Sunday, 13 March 2011

CHOOSING AN IDENTITY IN BOTH CHURCHES



"Did you ever have to make up your mind?  Pick up on one and leave the other one behind.  It's not often easy, and not often kind.  Did you ever have to make up your mind?"  Recognize those lyrics?  Yes.  The Lovin Spoonful.  That song is my personal 'ear-worm.'

Each Sunday, I attend Catholic mass at St. Michael's in Belleville at 8 a.m. and then go on to St. Matthew's United for 10 a.m.  I have made up my mind that I have both a Catholic identity and a United Church identity.  Why shouldn't I live both identities at whatever depth I can muster?  

Let me explain.  My view is that the response to Jesus is more like a dynamic movement than it is like a static institution.  

A movement has beliefs.  I do not deny that.  Beliefs are important.  We believe in one God, one mother/father of all -- each human a treasure valued in the eyes of God.  God -- the personal, gifting, embracing, creative Mystery -- is Love.  Yes, I believe.  Yes I believe that Jesus is the Word of God, to be trusted not just as a man (human being) but in the way I trust God. And yes the Spirit that moves in ways we do not control can be trusted and can be allowed to move through us, to inspire and to counsel.  I've just said yes to the three questions for baptism: Is the Father God?  Is the Son God?  Is the Holy Spirit God?  For a Catholic following the teachings of the bishops of Vatican 2, baptism, whether in the Catholic church or in the United church, is the basic badge of identity for the Christian.

But a movement puts its priority not on doctrine but on performance, on orthodoxy that manifests in orthopraxy.  As I live my identity in Catholic and United Church forms (and reach out to Anglican, Hindu, Buddhist, secular ... forms), I search to collaborate in working together in "Building a World of Justice."  The movement (the "Way" of the book of Acts) is performance in tune with the performance of Jesus of Nazareth.

The phrase, "Building a World of Justice," is on the cover of the "Share Lent Magazine" that I picked up as I was leaving the St. Michael the Archangel church this morning.  Catholics contribute financially to the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace collaborating in working for a world of justice with many projects domestically and internationally.  United Church people -- St. Matthew's with its Food Bank and Meals and Mission Outreach -- work for a world of justice.  

Each one of us can say that perhaps we could do more, that our churches could do more (and Canadian government could do more).  However, we do have the example of many of our fellow church people (and non-church people) who do more.  Personally I am happy to draw on the broadened horizon of contact with people in both church communities to inspire me to do more.

4 comments:

  1. I've been wondering recently if there was a way to "sequester" ideas away into their proper realms, and leave them there. Our actions, our practices, tell us most of what we need to know, or be mindful of.

    A friend recently commented on the importance of connection. He mentioned a sermon from "Howard's End" entitled "Only Connect". I'm not too familiar with the work, but the idea of it came to me while reading this post. It sounds like your Sundays are quite busy, but also sound like a good way to put connections before ides. Building before indoctrinating :-)

    (Andrew from Monday night)

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  2. "Andrew from Monday night" brings to mind a difference I puzzle over -- the difference between a relativist and a relationist. I do not take a relativist position. However difficult it may be to communicate and come to understanding and judgment across different cultural worlds, it can be done. Catholic and United Church, Pope and no Pope -- but both striving to respond to Jesus prayer that all might be one. The relationist looks to the dimension of desire that drives us to transcend fixed doctrinal positions. Collaborative performance leads the way. I would go with your friend's comment on the importance of connection. Must take a peek at "Howard's End."

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  3. The "Andrew from Monday night" was my attempt at signing my name, identifying myself. I haven't found a good way to interact with blogger's comment system...

    Your distinction between relativist and relationist is insightful. I think it could be extended even to groups within the non-believing communities out there. They may not be responding to Jesus in particular, but some are responding to the world and striving to stretch "across different cultural worlds."

    Part of that is, I guess, recognizing the "many selves" within each of us. :-)

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  4. John,
    I'm happy to know your point of view and I totally agree with it.
    :)

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