| Good words for the church of today to keep in mind - again, Jurgen Moltmann. The mediaeval and Catholic distinction between clergy and laity deprives Christians in the world of their own chairsma, and is wrong. The Protestant distinction between 'spiritual pastors' and congregational members is 'uninspired' and just as wrong. In the fellowship of the Holy Spirit there are only 'spiritual' men and women. The long-standing clericalization of Christianity has deprived people in the church of their maturity and responsibility, and ever since the beginning of the modern world it has led to the emigration of 'Christianity in the world' from the official, mainline churches. So is he saying we need to dismantle what is? Possibly. Then again, it is my bet that Moltmann is trying to move us beyond how we have let the church become something other than a Spirit-led movement that keeps the Word alive in its radical and forever life-giving way. We must remember that this movement of the Spirit that blows the church through time and place cannot be limited by the structures and the hierarchy that we so often think is necessary. Instead, the Spirit is always attempting to blow us off track and into another way of seeing how God's Reign can and does come alive and blossom within the lives of all of us. The witness of Christianity in the world may just become an amazing gift of grace to the world. Connection: There are spiritual men and women and that is all of us. Come, Holy Spirit! Transform us and move us. Amen. |
No comments:
Post a Comment