No Islands

I've been a part of a couple of conversations about the nature of the church. One was with an atheist who has respect for the church. However, he believes that the primary function of the church is to police and push a doctrinal agenda. I don't like that perception of the church. If that's what people think, then we are doing a pretty bad job at being the church. I think a major aspect of the church is the gathering of a community that has been touched by Christ. I can't seem to get away from the communal aspect of the Church.

Another conversation begin to focus on the role of "certain" congregations that don't care to see themselves in community with the rest of their denomination. They have done a great job of creating some sort of community within their own walls (as warped as that community may be). However, they only show up to synod assemblies in order to vote for the "hot-button" issues. It was reported that 200 people walked out of the synod assembly between the debate on sexuality and the entire rest of the assembly.

These congregations are reinforcing the perception that my atheist conversation partner has! STUPID!

How do I try to tell people that the church is a community of people who gather around an experience of the divine, when there are ministries designed to sabotage each other? Impossible. It drives me nuts.

Justice in the church can only happen when we realize that we need the ENTIRE body of Christ to survive. No one is saved alone. Either we all make it, or we don't. I can't just recognize that my neighbor is someone I don't relate...I have to realize that I desperately need my neighbor for my own well being.

Thanks for starting this up. I needed an outlet to vent.

This is fairly academic, but...

....I found these definitions interesting. Feel free to dissect according to your wont and personal temperment.


From Dictionary.com:

JUSTICE
The quality of being just; fairness.
The principle of moral rightness; equity.
Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude; righteousness.
The upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law.
Law. The administration and procedure of law.
Conformity to truth, fact, or sound reason: The overcharged customer was angry, and with justice.
To treat adequately, fairly, or with full appreciation: The subject is so complex that I cannot do justice to it in a brief survey.

AND

CHURCH

Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it isthe translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew_kahal_ of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found. There is no clear instance of its being used for a place of meeting or of worship, although in post-apostolic times it early received this meaning.Nor is this word ever used to denote the inhabitants of a country united in the same profession, as when we say the "Church of England," the "Church of Scotland," etc.

We find the word ecclesia used in the following senses in the New Testament:

(1.) It is translated "assembly" in the ordinary classical sense(Acts 19:32, 39, 41).

(2.) It denotes the whole body of the redeemed, all those whom the Father has given to Christ, the invisible catholic church (Eph. 5:23,25, 27, 29; Heb. 12:23).

(3.) A few Christians associated together in observing the ordinances of the gospel are an ecclesia (Rom. 16:5; Col. 4:15).

(4.) All the Christians in a particular city, whether they assembled together in one place or in several places for religious worship, were an ecclesia. Thus all the disciples in Antioch, forming several congregations, were one church (Acts13:1); so also we read of the "church of God at Corinth" (1 Cor. 1:2), "the church at Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1), "the church of Ephesus" (Rev. 2:1), etc.

(5.)The whole body of professing Christians throughout the world (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal.1:13; Matt. 16:18) are the church of Christ.

The church visible "consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children." It is called "visible" because its members are known and its assemblies are public. Here there is a mixture of "wheat and chaff," of saints and sinners. "God has commanded his people to organize themselves into distinct visible ecclesiastical communities, with constitutions, laws, and officers, badges, ordinances, and discipline, for the great purpose of giving visibility to his kingdom, of making known the gospel of that kingdom, and of gathering in all its elect subjects. Each one of these distinct organized communities which is faithful to the great King is an integral part of the visible church, and all together constitute the catholic or universal visible church."

A credible profession of the true religion constitutes a person a member of this church. This is "the kingdom of heaven," whose character and progress are set forth in the parables recorded in Matt. 13. The children of all who thus profess the true religion are members of the visible church along with their parents. Children are included in every covenant God ever made with man. They go along with their parents (Gen. 9:9-17; 12:1-3; 17:7; Ex. 20:5; Deut. 29:10-13).Peter, on the day of Pentecost, at the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, announces the same great principle. "The promise [just as toAbraham and his seed the promises were made] is unto you, and to your children"(Acts 2:38, 39). The children of believing parents are "holy", i.e., are"saints", a title which designates the members of the Christian church (1 Cor.7:14).

The church invisible "consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the head thereof." This is a pure society, the church in which Christ dwells. It is the body of Christ. it is called "invisible" because the greater part of those who constitute it are already in heaven or are yet unborn, and also because its members still on earth cannot certainly be distinguished. The qualifications of membership in it are internal and are hidden. It is unseen except by Him who"searches the heart." "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2 Tim. 2:19). The church to which the attributes, prerogatives, and promises appertaining to Christ's kingdom belong, is a spiritual body consisting of all true believers, i.e., the church invisible.

(1.) Its unity. God has ever had only one church on earth. We sometimes speak of the Old Testament Church and of the New Testament church, but they are one and the same. The Old Testament church was not to be changed but enlarged (Isa. 49:13-23; 60:1-14). When the Jews are at length restored, they will not enter a new church, but will be grafted again into"their own olive tree" (Rom. 11:18-24; comp. Eph. 2:11-22). The apostles did not set up a new organization. Under their ministry disciples were "added" to the "church" already existing (Acts 2:47).

(2.) Its universality. It is the"catholic" church; not confined to any particular country or outward organization, but comprehending all believers throughout the whole world.

(3.)Its perpetuity. It will continue through all ages to the end of the world. It can never be destroyed. It is an "ever lasting kindgdom."

Peace,
Jess

Let's start with some definitions and personal opinions

For those of us in the laity who don't stay as current on such subjects....

a space where we can share our vision for justice and the Church - especially since so many Churches don't want to hear it

What is justice?

For that matter, what is the Church?

Oh my, those are HUGE questions.

Also - anyone care to share snippets of their own vision for justice and the Church?

Why is it that many Churches don't want to hear about this?

Peace,
Jess

Who are the Daughters of Amos?!?

There have been a few of us in the ministry scene that have been itching for a space where we can share our vision for justice and the Church - especially since so many Churches don't want to hear it. So, I was pondering about what to call the site.

Then I read Amos.

I've always loved the book of Amos. It is short. It is powerful. It is about a guy that would rather be in the woods taking care of a flock. Instead, God said, "Go be a prophet." And Amos did.

Of course, there is something lacking in identifying with Amos. The same thing that is lacking in so much of scripture. Full inclusion. There are very few prophetesses in scripture. I wanted to affirm the role of women in prophetic work.

Prophets often inspired schools. Isaiah didn't write the whole book of Isaiah, but students of Original Isaiah tried to speak in the spirit of him.

I consider this space to be in the spirit of Amos. I hope we can all embrace the title "Daughter of Amos."

"Semper Ecclesia Reformandi"