Oh goody. Another Christian to tell me I'm not doing it right. Just what the world needs today.
22
does this mean people can only learn in an educational setting being in class v. online? please join us in the 21st century at your earliest convenience ms. turner.
7
Wasting time worshipping supernatural beings that don't exist is ridiculous. Better to admit that religion is just a man made ritual that attempts to control our minds and our actions.
11
Avoid churches. You don’t need someone else to lead you, find your own way...
9
Who gets to say what church is?
10
Well said.
8
Wow. The author dismisses at-home worshippers as not "real" Christians, but then then breezily dismisses the first 30 minutes of the service as not worth her bother. To each his own.
14
Laura, you could also believe in God without believing in churchs representing him.
9
How is this different from the local ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) who I see enjoying community and fellowship at my local diner while they drink coffee and blab about the Los Angeles Rams? The common principle at work here seems to be the need for human connection, and not whether you believe that the cracker in your mouth is actually the body of Jesus Christ.
6
Church going would be fine if it didn't entail being in the company of people who believe that there is an anthropomorphic creator of the vast universe who impregnated a young jewish girl then had their son tortured to death so that good people could be happy when they were dead.
25
Religion isn’t worth anything either. It’s a monumental waste of time and energy. Lazy people and non-thinkers fall for the useless appeal of religion and all its false promises, lies, myths and fairy tales.
Internet Church = send me your money and I’ll save your gullible soul. Please!
10
A look at churches in America on the Internet-
"Churches ad hoc",
www.efn.org/~hkrieger/church.htm
What pablum! What planet are you living on? The church is morally collapsing under the weight of its hypocrisy and actions. Just for starters—well over 10,000 children raped and molested—THAT WE KNOW OF!
Religious affiliation is down because people "intuit" that church is NOT where God is to be found. They would rather suffer the alienation of "streaming," then attend Satan's antechamber.
"In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says . . . ." Oh, please! Stop it! I have long since stopped confusing Christ with Christians. Christians seem incapable of "living" their faith; too busy pointing the finger at others instead of at themselves.
The church is like America itself: enervating from wickedness. "I was lost but now I'm drowned."
12
To those who feel the need to post critical comments:
This does not pertain to you. We fully respect your wishes to not affiliate or believe.
Let us celebrate diversity of spiritual lives - not condemn those who have decided to live differently.
37
After 50+ years of going to Bible churches, Bible Study and Men's groups, I now find more value in online services. I can focus on Jesus, without hearing churchgoers plan the next anti-abortion prayer service, listen to them speculate about someone's sexual orientation or complain about George Soros.
13
I consider religion a private matter, like sex, or voting. Worshipping en masse (pun!) seems creepy. That being said, you should get there on time.
8
I don’t regularly attend church. But showing up 20 or 30 minutes late, repeatedly, is ridiculous.
13
Partial is always better than nothing.
6
Wouldn't it be much better to grow up as a species and a culture, realize that worshiping Bronze-age war gods is corrosive to everything we purport to hold dear (reason, equality, self-reliance), and stop giving these parasites, whether online or in-person, our attention and money?
4
Thank you for your article! it reminds me of a story attributed to Henny Youngman which for me supports your point.
A boy asks his father "Father, you are not very religious and yet you go to the synagogue every Saturday. Why is that?"
His father answers, " Do you know Mr Feinmann?"
" Yes father."
" Mr Feinmann goes to synagogue to talk to G-d, and I go to synagogue to talk to Mr. Feinmann."
9
Streaming has general internet costs. Church is not free either--but preachers (god story dealers) need the money--for their extra-ecclesiastical hobbies. But you can turn of streaming without a fuss.
Some preachers also still sell Church-going as the ticket to Heaven.
As for "feeling spiritual"--recall "spiritus" was Latin for Greek's "psyche" and "pneuma"--all related to air and breath and life.
Thus--"breathing life into something", "re-spiration" and ex-[s]piration--aka "giving up the ghost" --from "geist"--German for "spirit" and "psyche." The Greeks thought disembodied psyches "lived" on bloodlessly in Hades. Obviously only a metaphorical sense of "live"--since they had no cells.
"Spirited" also means "high-strung"--easily excited--or "moved"--"e-motional".
Otherwise it just means tuned into some god-story--whether suspending disbelief or not.
