome connection. Sexuality CAN be linked to gender, but it is not necessarily so.
Amy - you never answered this question:
Isn't that a philosophical failing of the "grace of god," though? If one believes in divine forgiveness, that a god will give a person grace for any action, no matter how repugnant, where is the moral/ethical door that bangs shut before one sins boldly? Christianity sometimes appears to let people off the hook for the consequences of their action (unless you're only reading Old Testament, that is, then there's a whole lotta smiting going on).
Duckie--a couple of corrections:
1. I realize that I've truncated the history of the gay rights movement in my post. Would you like to comment on how it did develop?
2. When I put gay ordination in a similar category with women's ordination, I'm more interested in the effect it had on the church and the controversies arising from it, than any similarity between the issues. I think abortion has also played a similar role.
Thanks for not letting me get away with anything--watch this space for an answer on the grace question.
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