Becoming Unchurched #2: Running Bare Naked Through The Ecclesial Jungle

If this series of posts interests you, then you really need to be reading Wade Hodges recent series as well.

Becoming Unchurched Intro
Becoming Unchurched #1

I've been a memebr of a certain Christian denomination for my whole life. For the latter half of my life my theology has drifted farther and farther from the mainstream of my tribe.

In fact, if my theology were to be thrown out on the table for everyone to examine I would likely be asked not to teach classes, serve communion, lead ministries, pray publicly, lead a small group, provide spiritual counseling, serve as a deacon or elder, or preach. In some churches in my tribe, I would be denied memerbship of any kind. I would never be asked to lead worship, but that has nothing to do with my theology :-)

However, I do not make my theology known to very many people. And they make it easy on me because they do not ask. They assume. I have been in this denomination my whole life, so I must have acceptable beliefs. The assumption is that the longer you are in my denomination the more you adhere to its precepts. So, as long as I keep quiet and attend a church with a certain name on the building, I'm good to go.

However, if I changed 1 single thing, everything changes. If I were to begin attending another church which did not have my denomination's name on it, I would face consequences. Even though not one single molecule of my theology changed, the mere change in location of my Sunday morning worship would send ripples throuh many of my relationships.

1. Questions: I would face questions about my faith, what's "really" happening, and on and on. Most people would have sincere hearts abnout it. However, what this would expose is that our only connection is Sunday morning, which means we're not exactly being church, we're just worshipping in the same location. A few people would have more imposing questions. I'll get to that later.

2. Exclusion: I would not be allowed to teach at any of the denomination's colleges or universities. Again, my theology is not the issue, but rather where I show up Sunday. There is a camp I love dearly that would not allow me to teach for the same reason. Many of this denomination's institutions would not allow me to minister in them because of the name on the builder wher I would worship if it were different from theirs.

3. Eternal Concern: This goes beyond questions. There are some who would think I'd lost my soul to the Devil if I were to worshp anywhre but their place. Sure they are sincere, but because this concern is revealed only when I "leave the church," it only means that they never really knew me in the first place.

What this talk reveals is the extent to which denominational allegiance supercedes theological underpinnings.

Now, I do understand that theology drives denominational structure, but the truth is that, at least in my denomination, the goal is for the theology to be invisible, just believed as the truth, no, THE TRUTH.

Keep with me, I'm almost done.

So, what makes me a member of my denomination?
A) My theology?
B) The building where I show up on Sundays?
C) The assumptions I allow people to believe about me?
D) What I say I am no matter what I believe.

The fact that this question can even be asked indicates an ecclesialogical problem inherent within the splintered, frayed, and combative denominational mess we find ourselves in.

I am all for deep ecclesiology as Brian McLaren and other emergent church types suggest. I want that. However, if there is not wide acceptance of deep ecclesiology, then what good is it?

More to come.