I think a LOT of what divides us comes from the large scale abandonment of mystery (especially in the RC Denomination, but to a lesser degree, generally in much of Protestantism, too). Substituted has been egoism and individualism. I have my Greek Orthodox friend to mostly thank for this insight....
In place of humility, community..... the RCC has given Christianity:
1. Pride. People INSISTING that God must submit to THEIR brains, THIER thinking, THEIR philosophies, THEIR theories..... "over-thinking"..... replacing MYSTERY with their own puny, limited, sinful brains. As my friend says of the RCC, "their amazing, unlimited ego means they just won't shut up but constantly invent new theories and doctrines, forcing God to submit and agree, dividing Christianity with their silliness." We are to be stewards of the MYSTERIES of God, not constantly forcing God to submit to OUR attempts to explain, limit, humanize things. I think of Purgatory, Transubstantiation.... oh, so much. Along with this is an obsession with POWER of self over all, this very Roman aspect of absolute, unaccountable, central LORDSHIP (power, authority) over all - equal to if not above God. Lording it over Christians as the Gentiles do (something Jesus commanded us never to do), confusing the egotistical claims of self for POWER with the issue of truth.
2. Individualism. The church is US - all of us, together. But sadly, Christianity (especially the RCC) ain't called the ROMAN church for nothing.... it inherited from Rome an utterly unchristian sense of INDIVIDUALISM, self-centeredness.... ME, ME. Read the Catechism of the RCC, it's all about that one denomination: itself and all the incredible claims it itself makes for it itself individually. Only IT can interpret Scripture. Only IT can speak authoritatively. Only IT is lead and protected by God. When IT speaks, God ergo must agree. The level of individualism in the RCC - the uber focus on ITSELF is stunning and obviously divisive. Early, there was at least a SMALL, TINY and very limited effort with the ECUMENICAL Councils but the RCC killed that by 800 AD when the last one ended. Now, sadly..... Protestantism is too much like our parent denomination (the RCC) in this regard, WAY too much individualism here too, way too much looking in the mirror at self (whether as a denomination or as individuals) - something we learned lock, stock and barrel from the RCC (of course no Protestant does this as badly as the RC Denomination does, no Protestant goes to the extreme that the RCC does on this), but yeah the "The Holy Spirit only speaks perfectly to ME.... I say.... I interpret" stuff applies not JUST to the RCC but we see it in some Protestants, too (the egoism, the individualism seems contagious, hereitary)
It's a large part of why I left the RC Denomination. But the answer is NOT more of the problem! MORE pride, MORE individualism - the very things that caused the MESS that divided things in 451, 800, 1054, etc. It's the antithesis. What we need is a strong, strong repudiation of that and a strong sense of HUMILITY, MYSTERY and COMMUNITY. One that can embrace MYSTERY.... one that can enable Christians to shut up.... embrace...... bow in humility before God..... together with ALL Christians (past and present). We have a LOT of work to do, undoing so many centuries of Rome's influence.
Thank you.
Pax
- Josiah
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