Comments on: An Ideal Evangelicalism?

By: BrianD

BrianD — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:13:00 +0000

Good post, iMonk.

I’ll comment on No. 10, about the charismatic movement.

It would benefit greatly from inclusion amongst all denoms across Protestantism, as well as within Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

I can’t speak to the Orthodox Church and for that matter Catholicism, but within Protestantism, too often the spiritual gifts are treated like the bastard child of the family. Sometimes blasted as not part of the family, more often ignored or treated as if dead, sometimes allowed but shunted to the back room. A few members embrace it, but many of those have somewhat strange views of it.

We, of course, harm ourselves by ignoring that bastard child, who is a gift to us from the Lord Himself.

Also, the charismatic movement is probably the one movement within Protestantism most needy of good, sound theology and scholarship (inclusion within the larger body would remedy that).

By: steve

steve — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:44:30 +0000

I agree with every point made by Micheal, but ultimately who cares what I think anyway. Just one question, who has the authority to implement and impose these wonderful insights on the entire evangelical world? The fact that we all are questioning every point made, agreeing and disagreeing at times testifies of the universal impossibility of such a grand vision from coming fourth. Someone has to lead the others must follow. If we are leading ourselves we will only find unity with others we agree with, thus we are not following them but still following our own ideals, we just happen to agree.

By: Sam Urfer

Sam Urfer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:44:04 +0000

I understand, Boethius, coming from the opposite direction. I feel it is one of the stregnths of the Church that it isn’t dependent on being a social club. Of course, modern American Catholics can be very social in Mass these days, and I don’t really have a problem with that. But it is nice that I can walk into any parish, anywhere in the world, and worship the triune God without having to be friends with the congregants. Visiting an Evangelical church one isn’t a member of can be socially awkward, and often a surreal experience with cliques. The more “welcoming” they try to be, the more awkward it tends to end up.

By: Boethius

Boethius — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:21:19 +0000

Sam Urfer:

I am not really into the hugging stuff. I was using humor. As a former RC, I rarely had any connection with people at mass. After converting, it was one of the most difficult things for me to adjust to, the “letting others from church into my life”, and of course, the whole hugging thing we do. I only brought it up to explain to Martha why so many Christians feel lost after losing their senior pastor. The community stuff is so much more intense outside of the RC church. I confess, I am still adjusting to it.

By: Radagast

Radagast — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:17:26 +0000

For those of you that have ever been through World Wide Marriage Encounter – the hugging thing is big – it took me, as a guy, some time to acclimate myself to this, and I still feel awkward – I think it’s a guy thing.

By: Radagast

Radagast — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:14:47 +0000

I have a big family so we all hold hands at the Our Father during Mass. It gives the kids a chance to give their siblings a good squeeze. There are times when I, like Patrick, like the quiet, but that just doesn’t happen with seven kids so…. I reserve that time for daily Mass when I can make it. I do like to harrass some of the parishioners after Mass though.

Martha: – No hugging in Ireland – then why do we wear “Kiss me I’m Irish” pins on Saint Paddy’s day here in the States?

Trailblazer: I guess it never occured to them that those dog walkers may have been Catholic and gone on Saturday night!

By: Patrick Lynch

Patrick Lynch — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:54:08 +0000

I’m with Sam.

I do like being quiet at church, and I prefer being quiet for awhile afterwards. I don’t really view the Mass as a part of my social life; it’s always been a time for something Else, for me.

Me personally, I need to give myself a while to unwind after Mass. I’ll buy myself a Yoo-hoo at the gas station and drive around for awhile. I prefer that ritual to having to wade through a sea of hand-shaking acquaintances on the way in and out the door. Since I don’t have to expect that every time I go to church, I feel like I get a chance to focus more on why I’m there.

Plus, people are friendlier with you if they know they don’t really have to be.

By: Sam Urfer

Sam Urfer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:06:18 +0000

Why the obsession with touchy-feely stuff, Boethius (FANTASTIC name, by the way)? That was my least favorite part of being an Evangelical, the fake and cloying expectations of smiling friendliness fostered by churches. A sense of community is important, but my experiences in Evangelical churches (Baptist, CMA, Calvary Chapel, etc.) were not really positive from a community point of view. Indeed, I feel a much greater and more legitimate sense of community at my Catholic parish where people don’t talk to each other in Mass than I ever did when being glad-handed at a Baptist service.

By: Boethius

Boethius — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:22:32 +0000

Sam Urfer:

Thank you for the clarification but …

Patrick Lynch:

You need to like all of your 100 parisheners. Now, your assignment for next Sunday’s mass is to hug at least five people after mass. Or at least, go to the mid-week bingo game and hug somebody there

By: Sam Urfer

Sam Urfer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:07:17 +0000

Boethius, he means he feels like he got a hug from Jesus.