Sunday, August 26, 2012

Does the church have a future?

On Friday, I quoted from If the Church Were Christian by Philip Gulley.  Having finished reading it (I rate it 9 of 10, an excellent book), I want to quote from it again.  This paragraph is from page 190:
"If there is a future for the church in America, perhaps it is to raise America's collective consciousness, so that injustice, poverty, and tyranny would be moral affronts to us and we would hasten to eliminate them.  Such a church would creatively and consistently call us to heed our better angels.  It would actively engage our leaders, urge gracious treatment for the poor and powerless, promote peace and reconciliation among nations, challenge abusive religion, and provide a setting where people could reflect upon significant matters.  The central task of this church would not be convincing us to believe doctrines about Jesus.  Rather, it would help us live out the priorities of Jesus — human dignity, spiritual growth, moral evolution, and the ongoing search for truth and meaning."
If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus ~ by Philip Gulley, 2010, religion, 9/10

3 comments:

Alyce said...

It's definitely a nice thought, especially during the political season when things get nasty on all sides.

Debra said...

This looks like a good book to add to my wish list! Thought-provoking and challenging! Oh, for the body to be able to live into the challenge! Thanks for the post!

Beth said...

Wow...what a concept! Sounds like a wonderful book, Bonnie. Just the title alone makes me want to read it.