The Choices We Make

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine the other day and we got on to the topic of church choice. It seems that many of my conversations with friends end up having something to do with religion or church or faith. This conversation was very laid back without much contention. I couldn't help but wonder how the conversation would have gone if I had been having it several years ago.

When I first reverted to the Catholic faith, I was very aggressive in the way I discussed issues of faith with friends and family members. You see, for some reason I enjoy debating and arguing. I find a thrill in it the way a boxer finds a thrill in the pugelistic art. I think that ultimately I didn't care as much about the subject of the argument as I did about myself "winning" the argument. In discussions where the subject matter is political or philisophical this attitude can be annoying to the other party. In discussions where the subject matter is Faith and religion, this attitude just causes both parties pain and stands in the way of fruitful dialogue.

I'm glad that the recent conversation with my friend didn't happen 4 years ago. My friend was talking about how he chose the church that he currently goes to. There were a number of reasons given which to me, all seemed to center around the experience of attending Sunday services and personal interaction with other members of the community. All of the things he talked about were in and of themselves good; High quality music, comfortable atmosphere, friendly people, entertaining presentation of a relevant message, exciting fellowship activities throughout the week, personal interaction/interest from the ministry team... You get the picture.

Now, I'm glad my friend is serious about having a relationship with God. I'm happy that he takes seriously the Commandment to Keep Holy the Lords Day. Throughout (Judeo/Christian) history, the manifestation of keeping this Commandment has included attending community worship services on the Lords/Sabbath day. To do otherwise would be less than genuine and lack fidelity to the Gospel. But, his reasons for choosing which Christian community to be part of seemed to lack a very important element of the decision making process. Does the community proclaim the Gospel? Is what they teach true?

It seems at first blush to be a silly question. They use the Bible, it's Sunday, I'm at church listening to an ordained minister preach. I'm hearing the truth. As a new Christian, in the infancy of ones faith, there is a certain lack of perspective and an innocent ignorance that makes even thinking of this question not come to mind. After all, all Christians basically believe the same thing right? My friend was surprised to learn that certain "truths" he had been taught were not the same "truths" that the church accross the street teaches.

As an example, my friend had been instructed that the celebration of the Lords Supper, or Communion, is simply a symbolic rememberence of what took place between the Apostles and Christ. Specifically that the elements of bread and wine (or grape juice in his case), are simply symbolic of Jesus' body and blood and that they remain only bread and wine (juice) throughout the celebration of communion. Across the street, (literally) at the Lutheran Church they teach that it is not simply bread and wine (juice), but that something very remarkable occurs during the celebration of communion and the bread and wine (juice) undergo a transformation of their substance and also become the true body and blood of Jesus! How incredible! That is a significant difference in theology. A mile further up the road, the Catholics hold that not only does the substance of the bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, they also cease in substance to be bread and wine while maintaining the appearance of bread and wine. When these differences are taken into account along with the fullness of divine revelation, one is confronted with a decision. What is the truth? This is the same question that Pontious Pilate asked Christ (John 18: 38).

I think too often the answer at which a person arrives is based on what they first were taught. A certain primacy of introduction if you will. Nobody wants to think that they have been wrong. Or perhaps they don't think what they believe to be true regarding a specific theological point is important, as long as they believe in the basic bedrock truths (very ironic).

To me, the answer to Pilate's question has to take in to account what has been professed by the followers of Christ throughout history with a continuity of substance. If a belief doesn't have a historical pedigree it's probably a tradition of men.

I don't want to use the same criteria for choosing a church that I use for choosing a restaurant or a concert or some fraternal community group like a book club or quilters guild. It certainly makes it more pleasant when getting together on Sunday is fun and entertaining but the truth is the real substance and is what matters most. Substance matters more than appearance. The same holds true for the reality of the Eucharist of Communion, the licitness of artificial contraception, and the choosing of a Church.

Quid Est Veritas?