However as the Kingdom grew, so did the desire to control and monitor all that was happening. Around the year 300 A.D. the spontaneous expansion of the church led by the Holy Spirit was formalized into an institution largely governed by a professional clergy class. For 1700 years Institutional Christianity has shifted from being a priesthood of all believers to becoming one of the world's major religions.
God has certainly not ceased to work through His Church, but in a real sense, his divine methods and purposes have been substituted for man-made religion, programs, dogmas and a divided Body.
. . . We have turned Christianity into a religion. Complete with hierarchy in our churches, organizations and institutions. We have added rules, regulations, expectations, and interpretations which govern the simple commands of Christ and the apostles. Isn't this the same kind of stuff Jesus condemned the Pharisees?. . .
Today we get bogged down in a never-ending debate about who, what, when, and where, and how things can and should be done. Instead of just doing what Christ said to do, we now have formal written documents, clauses, guidelines, interpretations, and definitions for everything. Clutter.
<idle musing>
Yep.
</idle musing>
1 comment:
I actually think of this "rant" as the typically, historically naive, "cartoon history of christianity" type of comment. It assumes a certain mythology, namely, a pure, innocent Christian faith that was corrupted and fell because it got too big, too powerful, and (gasp) had a leadership structure. Do we really believe God is so inept that he would allow the church, which he knows is made up of stupid, sinful sheep, to blunder in the dark for 1700 years? I'm not saying all's well with Christendom either, but I get a little weary of the restorationist mythology. Earliest christianity had corruption and abuse of power. Post Constantinian christianity had some wonderful saints. Do we really know enough to judge believers of the 4th, 5th, 6th century so harshly?
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