It is too much to expect that mankind would move quickly toward civilization in the 2,000 years since the birth of Christ. It is appropriate to ask whether Christian churches have assisted or hindered progress.

Christianity was a grassroots moral movement. Some people decided to create churches, building upon legends of Christ’s teaching, anointing themselves priests and claiming primacy for the sect that ordained them and its doctrines. They pandered to parishioners by calming their anxieties with formulas for personal salvation. They relieved practitioners from charitable obligations by performing charity on behalf of the congregation, increasing their power. They endorsed patriarchy. They absorbed the moral energy of reform movements, even when those movements arose from within excommunicating or killing reformers who persisted. Churches display the weakness of all human institutions to such a degree that their credibility and effectiveness as forerunners of civilization is lost. Thankfully some congregants are now leading the clergy!

The Friends Fellowship attempted to help members clarify their motivations, to unearth the tricks people use to evade our obligations and to restrain egotism, thus allowing their inner light to shine. One may ridicule this approach as group therapy, but isn’t it more pregnant with possibilities for unselfish actions on behalf of mankind than singing hymns of praise and claiming righteousness? Unfortunately, the Friends as a group were unable to decide whether it was more important to adore God or serve men.

The progress of mankind is dependent on the collective impact of individuals struggling to define decency and justice and to express those beliefs in their behavior. Life calls on us to discover and travel one of the many endless roads toward righteousness, respecting our fellow travelers and embellishing the journey instead of anticipating an eternal reward. Christian parables can shed light on one’s path, but Christian churches must not be allowed to hijack one’s journey.

 

John E. Gibson

Owatonna