Just because
there seem to be a lot of people who do not understand, let me clarify.
the capitol C Church- and here I’m talking predominantly Catholic/Christian, consists of the Faithful.
the small C church is a building and a business. The small C church exists primarily to tend to the physical and spiritual needs of the capitol C Church, a task which it does with a wide variety of efficiencies. A powerful lot of them do it poorly, and that’s a shame. But like all subsidized businesses, there is precious little in the way of metrics in the way of tending to physical needs, and what metrics are there in tending to spiritual needs anyway?
The Church cannot exist without the faithful. The church can exist without the faithful, and I can take you to plenty of churches where there are no faithful to be found, it’s just a business.
I’d add one word:
“the capitol C Church- and here I’m talking predominantly Catholic/Christian, consists ENTIRELY of the Faithful.”
It’s independent of building/structure/meeting place. To quote St Ignatius:
“You are the stones of the temple, prepared beforehand for the building of God the Father, hoisted up to the heights by the crane of Jesus Christ, which is the cross, using as a rope the Holy Spirit; your faith is what lifts you up, and love is the way that leads to God.”
Well said Mark.
Wherein is a great body of commentary on the differences between a faithless church the man once attended, versus the living church he now enjoys.
http://www.toolsofrenewal.com
Steve H. is a good friend, and a good brother. Don’t necessarily have to agree with all of his theological points, but he is certainly among the faithful.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX