I was raised in a conservative religious community. From earliest age I attended Sunday School and church services. As a teen I began singing in the church choir. In my early twenties I drifted away for a period. But a “chance” encounter caused me to reconsider and to give Church another chance. This led over a time period of a few years to some very intense Church experiences. This in turn led me to apply for and attend seminary, earning an MA in Biblical Studies. I tried my hand at pastoring, but quickly discovered I was not cut out for that. I seriously considered teaching, but knew that pursuing that as a career goal necessitated more schooling to obtain a PhD.

During my adult years I gradually became more and more aware of deeper spiritual truths than those I had been learning (and teaching) in Church.

     [By the way, when I capitalize “Church” I refer to organized religion in general. Uncapitalized I am referring to my local “church”, or to a specific church body.]

These truths fairly quickly led to criticism from other conservative, evangelical church members. I learned to keep my new directions mostly to myself, asking my questions in settings outside of church.

I have been aware over the years, that the direction I am heading is fairly common. And it is fairly common to find people following this path turning their backs on Church (or any other form of organized religion). During my journey I have been spared that. I have never felt a need to reject Church; I have always valued my own upbringing, even though viewing it as skewed and incomplete. I accept the world into which I incarnated. I value and honour it.

I view this humility to be a gift from the Divine. I have learned to view my own stance as not yet complete; I am still on the journey; I expect to continue to grow in my understanding of “God”, the Spirit realm, the Universe, the “other side”, the afterlife, heaven, however you want to term “it”. When I do reach the other side, will I be rejected for a flawed theology? Not on your life do I believe that!!

And if I view my own beliefs that way, I can afford to be non-judgemental about others’ views. Every person must walk their own path, living by the truth as they come to understand it. My only encouragement to others is to be open to new understandings; don’t assume that everything you have been taught throughout your life is necessarily the complete truth.

While meditating a few days ago on some of these ideas, I came to see Church as a container, a nice, neat little box for us to live in. For myself, this container held me secure for many years. It allowed me to grow, to question, to explore, to seek new understandings. I have outgrown this container, but this in no way invalidates the role this container played in my life. And this in no way invalidates or judges those who remain in this container. The fact that I no longer need the container of Church does not mean I believe that others should also loose themselves from this container.

I was having this discussion with a conservative evangelical friend a few years ago. He kept trying to get me to say that I thought he was “wrong” in holding to his beliefs. “If you believe what you do, and I believe very differently, then you must think I am wrong.” He could not conceive of a position where I thought both of us could be totally “right” in where we were at with God and Church and all, that I could continue to believe things quite at odds with Church orthodoxy, while he remained in line with Church teaching.

I believe Church has played an important part in the development of western society. It has handed down truths contributing to the civil cultures we find ourselves in. There has been a definite, positive role Church has played.

Personally I think that role is coming to a close. This is a personal belief; I don’t know if I’m right in this. But I think there is a parallel pattern in scripture which this aligns with. In the New Testament there is a definite concept that the old pattern of being God’s people was passing away, and that the new way of being, that is, Church, was taking it’s place. The term used connotes care-taking, guardianship, teaching. The Greek term is actually “pedagogy”.

And I believe that history is repeating itself. The Church, which has been the “pedagogue” of western society is passing away and a new pattern will emerge. What that will look like I have no idea!! But I expect it to be exciting to experience!!

While musing on this over the past few days, I felt there was more to say on this subject, but could not quite put my finger on how to say what I was sensing. Today, while driving city bus (my occupation), I got into an interesting conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness person, who was on his way to do “ministry”. I was sharing some of my thoughts on the above, that none of us can claim to have a complete “hold” on the truth, that each of us are imperfect in what we believe, etc.

Thinking about this later in the afternoon, I thought of the story in the Bible of Peter in the boat during a stormy night. Seeing Jesus approaching them, walking on the waves, Peter asked to join him. “Come,” said Jesus. And Peter got out of the boat to walk across the water to his Master. Yes, he began to sink, but the assumption is that if he had not doubted, he could have continued to remain atop the waves.

I have been asked to get out of the boat!!! This boat, the container of Church, was no longer sufficient for Peter (or for me!). I was invited to “Come”. Get out of the box, or the boat, and trust. Have faith.

I am hoping that I get to see this JW again (I drive this same route twice a week till the end of August). I want to thank him for inspiring this fitting end to my musings on the container of Church.