One or many?
So in the past 30 hours I've somehow gotten myself into 3 separate discussions about religion. That's what I get for having crazy friends at home. ;) Nah...just kidding...but it has been interesting for sure. At several points in the various conversations I'd start to get a little bit frustrated, but at the time I couldn't tell why. But I think I've figured out the main reason: I feel like a hypocrite. Bear with me as I try to explain...
So the discussions started yesterday when I went out to brunch with a wonderfully energetic and enthusiastic friend from high school. She began talking about things that she likes about her new (Baptist) church, and that launched us into a discussion about church atmosphere. Eventually, we started talking about the things that she didn't like about her old church, and I revealed some of the things that I don't really like about my church -- the Catholic church. For the record, I'm very used to having conversations in which I discuss things that I like and dislike about my religion.
At one point in the conversation, my friend nonchalantly suggested that I just switch to a different church. "Just try out a bunch of different Protestant services and see which you feel most comfortable with. Then you can become a member of the one which fits best with your beliefs."
It's there that I began to feel frustrated. It wasn't that she suggested I go church-shopping. It's that she could do it in such a nonchalant manner. And the notion is not only something that I don't have a desire to do right now; it's that even if I did want to do it I don't think that it could be such a simple, easy, or light matter. Why? Well, for one reason, here's a brief list of things that I dislike and like about Catholicism (when compared with Protestantism):
Dislikes: Purgatory, some Marian beliefs, 5 minute sermons, lack of community feeling, lack of theological and biblical discussions, emphasis on formal confession to a priest (though I like the idea, I don't stress its necessity)
Likes: Mass, symbolism and images in worship, transubstantiation, emphasis on how we should respect life at every stage of life, the universal nature of the Church (praying the same prayers and reading the same readings across the world every day), oral tradition, the formal acceptance of evolution, some aspects of the priesthood, and the message of love -- due to the hierarchy we have a mechanism in place by which we can and do reach out to other religions, to countries in need, to political leaders, etc.
Yeah. Finding a Protestant church that doesn't have my "dislikes" is easy. Finding one that has my "likes" is...um, impossible. :)
I'm amazed when I look around at my Protestant friends and realize that they'll switch denominations without much trouble, guilt, or serious hang-ups about the choices they are making. In the past few years, I have seen friends switch from Assembly of God to Baptist, Episcopalian to Baptist, Baptist type A to Baptist type B, Methodist to Congregationalist, Calvinist to Presbyterian, and Presbyterian to Lutheran. Most of these people even take religion very seriously -- I know that they put thought behind their decisions, but it still didn't take much teeth-pulling, convincing, or sleepless nights to decide to convert. This amazes me. To me, converting to another church is a huge leap. And yes, I realize that going from Catholic to any other denomination is kind of a "bigger" leap than from denomination-hopping within Protestantism. But still...those Protestant denominations are separate for some reasons, and I don't know how people can so easily justify their choices.
And here's where I begin to feel like a hypocrite. Because if you ask me about the differences between denominations within Christianity, I will say that they are relatively small and unimportant. I believe strongly that all Christians agree on the "big" things, and that's ultimately what is important.
So how can I feel in one context like denominations within Christianity are superflous and silly and in another context that denominations are important and not to be taken lightly? Why do I like to visit and accept the churches of my Protestant friends and yet feel like I would never join?
I've been asking myself these questions today, and I don't really have answers. Sometimes I feel like if I truly believed that all Christian churches agree on the important things, then I wouldn't have any problem converting. Other times I become judgmental and feel like church respect should be symmetrical: if another church preaches that Catholicism is horrid, then I should stay as far away from that place as possible. And other times I feel like my "equal but different" feeling about Christian churches is good: it is loving and accepting and is maybe what God would want me to feel. And sometimes I feel like we're all just pretending to have answers to unanswerable (on earth) questions.
posted by Katie @ 5:52 PM
4 Comments:
Katie, not all protestants take denomination switching as lightly as you suggest. I think it is a really big deal and that one shouldn't just switch denominations at the drop of a hat. I know many protestants who feel the same way. (Although I also know some that don't. That's protestantism for ya!)
Now, I sound like the hypocrite because I am in the middle of a denomination switch, but it took me at least 4 years to decide to do this, and I have very specific and thought out reasons. Also, my future new denomination is quite similar in beliefs and practices to my old denomination (Presbyterians are still Calvinists), there are just a few key points of emphasis that are very important to me that are different, hence the switch. But my point is that it was not and should not be an easy decision.
I have some of the same conflicting feelings that you do about this whole one church vs many denominations issue. Because, as a liberal protestant I happen to think that a large proportion of my fellow Christians have a totally wrong perspective on the faith and give us all a bad name. (Someone whose initials are G.W.B. and who may or may not be president of the US jumps to mind.) But at the same time, we are all Christians, and so why do we have these big divisions? Shouldn't we all, starting from the same point, come to relatively similar conclusions about how to live out our faith?
Hey Linds,
Thanks for the input. :) And forgive all of the ranting in my post -- I think that a lot of my trouble with these issues stems from my own struggles to find the "perfect" church. In 1998 I went to college with the intention of church-shopping, but ended up right back at the Catholic church. I'm content with that decision (most of the time) but find it odd that I can still completely understand why some people aren't Catholic.
Another friend and I were talking early this evening and I told him that Catholicism feels almost like a sort of heritage as well as a religion. I'm guessing that you can identify with that feeling, having grown up as a Calvinist in west Michigan. And for that reason alone I have no doubt that your decision was a tough one. From some of the chatting we've done, however, it sounds like you are happy with your choice, and I am glad for that. :)
Sometimes the choices we have in life seem extra-scary...almost like we can have too much freedom, if such a thing is possible. There are both personal/spiritual and practical/worldly consequences in choosing a particular religion, including experiencing feelings of unity or division with family, other Christians, and people in general. I guess I just hope that I can make wise spiritual decisions for my future -- but some days I simply don't trust myself enough for that. So here's hoping that God makes everything fall into place. :)
Dang, she beat me to the correction. Oh well. It should probably be noted or stated that they are both Reformed, since it would be more precise to say the Presbys are Knoxians, but nobody ever says that. ;)
I have nothing to add. Well, maybe I do. Drop transubstantion (which I could go on at length about the wrongness of) and you might be able to find a church, but the underlying problem is that you want a Catholic church that meets your wants/needs, not a Protestant one, because that's your identity of self, and you can't change that anymore than I could change my beliefs in Calvinism.
One of these days I'd love to have a discussion with another Catholic about such things. It'd be nice to talk to someone who has similar dislikes (though not exactly the same as I like the idea of Purgatory) and likes of the Church.
As far as the denomination switching, one of the things that my mom has always said is that every church/denomination/belief system, from atheism to Buddhism to Catholicism has pieces of the whole, but no one has the entirety of the truth. And people will gravitate towards the one that they believe has the most pieces of the whole. I believe that the RCC does, but I certainly see the merit of all the other religions/lack of religion (which is why I don't try to convert people). People who "change" their denomination may not be changing their belief system so much as following their heart to the different pieces of the whole that we all seek.
Now granted, this is also coming from someone who did the same thing as you, tried to find another church and kept coming back to the Catholic Church, so it's entirely possible that it is the heritage thing as well. But I like to believe that if it was truly just heritage and not also some hard thinking on my part that I probably would have fallen away from the Church completely rather than tried to stick with it through good and bad. I guess we'll all see how it works out in the end.
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