The Case Against Ecclesiastical Primitivism
Ecclesiastical Primitivists are rampant in 21st Century American Christendom. Those of us who desire church buildings are told "Well the early Church met in houses!" To these people, if the 1st Century Church didn't do it, then we shouldn't either. They place that era of the Church in a context totally removed from it's cultural, historical, political and logical context and elevate to position of perfection. For example, concerning the above claim against Church buildings, I readily concede that most (emphasis on most) of the 1st Century Christians met in houses. You know why? Because the majority of these Christians were slaves or otherwise poor. And they were not exactly well liked either I might point out so getting property for a building would be a hassle. That the average 1st Century Church Christians could obtain urban property and erect a Church building was not within the bounds of logic, culture and history of that much the same way that Churches today in poorer and/or hostile countries like Iran don't generally have nice, ornate buildings. It is also only fair to remember they also met in Solomon's Colonnade (before the Jewish authorities heated up their campaign) and in Rome, the catacombs. Obviously the place did not matter but by default they had to meet in houses.
Also remember the early Church believed Christ would come back in their lifetime (like a lot of Christians today), so the need for buildings would have been less felt.
However, try telling this to an Ecclesiastical Primitivist and they just won't listen. The early church didn't do it so we shouldn't. To such Christians I present the following case for Ecclesiastical Progressivism
The Church: What is it?
To understand what the Church is we need to understand what is not. The Church is not a group of people who share similar ideas. The Church is God's people throughout the ages, starting with Adam and Eve. The Church is a City, the City of God (Rev 21) Christendom is about God transforming this sinful world into His Holy Kingdom. There is no place in the Faith for any gnosticism in the Church and yet this heresy had destroyed the Church in America more than any other. The idea that our faith has no physical aspects is against all Biblical teaching and the teaching of the Church for eighteen hundred years.
The Great Commission itself gives physical commands: "Go into all nations" "baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit",are both physical in their nature. The Great Commission is a command to conquer, not with the sword but with the Word of God..."Go into all nations and preach the Gospel..."
God made the physical world in which we live and it, like ourselves, is part of God plan of redemption and restoration. John 3:16 says "For so loved the world..." The word "world" is the Greek "Kosmos" and means either "World, Universe, Mankind." God loves all His creation! He will redeem all His creation! Just like in the days of Noah, this world will one day be remade in all its original glory and perfection. God is not just going to gather a few people in helicopter and fly out of the danger zone. Rather, as the King of all kings and Mighty God He is going to conquer Himself a kingdom.
Anyway, what I'm driving at is this: The Church is city, physical and real. Cities grow as time continues.
Time and History
History and time are both under God's control. Both continue unabated in our world and will continue until the end. The Church is not unaffected by time. Christians in the First Century walked to Church. Today, we drive cars. We do the same thing (Go to Church) but we do it differently because we live in a different time and place. Secondly, the First Century Church existed in real time and space. Do really expect a Church to achieve everything in sixty years? Hardly.
When settlers first came to America, they started what later generations carried on. They had log cabins. We have electrically lit houses. They went about in carriages. We go about in cars. This is the way history and time work.
Here to Stay
A Church building sends a strong message- we're here to stay. Christians after the first century began to build buildings because they had a multi-generational mindset and believed that the Faith would continue after them for the next thousand years and following. The majority of Christians today in America never even think about the Church a hundred years from now, much less a thousand years from now.
History and time are both under God's control. Both continue unabated in our world and will continue until the end. The Church is not unaffected by time. Christians in the First Century walked to Church. Today, we drive cars. We do the same thing (Go to Church) but we do it differently because we live in a different time and place. Secondly, the First Century Church existed in real time and space. Do really expect a Church to achieve everything in sixty years? Hardly.
When settlers first came to America, they started what later generations carried on. They had log cabins. We have electrically lit houses. They went about in carriages. We go about in cars. This is the way history and time work.
Here to Stay
A Church building sends a strong message- we're here to stay. Christians after the first century began to build buildings because they had a multi-generational mindset and believed that the Faith would continue after them for the next thousand years and following. The majority of Christians today in America never even think about the Church a hundred years from now, much less a thousand years from now.
The First Century Church was Not Perfect
If you don't believe me, read Acts. Barely begun, the Church already had strife and schisms. The Jerusalem Council is a case in point. The Early Church didn't have everything figured out and we don't either. To be sure, they had men like Paul and Peter filled with the Spirit who wrote the New Testament. But in these texts themselves, we find that the Church has from its infancy had internal problems. In I Corinthians and II Corinthians, Paul has to straighten out the Church and deal with serious issues. The Church has yet to be perfect since the day Adam sinned and won't be until the Last Day.
Perpetual Infanthood
Basically, when you really think about it, Ecclesiastical Primitivists want the Church to return to its infancy. Never mind the twenty centuries of growth and development- or corruption according them. They don't want to grow up, they want to stay on milk and remain in the cradle. But the Bride of Christ must grow into maturity, she must leave her cradle and her milk and continue to grow. Growth brings change.
For All These Reasons...
For all these reasons I strongly denounce Ecclesiastical Primitivism as an illogical, gnostic nonsense. Let the Bride grow- don't force her to remain in her infanthood forever.
Perpetual Infanthood
Basically, when you really think about it, Ecclesiastical Primitivists want the Church to return to its infancy. Never mind the twenty centuries of growth and development- or corruption according them. They don't want to grow up, they want to stay on milk and remain in the cradle. But the Bride of Christ must grow into maturity, she must leave her cradle and her milk and continue to grow. Growth brings change.
For All These Reasons...
For all these reasons I strongly denounce Ecclesiastical Primitivism as an illogical, gnostic nonsense. Let the Bride grow- don't force her to remain in her infanthood forever.
Comments
Post a Comment