Re-reading Pilgrim’s Progress, prompted by the series here, I am struck by its continued relevance. That’s a word of which, like many, I am wary, as too often it is used as a stick with which to bear those of us who oppose what to use seems like change for its own sake, but which in this context has much to be said for it.
The pilgrimage of the Christian is attended by all the perils encountered by Bunyan’s hero, and I can see why the book has attracted so many readers. It is, at one level, a very strongly Protestant ethos – not least in its anti-Catholic references. I suppose that only a century or so since Cranmer was burned, and a time when Nonconformists were being persecuted, was not one where one could have expected any other tone. But if you put those things aside, then (and I am on part five) there’s not a lot there which any orthodox Christian could object to.
That led me to reflect on what I wrote yesterday, and raised the whole question, left unanswered by Bunyan, of what inspires Christian’s conversion. That’s a hard one at one level, not least in the context where someone else might well be inclined to say (rightly from where they are) that that’s all very well, but whatever it is you’ve been converted to is not the fullness of the Christian Faith. A Catholic, or an Orthodox Church member might say that each of the other, and once you’ve gone there, what then? However elevated the tone, it amounts to no more than saying my lot are better than your lot and you are not in as good a church as mine.
It is here, as in so many other areas, that the Catholic Church under its Popes have actually shown the whole world the way forward, and, although not a Roman Catholic, I am profoundly grateful to Rome – and as disappointed in others. The impulse that ‘all should be one’ is not optional to the Pope, it is an essential part of his mission. One of the places he shows himself to most advantage is in insisting on talking about something many of his own congregation don’t want to talk about.
One easy way of getting anyone going on the Internet is to quote some of the medieval Popes, usually out of context, saying that unless you are a Catholic you’re bound for hell. Well, those who do that need not only to read the context, they need to read something like the Blessed John Paul II’s Ut Unum Sit. ‘To believe in Christ is to desire unity’.
And so it must be. For each of us meets Christ where we are set, and none of us can tell the reason for where that is. If I had been born in Mesopotamia in the seventh century, and I was a Christian, I would most likely never have heard tell of the Church in Rome. Its adherents had never gone where I would have been, and I might have passed a life without knowing its ways.
Where He finds us is where we are – if our hearts will open and receive Him.
I tend to dislike the phrase ‘all should be one’, it is too close to ‘That they may all be one’ of the UCC here which is the proverbial mish-mash cobbled together in the ’60s for political purposes.
I have, however, great respect for the idea, especially in goals, we are (or should be) one, the body of the risen Christ.
It is a hard thing I think, because that kind of syncretist stuff gets the whole idea of being one a bad name. I see it more as our talking (as we do in miniature here) and finding out where we agree and where we don’t. Pretending we agree where we don’t is no good to anyone.
I know that what you meant, and phrased accordingly. You’re right, our belief are our beliefs, right or wrong (Hope God understands) artificial blending produces pap, while understanding is often synergistic because we can approach thing from different angle, so to speak.
Yes, it is hard, because we all have our views (though as Chalcedon occasionally comments, I have many views, some of which are even my own!), and I hope that in expressing them in polite tones, it does not mean any watering down.
There’s a male/female thing here too, in that generally (massive generalisation alert) women look to find consensus and avoid conflict, whilst men tend to be more comfortable standing ground and drawing boundaries. I used to love reading Mr Sales on the DT blog – but I’d never have dared say what he said – simply because I’d have feared being offensive
I’ll see your massive generalization and raise you one more. There’s an age thing here too. Judging by his profile picture Mr. Sales is roughly of my ( and C’s) generation, we’ve reached the point where there is little profit in our curbing our tongues, and we have seen more of the damage done to our society by said curbing. I’m far more outspoken than I was 10 years ago.
But your points are valid, and yes, women tend to be tasked with soothing the raging beast, a good thing (usually) for society. Thank God you do it so well here
That’s a good point. Mr S retired last year, which would make him in his mid to late sixties, you and C are a bit younger, but yes, you all speak your mind.
I, of course, am laying at the door of my gender my own natural tendency to please as many people as I can.
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You are very pleasing, dearest friend, but I’ve also seen the tigress show up a few times, when necessary. You, perhaps better than we, are able to pick your fights, sometimes guys are fond of ‘rushing in where angels fear to tread’
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I hope that is so
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I have found it to be so, so far, and see no sign of it changing
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That’s reassuring
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As it was meant to be
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Sister jess,why pretend to agree? I love you like a sister. This is why i must ask you…why do you speak kindly of your arch enemy, the church of Rome?
That’s a fair question Bosco. The answer is because I do not perceive it as my enemy. I think the gulfs which divide Christians are the work of the Devil and that we should not follow his misleading advice.
“There’s a male/female thing here too, in that generally a “massive generalization alert),” followed by an enormous poppycock alert, turning into an Enneagram alert. This then is across gender and age. People’s life filters are not arranged by gender or age, they are idiosyncratic. To do otherwise is to put square pegs into round holes or sometimes called mind-reading. I’ve met lots of women who are Perfectionists(1) or Performers(3) and a goodly number who are Bosses(8) and many a man especially therapists to name but one profession that are Mediators(9).
Type casting is OK for the screen or stage but otherwise best left alone.
I’m sure that’s right, but generalisations have a use – as long as we remember they are just that.
At some point of your choosing, it might be very useful to summarize what points all agree upon and the major ones where we each disagree.
Good point David – and I will make this the subject of a post soon.
How true sis ter Jess. These big religions say to each other..”.My hollow religion is better than your hollow religion”. As for me and my house, we follow the Lamb
You cannot go wrong there, Brother Bosco.
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