Feeling All Churchy

Wes Flinn has posted in response to a piece by local columnist Maggie Downs. Maggie writes about the exhibit at XU about JPII and his relationship to Judaism - an exhibit I hope to see, and expect to write about here. It rated an article in the Washington Post.

But Wes picks up specifically on the topic of reactions people have to various houses and styles of worship. Both writers share the idea that church should be a sober place, with an ambiance of suitable gravitas to promote spiritual reflection. And they both don't relate to the big-box megachurches, which, I certainly agree, have the feel of a wellness seminar mixed with a pep rally - infused with a hint of Jesus.

Mosques, Zen monasteries, cathedrals - even pagan sites like Stonehenge - these seem to be deliberately constructed to promote a serene contemplation of the divine apart from the noisy razzle of daily human commerce. And Jesus - a guy who wasn't generally known for a volcanic temper - became pretty ticked off at the merchants in the temple. The message suggests that these should be sober locations.

Overall I tend to agree that it's better to leave the accordions and cappuccinos at the door to the temple and take worship seriously. But the greater challenge might be in returning back into the world with that sense of church. The directive of active faith (for those that choose to attempt it) would appear to lie in using our complete senses - including wit and intelligence - to perceive goodness and divinity in all people and experiences that surround us in the gritty modern world.