My USA Today column today argues that tough times calls for tough love from our religious leaders, as opposed to the therapeutic nostrums that usually form the core of middle-class American religion. But I also ponder the class divide in American religion, wondering what "respectable" middle-class churches have to say to the poor -- if anything. I saw an old black street preacher in downtown Dallas on Friday, and from the way he was dressed, I could tell he didn't have much money. People sitting out having their lunch on restaurant patios were laughing at him. I smirked too. But later, I wondered if I would ever be as bold in my faith as to speak out like that man. I didn't wonder long -- of course I wouldn't. My proper bourgeois people don't do things like that. And that's a problem.
Tough love and religious faith
Monday March 9, 2009
Categories: Culture, Religion (general)
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About Crunchy Con
Rod Dreher is an editorial columnist for the Dallas Morning News, and author of "Crunchy Cons" (Crown Forum), a nonfiction book about conservatives, most of them religious, whose faith and political convictions sometimes put them at odds with mainstream conservatives. The views expressed in this blog are his own.
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The Church's understanding is NOT we are right by definition. The Church's understanding is that she is the body of Christ. That she has been commissioned to continue the ministry of Christ to bring salvation to the world.
And how do we know all this? Why, those churchmen tell us so! So you just know that everything they teach is correct ("by definition, because they teach it"), because they are the body of Christ (they said so, right?) and how can Christ (they) be wrong?
Convinced yet? I'm not. It's surprising to me how long it took me to actually think all this through.
An it is only Christ, in his role as pastor, that teaches through the pope and those bishops in communion with him. Read Lumen Gentium.
And what do you know of Christ that did not first come through the Church. You sit there and say "oh I believe in Jesus" that is revealed through the Bible but ignore this verse and add this verse and there you go. Unless you are going to utilize sources that have been rejected for thousands of yrs. If you do then you have to come up with some explanation as to why God chose to make salvation possible for you but skip everyone else in between.
You can not proclaim faith in Christ without also proclaiming faith in the Church. Its in creed. Why did Jesus choose 12 apostles? Why did he call peter the rock? Why did He command them to celebrate the Eucharist? Why did he tell them whoever sins you forgive are forgiven? Why did He instruct them to go forth and preach and baptize? You have no reason to believe that any of these verses in the bible are any less valid than verses on forgivenesss, the prodigal son or lost sheep. You have no reason other than the fact it would challenge your world view.
anon, you are suffering a severe case of post hoc ergo proctor hoc.
It is not serving your purpose of promoting the Catholic church, if that be indeed your desire. Should you, however, be seeking to drive us away, congratulations.
panthera, if you are being driven away, I don't know why you felt the need to comment. I wasn't speaking with you. Congratulations though I am proud you graduated from the incessant "hateful and spiteful" routine. My beliefs are objective, definable and shared by a great number of people.
People used to get saved through the preaching of Gospel. Now all we have are unconverted church members of every kind (fundamental, emergent, pentecostal, etc...) that remain dead in sin.
www.fleebabylon.com
-Jim
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