...future instrument of Peace?

Pope Benedict XVI named 15 new Cardinals today. Among them Boston's Archbishop Sean O'Malley (pictured) who is a Franciscan.

I may not be a Catholic Historian (or even Catholic for that matter) but I for one would like to see the next Pope coming from a Franciscan background... it could change the world... although the history of Franciscan Popes hasn't been one to exactly smile on.

Getting inside my head

I want to give some insight as to what my vision of the church looks like (this is subject to be changed and added to as I dig deeper into the mystery of Christ's church). I know that there are probably some points that I am missing , if so don't be afraid to send me a comment so that I am not missing any important parts of Church life.

Ordinances:

• Eucharist – Time of intentional examination, confession & remembrance, open communion using unleavened bread and wine. Would be observed once a month for reconciliation and repentance purposes.
• Love Feast– Feet washing, simple Agape Meal, Eucharist, observed quarterly
• Believer’s Baptism – “age of accountability,” empahsis on conversion/transformation into the image of Christ, membership into the adult community of faith
• Anointing & laying on of hands for healing and wholeness where brokenness or illness has occured

Theology:

• No force in religion. Evangelism is a product of building relationships/community through servant work.
• The example of Christ becomes the guiding principle/creed by which we live
• Theologically moderate, socially liberal
• Radical Peace stance/Opposition to all war
• Emphasis on group bible study where scripture is a means to experience God.

Community Life:

• Racially, ethnically diverse & gender equality
• Responsibility is placed in the hands of community similar to Native American Council
• Rites of Passage for youth
• Communal – sharing the goods of the whole community
• Environmentally responsible/sustainable

Worship:

• Gather in homes during the evening for worship
• Worship is contemplative in structure using song, silence, dance, art and messages that use the narrative/storytelling form
• Holistic experience takes precedent over the message
• Music is a fusion of traditional and world expression

I'm still here... had you fooled huh?

It has been one year since I became a Blogger (which some folks still do not understand exactly what that is) and I find myself needing to use this as more of an outlet than I have. My hope is to start blogging every week (every day if I want to challenge myself) so that more of you can be up to date with my thinking and ramblings. Also don't forget to check out the other blog Sauer Grapes as well.

Until then, I reference you back to my first post to reclaim (or confuse) the original intent of this blog.

The State of the Church

Disclaimer: this post comes on the heels of me finding out that NBC has cancelled its show "The Book of Daniel," which I thouroghly enjoyed watching and will be submiting a letter to the American Family Association for its petitioning of the show "mocking Christianity." Maybe "Daniel" was what the church so desperately needed. A chance for the world to see that Christians are not perfect yet we strive to live by faith and to seek and follow Christ always. The cancellation only goes to show how much we (or better said the AFA and Christian Right) are willing to hide our own hypocrisy... our own sin.

So in light of all of this, it is time to have a State of the Church Address and I can think of no one better than Thomas Merton who said it best in 1956:

“The great tragedy of our age, dare I say it, is the fact that there are so many godless Christians, whose religion is a matter of pure conformity and expediency. Their faith is little more than a permanent evasion of reality... We have had far too much priesthood and almost no room for prophets. It creates a very imbalanced religion. We do not give up control to God easily. That is the story and testimony of every saint, mystic, and spiritual reformer. But the church, strange as it seems, has always been a bit uncomfortable with saints and mystics; it is content just to have people in the pews. If our culture has become soft and superficial, it is because religion did first.”

[From Merton's book "The Living Bread"]