A Tale of Denominations
Daniel's piece about denominations (NeoTheo(b)log: "Denominations are our downfall") reminded me of how it was when I worked in an LEP (Local Ecumenical Project, for those outside the British church scene) in the late 1980's. It was in a new town area on the west of Swindon (called, surprisingly, West Swindon), where 35,000 people were being settled on a green field site. Back then, and still today, for all I know, the mainstream churches believed that any new church-building was best done ecumenically, so we solemnly set up this LEP with Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, URC and - to a lesser extent, goes without saying :-) RCs - working together.
And it went like this. It was very much a mission situation. So we would work with people and bring them to some kind of Christian faith, and then induct them into church life by making them members of all the sharing churches. And when they asked what kind of church we were, we would say something like:
"When you join the church here, you become a member of the C of E, the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church and the URC."
"How is that possible?"
"Ah, it's because we're an LEP."
"What's an LEP?"
"It's a church where all the denominations are working together."
"What's a denomination?"
And that was one of the main reasons why I gave up on the ecumenical movement. Because instead of moving beyond, or doing away with, denominations, it needed to perpetuate them in order to fulfil its purpose. A bit like a church that dealt heroin so that there would always be addicts to save. Ouch! that was a bit rough. Sorry, all you ecumenists, if that hurt. I speak as a man who used to believe in Christian unity but whose faith in it was shattered by the sheer institutionalism of it all.
And it went like this. It was very much a mission situation. So we would work with people and bring them to some kind of Christian faith, and then induct them into church life by making them members of all the sharing churches. And when they asked what kind of church we were, we would say something like:
"When you join the church here, you become a member of the C of E, the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church and the URC."
"How is that possible?"
"Ah, it's because we're an LEP."
"What's an LEP?"
"It's a church where all the denominations are working together."
"What's a denomination?"
And that was one of the main reasons why I gave up on the ecumenical movement. Because instead of moving beyond, or doing away with, denominations, it needed to perpetuate them in order to fulfil its purpose. A bit like a church that dealt heroin so that there would always be addicts to save. Ouch! that was a bit rough. Sorry, all you ecumenists, if that hurt. I speak as a man who used to believe in Christian unity but whose faith in it was shattered by the sheer institutionalism of it all.
1 Comments:
With a gentle word, my friend, you may have started an avalanche. My heart is so tender on this topic right now. I think God is trying to tell me something, or do something in me, or through me.
The leading edge of the avalanche is back at my blog. Please don't see it as a response to your own experiences, but rather as the overflow of the (God-given?) emotion I'm carrying on the topic these days. Your wisdom and experience will be a great help to me in evaluating my thoughts, feelings, and developing theology, if you have the time and willingness to offer them.
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