Lake Como from the Funicular at Brunate, Italy 2012
(Photo krb)
In his book "Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed and the Disillusioned." Brian D McLaren writes " A growing proportion of smart and honest Christians of each new generation will abandon the sinking ship, just as they have been doing for centuries in Europe and decades in the United States. In the not-too-distant future, Christianity will only exist in those enclaves where authoritarian leaders rule over submissive flocks who enfold their religious lives within the assumptions of the first axial age."
The decline in the institutional church is evident in the census data which shows that regular attendance at church was stable during the 20th century declining from about 25% of the population at the beginning of the century to about 23% by 1990. Over the next 10 Years church attendance declined by a further 3% to about 20% of the population. Recent figures, however, show that regular church attendance has declined to between 10% and 8% of the population. Regular attendance at and commitment to a church community is seen as being among a very small minority of the population. I am sure that anyone who has traditionally been involved in the life of the church will be well aware of this drastic decline.
There are a great variety of factors which have brought about this decline. In our Australian experience the main factors have had to do with the higher levels of education giving rise to a better understanding of the world and the empowerment of each new generation to make decisions about life without the influence of others, particularly the institutional church.
The implication of this that seems to escape the leaders of the institutional church is that the people are no longer willing to be told what to think, how to behave or what to pursue in life, by, generally, old men who decide from on high how life is to be lived when they themselves have limited experience of life in the real world.
I have to say though that while there has been a rapid decline in interest in and tolerance of the institutional church, people still show a very great interest in religion and spirituality. I think that McLaren has chosen the wrong subject for his book. Had he instead asked the question "Do I Stay in the Institutional Church?" that would have resonated much more. This is a question that most of us have faced during our lives. It is difficult to see how one can stop being Christian if one has been brought up holding strong Christian values which are part of our worldview and which we seek as best we can to pass on to future generations.
The only possible future for the institutional church can be if it is able to abandon its seemingly inbuilt notions of superiority and exclusiveness and engages with the world with no agenda except to launch out into the deep by offering place to explore truth and meaning in life in peace and unconditional love.
Every blessing as you continue on your journey. May God bless you and be your companion on the way. Please get in touch any time to say g'day.
Peace, justice and blessings to all.
church is as much evident
No comments:
Post a Comment