Thursday Jul 25, 2024

What church can be vs. what it usually is

In this one I talk about the frustrating disconnect between how churches could be a strong, wide-reaching force for good in the world, but so many aren't.

Some churches contribute directly to the cycles of hate and violence we see all around us.

Other churches focus only on themselves. They buffer their members from the world's suffering and injustice, leaving them apathetic and complacent to harmful systems as long as it feels good to be in the in-group.

Church could and should be a place from which love, justice, grace, and abundance flow outward. Not just in rhetoric, but materially. Systemically.

For a while now, I've been sensing that I'm ready to move on from parsing out theological and philosophical arguments in my head. I want to move in a new direction, focusing on how to more tangibly live out my values through service and activism.

In short: loving people, planet, and peace.

I intend to keep drawing from my contemplative Christian roots as I do this, but I see my teammates as anyone working for love and justice in the world -- not people who ascribe to any one systematic theology and think everybody else should, too.

I close by reading an essay I wrote in grad school about what it takes to move from fundamentalism to a healthy, curious, fruitful kind of faith. I hope it's helpful to someone who feels alone.

What church can be vs. what it usually is

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