Sic Semper Tyrannis

Whatcha' Readin'?

Today I finished reading Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith, a very quick read. He talks about a very liquid church, one with no place for dogma, hard-and-fast doctrines-a church that is largely defined by its’ constant change and tweaking by participants therein.

Bell’s writing style is conversational and pretty accessible, and like I said, this is a quick read and Bell is a very hopeful person. But the whole of this book is about the church. Or should I say, The Church. I’m so fatigued with conversations about this. Everybody’s got their great serious ideas and answers for the ills of “the church.” I’ve never heard or seen people become such boorish idealogues in conversation as when they talk about “the church” and religion. I don’t know if it is the same everywhere you go, but I’ve heard enough.

I’ll go to the discussion group for this book, but only out of reverence for the relationships that I’m forming there, not because I have any answers for fixing “the church,” (as if it is a thing that exists), or for fixing the “Christian faith,” (as if it is some monolithic thing that can be pointed to and defined.)

I think I’m going to pull out my Buddhist books again.

posted by Mike @ 10:44 AM