Okay, so you’re wondering just what Presbyterian church I visited that prompted the headline, The Church of R&R. Rest and relaxation? In a Presbyterian congregation??
Now, I suppose there’s a good argument to be made for church having such a component (after all, the Sabbath is a day of rest …), but it’s not what I had in mind. Rather, I was thinking of the Reformed and Reforming church.
It recently occurred to me that there is no major denomination called the Reforming Church. The broad group of churches the Presbyterian Church in Canada belongs to is the World Communion of Reformed Churches, not Reforming Churches.
Why is this, I wonder? Because the (admittedly unofficial) motto of this communion is: “The church reformed and always being reformed according to God’s word.” The common shorthand is: The church, reformed and reforming.
The point, I think, is that the church is always being changed as the Spirit continues to reveal the truth of God’s love. This is Jesus’ promise to his disciples, a promise that we have inherited.
The problem, if I can put it this way, with simply using the word reformed, is that it gives the impression that nothing needs to change, or worse, that nothing should change.
But if we believe in the power of the Spirit leading us into all truth, we have to be open to change. That change can be new, such as getting rid of the old belief in slavery or it can be a restoration of the old, such as the Protestant church getting rid of the relative novelty of indulgences in the 15th century.
All this rests on what we call theology, the study of God.
Theology is often seen (often rightly but regrettably) as the preserve of professors and seminarians. I’ve heard more than one seminarian say they have no intention of teaching theology because it doesn’t have any relevance.
As former Record editor John Congram notes, with his usual perceptiveness, in an interview in this issue, the concern is right. “My sense is that younger people are less interested in the question, ‘Is it true?’ than they are in the question, ‘Is it relevant?'”
But, as our Theology 101 writers also wisely note in this issue, sidelining theological discussion is misguided.
“Theology is absolutely essential for Christians,” points out Prof. Pamela McCarroll. “As human creatures with the gift of thought and language, it is our particular calling to offer the gift of our thought and language to our faith.”
In other words, theology is dynamic. It’s not about endlessly repeating dusty doctrines, but discovering how to explain the dynamic relevance of the divine in the world.
And nowhere is that dynamism more evident than at St. Andrew’s, Sutton. A small congregation, they offer a huge ministry of outreach in their community, presenting the face of a caring Jesus to those in need.
Or, as Laurence DeWolfe says in this month’s Progressive Lectionary: “The Incarnation … reveals how God chooses to work in this world. God’s holiness doesn’t mean distance from us and our world.”
Our hope at the Record is that you, our readers, will engage with what you read about the dynamic and always reforming church that constantly emerges in our stories. You can write us or post your comments on our website. Your engagement is all part of the Spirit-led re-forming of all of us as we grow in the love of Christ.
Or, as John Congram puts it: “We may wish that it was otherwise but all of our relatives in the church, including some who disagree with us and others we don’t like, must be in on the process of discerning God’s will for our lives.”
Reformed and reforming.
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Finally, I want to draw your attention to our pages for the youngest of our readers. Called to Wonder is now 10 years old! And Erin and Jennifer want to know what ideas you’d like them to discuss in the future.We’re also planning to expand this ministry online, so please share your ideas with them.
Called to Wonder is proof that theology can be fun – and relevant!
