It’s good for religion to be ignored

A few days ago I was in Ontario where I was asked, on camera, to provide my observations on the state of the church in Canada.

I guess when you’re more than 50 miles away from home they think you’re an expert. The truth is I don’t claim any expertise on the subject, but I shared my thoughts anyway.

My perspective on “church” in 2017 is that there are some really good things going on and some not so good.

One of the good happenings for most churches is that we have been moved from the mainstream of culture to the margin.

I place that on the positive side of the ledger because unless I am badly mistaken, the belief that we used to be a core part of society was for the most part an illusion. The current reality is much more honest.

To be sure, we lived in an era where something religious was almost always included in societal functions. The thought was that it added an aura of respectability to events. Pastors would be asked say a token prayer, everyone would say, “that was nice,” and then with the religious part out of the way, things would proceed as if it never happened.

Today is different. The inclusion of someone or something to represent God in most events is no longer automatic and when it is, questions are frequently raised and often pushback given.

The result is fantastic. When our involvement is requested, it is most often genuinely valued and we have come to realize that our words had best not be token, but meaningful and helpful. Everyone wins when thoughts of God or blessings or requests for help are intentional and meaningful rather than token and done by rote.

A second positive change on the religious front has to do with immigration.

I am going to make a broad, sweeping generalization that can be readily disproved by specific examples, but my general observation is that immigrants are often more fervent in their faith than many long-time Canadians who have presumed on God’s blessing for so long, it has lost meaning.

From my perspective, the fervency of new Canadians is waking some of the rest of us up. There is not much to be gained from a lukewarm faith.

Now for an observation I would place in the category of bad. After a couple decades in which churches everywhere have become much more co-operative with each other, overcoming their particular denominational labels, a much more serious divisiveness has arisen.

This is nothing more than my personal observation, but I am suggesting that the demons today reside in blogosphere.

Where in days past, there were a handful of denominations that would squabble with each other, today every person with a mouse and keyboard is able to criticize and condemn anyone they choose.

Entire internet sites exist for the sole purpose of pointing out everyone else’s errors.

I am not saying all churches, preachers and faith practices shouldn’t be evaluated and held accountable. Surely they should. However, that accountability should be at the highest level and be thoughtful, insightful and helpful.

Individualistic critiques broadcast widely with no accountability for the one offering the critique is disturbing.

I continue to be shocked when I hear thoughtful people who believe some lie just because someone posted it online.

Our high value on freedom of speech means that these critics cannot and should not be muzzled, but they must be held accountable for what they post.

It also places a high sense of responsibility on readers to evaluate and discern what is read.

We live in interesting and exciting times and nowhere is that more more true than it is for people of faith.

Tim Schroeder is a pastor at Trinity Baptist Church.