Someone sent me a link to an article in Hell’s Bible (aka The New York Times) about “experimental worship” and moving beyond institutional church… sort of like what the National catholic Reporter praises.
There is some pretty crazy stuff in the NYT piece. For example:
One Sunday before Easter, the pastor at the Relevant Church in Tampa, Fla., wearing a rabbit suit, whisked the unsuspecting congregation away on chartered buses to a nearby park to build enthusiasm for the coming service.
Crazy, yes, but nothing new. Sounds like a Jesuit-run college chapel.
In reading the NYT piece, if you bother, you might find yourself asking, as I did:
What’s so new about Protestant sects (or liberal catholics) engaging in experimental worship?
On the other hand, in sync with LCWR’s call to “move beyond Jesus”, and liberals’ cry in general to move beyond the “institutional church”, we will be urged to move beyond active participation to inter-active participation.
Thank you, Pope Benedict for Summorum Pontificum.
Protestants (or liberal catholics) have been seeking for that ever elusive holy grail “Relevance” since they introduced hymns into their “liturgy”.
The Ghost of Lib-Mass yet to come.
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I had to check that link about the rabbit pastor because I thought the article must be from The Eye of the Tiber and not from the NYT. How utterly bizzar.
The Mass is as relevant to me as a lifeboat is to a drowning man.
Marry the spirit of the age, find yourself swiftly widowed…
And just what is Jesus supposed to do, move beyond Himself?
What is with this ‘spiritual but not religious’ nonsense? By virtue of having a rational soul infused by God, is not man both spiritual and religious?
“Kids in their late 20s to midteens now, they really crave intimacy and authenticity. They want high-quality experiences, but don’t necessarily want them in huge voluminous buildings.” What does this say about our culture? And the answer to both these needs is found in God, who gave us the Church. Go to a TLM or well-said Novus Ordo, and learn about the Blessed Sacrament. I think those who recognize the tug on their hearts would desire to partake in the Eucharist, the ultimate expression of love there is. Also, I find large mega-churches to be quite ugly. I think the beauty of our older- and even many newer- churches will do the trick however.
“That strategy, blending religion with everyday activities, disarms people put off by traditional notions of church…” Hmm. I think the saints did it better, but that’s just me.
Now, Father, c’mon. The Protestants felt the need to be relevant when they split from Rome, and at various points in time lost the Eucharist.
The “Relevant Church”. Oh, the irony!
The “relevant” priest subbing this Sunday forbade us to kneel at the altar rail to receive Communion, which is our custom. He said it was not proper at the Ordinary Form. Personally, I believe if it is good enough for the Pope it ought to be good enough for him. (Although I don’t think that guy likes the Pope either, from what I’ve heard.)
My first thought when I read this is something that has been on my mind for a while: In any endeavor, only the orthodox survive. The heterodox are blended away into irrelevance.
Thank god for the biological solution.
I have never before seen any reference to inflatable snowmen being displayed indoors, let alone in a sanctuary:
Winters of My Discontent, by Brad Miner, for The Catholic Thing.
The only thing I can think of “beyond” Jesus is the Father…
wait, that’s too “patriarchal” so they can’t possibly mean Him.
Creator?
Mother-Father?
Divine Feminine?
Guess they lost me there and I’m not up on all the newest lingo. Oh well. One God in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, works just fine for me.