Wednesday, March 02, 2005 AD
The house of God, the gate of heaven
Interesting post a couple of weeks ago from Rob arguing that "the devaluation of the sacraments will always push the church away from being a people, and toward being only a place".
"How long can a group of regularly gathered Christians consider themselves a church if they continue to marginalize Word and Sacrament?", asks Rob: a question that has come up on this blog, too.
Rob's right: it is by the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments that we are constituted as the church of God; not by being a group of like-minded individuals, assembled in a particular building, singing songs and being nice to one another.
But, paradoxically, Lutherans (and other catholic Christians) nevertheless often have a higher regard for the church building than do non-sacramental (or "sacrament-lite") Christians. This is illustrated by the use of the phrase, "the house of God".
Before becoming a Lutheran, I'd spent ten years having it drummed into me - and, indeed, happily doing some equivalent drumming myself - that the church building is not to be referred to, under any circumstances, as the "house of God". The church building is not like the Old Testament temple: a mystical, special place, the particular dwelling-place of God. It is simply a convenient (or, quite often, inconvenient) place in which to meet together without getting rained on.
No need for especially "reverent" behaviour - talking softly, walking slowly - in a church building, any more than there is in a supermarket. Indeed, the old expectation that people should behave reverently "in church" was denigrated as being alienating, particularly for children and "seekers".
But surely it is in fact appropriate to think of our church building as "God's house". Yes, God is present everywhere; yes, we as Christians and as the church are now truly described as the temple, the place where God's Spirit dwells. But our church buildings are still a very precious resource: the place at which God makes Himself present in Word and Sacrament for the salvation of His people.
Our church had its AGM recently, and one of the reports came from the Property Committee. This committee is chaired by the previous pastor, who took the job upon his retirement from the pastorate ten years or so ago, and I found the closing paragraph of his report rather moving:
"How long can a group of regularly gathered Christians consider themselves a church if they continue to marginalize Word and Sacrament?", asks Rob: a question that has come up on this blog, too.
Rob's right: it is by the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments that we are constituted as the church of God; not by being a group of like-minded individuals, assembled in a particular building, singing songs and being nice to one another.
But, paradoxically, Lutherans (and other catholic Christians) nevertheless often have a higher regard for the church building than do non-sacramental (or "sacrament-lite") Christians. This is illustrated by the use of the phrase, "the house of God".
Before becoming a Lutheran, I'd spent ten years having it drummed into me - and, indeed, happily doing some equivalent drumming myself - that the church building is not to be referred to, under any circumstances, as the "house of God". The church building is not like the Old Testament temple: a mystical, special place, the particular dwelling-place of God. It is simply a convenient (or, quite often, inconvenient) place in which to meet together without getting rained on.
No need for especially "reverent" behaviour - talking softly, walking slowly - in a church building, any more than there is in a supermarket. Indeed, the old expectation that people should behave reverently "in church" was denigrated as being alienating, particularly for children and "seekers".
But surely it is in fact appropriate to think of our church building as "God's house". Yes, God is present everywhere; yes, we as Christians and as the church are now truly described as the temple, the place where God's Spirit dwells. But our church buildings are still a very precious resource: the place at which God makes Himself present in Word and Sacrament for the salvation of His people.
Our church had its AGM recently, and one of the reports came from the Property Committee. This committee is chaired by the previous pastor, who took the job upon his retirement from the pastorate ten years or so ago, and I found the closing paragraph of his report rather moving:
We need the help and cooperation of everyone to keep our church premises clean and tidy - to keep it always looking attractive and inviting - a place we are proud to call "GOD'S HOUSE"! More volunteers would be much appreciated, to help with this very important and rewarding work of the care and maintenance of GOD'S HOUSE.
Our sentiment is well expressed by the Psalmist: "How lovely is Your Dwelling Place, O Lord! Lord, I love Your House, the place where Your honour dwells!"
