Inspired by something that Daniel Morales said...
Maybe the church is not dying,
maybe the church is becoming more and more irrelevant.
Exceptionalism in church
is barricading ourselves, not from the world,
but from the people we are supposed
to be in conversation with,
that we are called to care for,
that we are told to love,
no ifs or buts.
In barricading, in self sealing off, in closing our eyes,
we become irrelevant...
because being relevant
is to have bearing,
is to be connected,
is to be able to contribute
in significant ways to the world.
And note that being relevant
is not synonymous...
with ruling,
with lording over,
with imposing,
with banning,
with vetting,
with rejecting,
with controlling,
with hating.
Y en español para que no quede duda...
Tal vez la iglesia no esté muriendo,
tal vez la iglesia se esté volviendo cada vez más irrelevante.
El excepcionalismo en la iglesia
es atrincherarnos, no del mundo,
sino de las personas con las que se supone
debemos conversar,
a las que Dios nos ha llamado a cuidar,
a las que Dios nos dice que debemos amar,
sin peros ni condiciones.
Al atrincherarnos, al encerrarnos en nuestras propias burbujas, al cerrar los ojos,
nos volvemos irrelevantes...
porque ser relevante
es tener influencia,
es conectarse,
es poder contribuir
de maneras significativas al mundo.
Y tenga en cuenta que ser relevante
no es sinónimo...
de gobernar,
de enseñorearse,
de imponer,
de prohibir,
de sentenciar,
de rechazar,
de controlar,
de odiar.
