i believe that much of institutionalized christianity and its christian bubble culture has created a world that will inevitably leave us less human. the church has become a place that justifies its treatment of people with (in) the name of god. the church has a short tolerance for grief, for brokenness, but it has a timetable for treating it. the church has an instant answer, a heavenly prozac: the lord jesus himself.~~~~
there is so much in the church that reacts to a loss of control, a feeling of powerlessness. many in leadership in the church have become intoxicated with their own power -- so much so that they don't even see what they have become. they are sucked under by the ability to be trusted, their roles as the voicebox of god -- they find after the lights go out and they are alone in the darkness, that they really are the illusion they present to their people. i think sometimes they get trapped there, unable to find their way out.~~~~
what is the institutional church doing to women's dreams? what are they squelching, both with their expectations and their lack of them? the church has divided women into a separate ministry, a separate category, a whole different world, and it doesn't allow them the equality to co-exist in the church setting.~~~~
how do we change these things? how do we rewrite ourselves and our churches?
far too many people have experienced the kind of church that has been in my past. a judgmental, power-filled, women-squashing institution that has no room for life or messiness or grace. us church survivors are wandering the streets, seeking a place to feel at home. we are waiting for something new to present itself to us. we are wanting to find someplace where our stories can be heard.
the comments are getting as good as the post, so don't just take my quotes as the whole picture, head on over and join the discussion!
No comments:
Post a Comment