All Luther and his Protestant followers meant to do was make it clear that faith no longer had to be mediated through a church hierarchy - that all that was required for your eventual heavenly ascent was a personal relationship with God, direct from created to creator, no priests needed, thanks.
Faith, then, only required you, your Bible, and your God. It was, in other words, a private affair, a path of personal salvation, that need not concern anyone else. The proper repository of spirituality was inside the individual, not to be exposed to others, except perhaps in a civilised manner in church on a Sunday.
Incidentally, this marked the start of individualism in the Western world, because suddenly the basic unit of value was not the family, the church or the village - it was YOU, who God related directly with, and YOU needed only to be concerned about YOU.
It also marked the end of the public life of religion, which we saw most poignantly in the separation of church and state.
Some time after that, we lost God. And then someone found her again, huddled under a pew in a cold church. Half of the YOUs were running around outside, making lots of money, ripping other people off; the other half of the YOUs were sitting sternly in the church, after having spent the week making lots of money and ripping other people off.
I think that God really wants the whole world to dwell in, rather than being stuck under a hard wooden pew or stuffed into a confessional booth.
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Heard that "Spirituality in the pub" is meeting tonight at 7.30 (and every 2nd Tuesday of every odd month except January) at Notting Hill Hotel near intersection of Ferntree Gully rd and Forster road... thought it may interest you..
I have heard Anabaptism described as 'neither Catholic nor Protestant' and 'Both Catholic and Protestant'. In that sense the Tradition marks a third way between individualism and and monolithic authoritarian institution.
Still, God is so much more than any attempt on our part at domestication. I love your broad 'church': cathedrals of trees, perhaps (http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-09/02/tree-cathedrals)?
Hey Haren
How was it - did you go? I haven't been to a Spirituality in the Pub yet, but I'm excited that they happen! My Mum and Dad went to one out their way and really enjoyed it...and they come from a fairly conservative tradition, so I thought that said a lot, given I know others from more progressive traditions that also get a lot out of these events.
And hey Phil - cathedrals of trees...I like that!
I did go Andreana - and apologies for the late reply.
However, i came out wondering whether my expectations were too high to begin with. The topic of the day wasn't the most engaging but the presenter - a Catholic priest - did a tremendous job to make it engaging.
From what i had heard of it though, i expected to see a significant youth involvement but i was the youngest by far - the next youngest person would have been atleast 55!!! not that it was a bad thing, but it did make me feel a bit out of place.. ;-)
I think will go at least once more (in May) before i make up my mind though...
Funny - you'd expect an event in a pub to attract a few young people, but maybe it was just old people trying to get in touch with their youth!
Do you worship anywhere regularly?
Yes.. at St Scholastic''s catholic church in burwood.
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