http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/15/my-take-how-technology-could-bring-down-the-church/
Lisa Miller, formerly the religion editor at Newsweek, is the author of the above linked article and offers an interesting perspective on the effect technology can and is having on organized religion. Although I think that it will be many years before all institutionalized churches close their doors, if that ever really happens at all, we cannot ignore the fact that many people are rapidly becoming disenchanted with ‘the church’ in its various expressions and are leaving it in record numbers, in addition to the number of people that the church rejects as unworthy and closes their doors to.
On today’s Feast of the Good Shepherd, Ms. Miller’s article gives me pause and makes me ask the question, in today’s world and the debacle of “mother” church, what is the role of clergy? Do we still have a role? How do people view us? How do we view ourselves? Perhaps more importantly, how do we view people?
In a preparatory conversation last night with a family and the godparents of a young person preparing for baptism, it was evident that these people had a strong faith in God and knew the basics of their catholic faith but were in no way constrained nor inhibited by church mandates and authority in how they practiced their faith. It was a non-issue for them. In their minds, the church was supposed to be there for them, not the other way around.
As our conversation progressed, I asked some of the typical questions about their understanding of catholic doctrine and got some of the standard rote answers. I then replied, “well yes, but what do you think?” Our conversation turned to the fact that baptism was a rebirth in the spirit and the awakening ability of the person to hear and follow that divine voice within. We discussed the Divine Will and religion as a personal, private and individual encounter with the Father. Without discounting the benefits of the social experience of religion and sacramental need, we discussed the right of each person to find spiritual answers and truths for themselves by following the Spirit’s leading. We discussed in a broad sense the concepts of original sin, Adam and Eve, evil, sin and iniquity. We discussed humankind being made perfectly by God but by nature being imperfect; not to be confused with being sinful by nature. We discussed the absolute need for baptism to enter the kingdom of God.
So in our connected, technological modern world where much of church authority is seen as an impediment and a roadblock and people are now more apt to strike out on their own, hopefully in search of God, where do we fit in as clergy? Actually, our role as assigned by Jesus has never really changed. We have good news to proclaim and are Jesus’ ‘new’ facilitators in helping people to seek first the kingdom of God with the assurance of Jesus that all other things that they need will be added. As clergy, our new way to be catholic is to be universal in our approach to all people just as Jesus was, not fettered by ecclesial legalisms and the established ‘my way or the highway’ approach. We need to shut out some of the noise so folks can hear the voice of the Shepherd.
It’s time for a family reunion and clergy should be the party planners.
Lisa Miller, formerly the religion editor at Newsweek, is the author of the above linked article and offers an interesting perspective on the effect technology can and is having on organized religion. Although I think that it will be many years before all institutionalized churches close their doors, if that ever really happens at all, we cannot ignore the fact that many people are rapidly becoming disenchanted with ‘the church’ in its various expressions and are leaving it in record numbers, in addition to the number of people that the church rejects as unworthy and closes their doors to.
On today’s Feast of the Good Shepherd, Ms. Miller’s article gives me pause and makes me ask the question, in today’s world and the debacle of “mother” church, what is the role of clergy? Do we still have a role? How do people view us? How do we view ourselves? Perhaps more importantly, how do we view people?
In a preparatory conversation last night with a family and the godparents of a young person preparing for baptism, it was evident that these people had a strong faith in God and knew the basics of their catholic faith but were in no way constrained nor inhibited by church mandates and authority in how they practiced their faith. It was a non-issue for them. In their minds, the church was supposed to be there for them, not the other way around.
As our conversation progressed, I asked some of the typical questions about their understanding of catholic doctrine and got some of the standard rote answers. I then replied, “well yes, but what do you think?” Our conversation turned to the fact that baptism was a rebirth in the spirit and the awakening ability of the person to hear and follow that divine voice within. We discussed the Divine Will and religion as a personal, private and individual encounter with the Father. Without discounting the benefits of the social experience of religion and sacramental need, we discussed the right of each person to find spiritual answers and truths for themselves by following the Spirit’s leading. We discussed in a broad sense the concepts of original sin, Adam and Eve, evil, sin and iniquity. We discussed humankind being made perfectly by God but by nature being imperfect; not to be confused with being sinful by nature. We discussed the absolute need for baptism to enter the kingdom of God.
So in our connected, technological modern world where much of church authority is seen as an impediment and a roadblock and people are now more apt to strike out on their own, hopefully in search of God, where do we fit in as clergy? Actually, our role as assigned by Jesus has never really changed. We have good news to proclaim and are Jesus’ ‘new’ facilitators in helping people to seek first the kingdom of God with the assurance of Jesus that all other things that they need will be added. As clergy, our new way to be catholic is to be universal in our approach to all people just as Jesus was, not fettered by ecclesial legalisms and the established ‘my way or the highway’ approach. We need to shut out some of the noise so folks can hear the voice of the Shepherd.
It’s time for a family reunion and clergy should be the party planners.