Tuesday, March 31, 2009
How Many Episcopalians Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?
The traditional answers to this question are:
1) My grandmother GAVE the church that light bulb!
OR
2) What was wrong with the old one?
I would add a third ...
3) Remember that light bulb we USED to use? Can't we have that one back?
George Clifford writes at Episcopal Cafe this week about the human longing for stasis, and the inevitability of change. He says in a changing world, humans often think of religion as an anchor, something to hold them fast amid the storms of life.
He suggests a different metaphor ... that religion should be not an anchor, but a rudder, helping us to steer ourselves toward God. As we continue in the waning days of Lent, it is important to remember that Lent calls us to change, fundamental change, and that our religion can be the rudder that guides us through that change.
Clifford writes: I still find myself reluctant, at times even unwilling to change. Lenten self-examination requires me to overcome my psychic inertia, dislike of conflict, emotional preference for stasis, and other opposition to change. I know that religion that fails to change loses its ability to serve as a rudder for navigating toward God's light and life abundant. A healthy, dynamic faith frees us from dysfunctional stasis and moves us forward on the Jesus’ way, more fully experiencing the abundant life we celebrate at Easter. So I engage in the hard and often unpleasant work of self-examination and of examining my understanding of Christianity.
How is YOUR "hard and often unpleasant work of self-examination" going this week?
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Thanks for sharing the image of religion as a 'rudder' rather than an 'anchor'. Very helpful!
ReplyDeleteI like the image of a rudder. Sometimes, I wish that everything about church remained the same, but I know that's not what Christ wants from us. --Martha M.
ReplyDeleteThe Passion Gospel and the hymn: Were you there when they crucified my Lord, made for a powerful beginning to Holy Week.
ReplyDeleteThe internet of course has brought these two together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwdYGijCBI
The visuals are from Gibson's Passion so be forewarned.