Living in the ruins

Interesting article in The Christian Century about staying in, or leaving, your denomination when things go flaky. And whether becoming a Catholic is the answer...

Comments

[David Faulkner]

Maggi,

Thanks for this link. Much to ponder and connect with for me (albeitn in a different direction). I've blogged some quick thoughts myself.

[Christopher Shell]

The Church provides a good example of a more general truth: that once one allows separation in principle, it will (as sure as eggs is eggs) get out of hand. Witness both evangelicals and pentecostals. I counted more than 50 different denominations beginning 'Church of God', for example.

So are the Catholics right to disallow it in principle? Yes: provided they are committed to being an entity in dialogue, ecclesia semper reformanda, and where power and influence are not the same thing.

The last way we can influence our denomination to change is by obeying the birds-of-a-feather ghetto principle. Contrast a transdenominational academic seminar, for example: we can learn from our differences.

This suggests that a preferable way to the catholic way (which sometimes allows ecumenism only when this involves agreeing with the catholics) is cooperative debate within the same friendly body: ie the universal church. For reasons of integrity alone, on this *secondary* level churches should be permitted to divide (even, divide and rule after the competitive business model), while still remaining friendly and mutually positive, and jointly identified as 'the Church', on the primary level.
Everyone, once on their death bed, realises that denominational disputes are time-wasting small beer. Best is to self-identify as Christian/ecumenical, take a positive view of denominational diversity, continue in debate (since it is obviously not possible to agree with everyone and everything), and just get on with the job.