Reaching into Plato's Cave

Exploring the tensions between Christianity and the 21st century

#51 – Back to church, part I

COVID-19 is blamed for a lot of bad things, but there is one good thing it’s done for us: it forced us to stop everything and re-evaluate. Our healthcare system … government … business … schools … and even church.  Almost two years after slamming the church doors on us, we’ve had time to re-evaluate what we really miss … and perhaps also what we really don’t miss.

Now churches are re-opening again, and some people are cheering and straining forward to get back to what we used to do.

Some, not so much.  They got used to lazy Sundays … longer weekends … and enjoying church from the comfort of their sofa with a coffee in hand. All the benefits, without …

Other people stopped going to church long before COVID, often because of a faith crisis, but kept it percolating in the back of their mind (“scratching the itch”). And now they find themselves ready to carefully begin re-exploring that part of their identity.

Both groups are now coming at the same question … “why should I go back to church?” … but from very different angles.

We talked to people.  All kinds of people. Regular, steadfast churchgoers, who you’d think would be relatively comfortable in their faith. Members of our private Facebook Discussion group, a majority of whom are seriously re-thinking many things about their spirituality. And pastors, who are seminary-trained and, frankly, have some “skin in the game.”  And we asked them all that same question: “Why go back to church?”  You might be surprised at how some of them answered.

One word that came up in almost every response was “community,” or other words very much like it.

Which prompted us to ask a follow-up question: “what is a church community?”  If people regularly gather at a coffee shop, or a pub, in each other’s living rooms, or through some kind of on-line group, and talk about theological/spiritual things, and care about each other, can that substitute for church?

Again, you’d be surprised what some of them said.  Especially the pastors!

As always, tell us what you think.

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4 responses to “#51 – Back to church, part I”

  1. Sara Woods Avatar
    Sara Woods

    Can the listeners from ‘my’ local area be connected? I’d like to start with some like minded people and perhaps move on to ‘big church’ at a later date! I’m quite serious

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    1. lukejjanssen Avatar
      lukejjanssen

      I don’t see why not. It’s an organic thing: it has to grow, and that takes time and effort to make the connections.

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  2. ungj Avatar
    ungj

    I have been listening to the podcast for sometime. I was raised in a moderate Catholic Church. Went to a Catholic school that taught evolution and Sex Education. I have an understanding that we are in a very important place in time and history. Traditional religion no longer answers the questions or soothes us concerning topics such as death, mental health, peace of mind and contentment. There is a rich history of thinker’s, Jung, Watts, Nietzsche, Kant, Dante, Freud, Tolle, Woodman, Maslow, Mark Manson etc. They have many points of views and practices that address human anxiety and fear. Fear of death, of a life having no meaning, of not being good enough. They can show us how to simply “BE”. To relax into ourselves. We are the most important thing we do, every minute of every day (mindfulness). The people I encounter every day are hurt, over judged, and afraid to interact. They are caught in a spiral of meaningless action and “STUFF”, because they don’t know who they are or what they need.
    In the US old ideas have surfaced like; meditation, flow state, mindfulness, the link between the conscious and unconscious. But I feel that the present generations have a shallow understanding of these concepts because of a lack of legitimate suffering. I’m very interested in a discussion that would help move people toward a more complete or whole spirituality.”Spirituality” is a strong human need, along with acceptance and validation, without it we slide into some form of nihilism or latch on to something self- destructive.

    My husband and I have raised two boys who are grounded, have a good sense of self, and live for the moment. Since they have grownup I find myself in a vaccumn with no one to talk to. I also feel a very strong need to “belong, not be judged, come as I am, to be more than “a means to an end”.
    I am looking for a space to have an authentic, honest and meaningful conversation about “Spirituality”. I’m not necessarily looking for “like minds”, but a conversation that will influence others and to be influenced by others. My generation (baby boomers) kept the old religious rules (ex:10 commandments) but were unable to maintain them without the threat of hell. Their “god” is image, success, easy, all fed by money. We have no choice but to fill the “Spiritual” gap. I have been waiting for the “What’s next” question. What can we reuntie “around “? What can bring us back together? We are suffering from a natural, social, and spritiual pandemic. This is the “PERFECT STORM” let’s make the most of it.
    Thank you for providing this space for meaningful conversation.

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    1. Sara Woods Avatar
      Sara Woods

      Hope I’m sending this on the right thread …but I wanted to thank you for your heartfelt and well thought out commentary about being both isolated and yet connected to the ‘Jesus family’.

      ~ Sara Sent from my iPhone

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