The Church – grace under fire

image courtesy of google images

Given the supposed conservative backlash against Pope Francis’ ‘new tone’ and revised message for the Church – said ‘backlash’ posited mostly by secular and liberal critics of the Church – Hunter is prompted to ask ‘what precisely is the beef with the Pope?’ Surely it is not disagreement with his position. Covering this ‘problem’ for the Church, Belief Blog notes that ‘most liberals praised the pope’s bold new vision’.

Well of course they do.

It seems that the ‘new-found’ [read: original] humility and vision for the Church has shaken some folks up.

Yes, liberal critics seem delighted with Pope Francis, yet the sheer giddiness with which they report supposed ‘dissension in the ranks’ of Christian conservatives is telling. While some secular critics of the Church who happen to be Capitalists have gone on the offensive, calling into question the Church’s economic position directly, the secular/liberal reaction is of more interest to yours truly.

To hear secularists tell it, the change in the tone of the Church re: economics, gays, the role of women in the Church, etc., is “A bold new course” and “revolutionary”.

Oh, really?

A Church that surprises

image courtesy of google images and is owned by ☻☺’s photostream (flickr)

The recent hype over Pope Francis’ ‘surprising’ public confession prompts “And Then The Darkness” to ask: “exactly how do folks see the Church?”.

To an article, these reports use superlatives like “shock” and ‘stunned’ to describe how folks reacted to Pope Francis’ act of humility. The incident harkens back to folks who were similarly surprised when the leader of the world’s one billion Catholics replied “who am I to judge?” when asked about gay people and the alleged ‘gay lobby’ in the Vatican.

Again, how exactly do people see the Church?

A Pope (or, indeed, a priest, minister, or lay Christian) expressing acts of humility ought surprise no one. We  are, after all, called upon to be humble in spirit (2 Chronicles 7:14 ;Matthew 18:4;  Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11). 

Is it possible we (and our Church leaders) have become so removed from the call to remain poor in spirit that when the leader of the world’s Catholics does what he does every day (confessing and asking for forgiveness for his sins) it shocks people?

As most of these reports note the Pope does, after all, confess daily as all Christians must.

Perhaps the public nature of his confession is unusual, but if so the very newness of this public confession is a problem for all of us. A humble, seeking Church, a publicly humble Church, is after all one left less open to accusations of secrecy, arrogance, or hypocrisy.

Are we so far removed from our humble calling and origins we resemble to some the High Priests and Scribes of Christ’s day? It would seem so given the reactions of many to the Pope’s ‘gay lobby’ interview and given the public perceptions of the Church that are often provided in media accounts covering the faithful.

In the recent words and actions of Pope Francis we have a Church which  surprises. For many out there, especially for those who up until now have seen the Church in a negative light, this surprise is a positive change.

Yours truly looks forward, however, to the day when the Body of Christ feels no need to surprise. And Then The Darkness imagines a day when a Christian who living in humility surprises no one.

That will be the day when the Church will truly lead the way for the Flock.

 

“The Church is a whore”

Whether or not Augustine actually said “the Church is a whore, but she’s my mother” (attribution to him remains disputed), the quote itself is spot on while remaining uncomfortable to think about.

Whether it’s the sex abuse scandals of the Catholic Church and the related cover ups, the rabid hate of folks like Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist, the Alabama Church that refused to marry a black couple, the bedding down of Christian Tea Party members with Congress, or its the Mega Church monstrosities of Joel Osteen, the Church certainly has had questionable paramours of late. Never mind the abuses and slaughters in Her past. Still, She is our mother. And She is redeemable. Christ’s answer to the adulterer comes to mind.

Christ certainly has a soft spot in His heart for the fallen.

I for one am more of an ugly step child (or, perhaps, an adopted child), having been raised as a Jehovah’s Witness before moving on to Objectivism and atheism prior to being called back home.

He certainly had a soft spot for me. God knows I fell far. 

Though I remain a steadfast and (hopefully) humble critic of the Church, and though as a former Jehovah’s Witness I remain troubled by Revelation 17 & 18 in regards to much of Christendom, I am hopeful that the Body of Christ will live up to Her calling. I pray She will remain in perpetual humility and repentance. With all of Her flaws She is still the Church.

It’s helpful to remember another uncomfortable zinger from Augustine:

“He cannot have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his mother.”