Irrelevant / Irrelevante

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.