But "E-motional" gets us back to "E-spiritual" and thus internet streaming ;)
2
were ever you are fed the word that is church. You can make a pilgrimage, and not be taught the word of GOD when you get their. what good is that?
3
My aunt has MS and is confined to bed, she cannot even sit upright in a wheelchair. My uncle, her husband has Leukaemia and his immune system is so shot to pieces that if he catches a simple flu he could die. There is no chance he is physically able to get himself to church let alone his wife as well. When they had good health, they were regular church attendees.
I'm not even religious but I have to wonder, when they need guidance the most they are cut off from their own community. If not watching online what exactly are they supposed to do? How is this advice helpful to them?
It's not that showing up is exhausting, it's that it would do them physical harm. I strongly suspect the author of this article has not considered the full range of people getting their weekly dose of religion online.
12
What a beautiful article.The community that the church provides is unique.
I was away from the Catholic Church for over 40 years, simply because I was too lazy, indifferent,and self absorbed.
Now,when I leave Mass,I always comment to myself-what a fool I was to waste all this time, when I could have had a relationship with a God that loves us all, regardless of who we are or what we have done.
The feeling you get is like the burden of the world is lifted off your narrow shoulders.
50
God has given mankind the brain capacity to create the
technologies that we all enjoy today. Watching a service
or study group via the internet is still assembling one's
self together with others, and "Elohim" (God in Hebrew)
is still there.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf
of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
(2 Chronicles 16:9)
My own opinion is neither Christianity, or US politics
for that matter, needs another divisive issue at this
time. Both need to find their common ground and
work outwards from there. Sure, there will come
that place where the "plumb line"
11
Well stated, Ms. Turner. Community lies at the core of religious experience. The New Testament word for church is ekklesia -- "the calling out." Faith calls us out from our own lives into community.
Taped sermons and the like serve a specific purpose: including people who cannot be present (due to illness etc) in the community. Wise congregational leaders send somebody to deliver the tape in person. The messenger can also deliver communion, prayers, and a sense of connection, in whatever form matches the practice of congregation.
Your critique applies equally to streamed services and to televised services. Speaking for myself, I believe ministers who try to develop "congregations" made from TV audiences are deceiving themselves and their audiences and may well be slandering the gospel.
8
I agree that the sense of community is very important to the health and well-being of people, particularly for the elderly, for whom social contact tends to decrease as they get older.
If people like going to church, that’s fine. God may have said that He is present when two or three are gathered in His name, but He also said to buy your slaves from the heathens around you, so it does seem you have to pick and choose.
The Apostle Paul said the church is comprised of different but equally necessary members. But then he said that “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” But I enjoyed reading your essay anyway.
It’s probably a blessing that most people don’t know what the Bible actually says, or attendance might be even lower. So it may be a good thing that the Internet makes it possible for people to stay in touch with their faith without looking too closely at it.
Even I have pleasant memories of going to church at my Catholic school when I was young. I liked the smell of the incense, and I liked the Latin mass. I didn’t care for confession, when my prepubescent self had to confess my sins in a dark room to a man in a dress, but somehow I made it to adulthood.
I do remember the sense of community back then, and it was fine. But these days, I thank God I’m an atheist.
151
@gemli same here. However I was never a believer even as an elementary student in Catholic school, and the confessional experience felt creepy to me. The incense smelled awful, and the images were gory. I don't have an understanding of the pull to attend a religious service and never, in my entire life ever felt a need to attend, but it seems to be something that helps a lot of people get through life. Religious services seems to add value to many people's lives and functioning and I respect that. As long as the experience does no harm, then all is good.
15
@gemli
Yes.
Thank you for pointing out that it's the community, not the God, that's the thing.
It takes a village not only to raise a child, but to support the parents and provide solace to the unfortunate.
And it doesn't matter if that village gathers in the name of a deity, or in the name of nothing at all.
16
@gemli Responding here as a person of faith, I would simply note that not everything in the Bible was meant to be taken literally. The following observations by Bishop Robert Barron provide, I think, an informed perspective.
https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/video/bill-maher-and-biblical-interpretation/317/
3
With the internet taking over more of our lives, actual people congregating for any purpose has become a special event. Those complaining about the nature of the church are missing the point. People need to feel they belong to some group, some society. A religious service is accessible and for the most part welcoming (forget about divorced women in Catholic churches).
4
As a former Episcopalian, and now a non-believer, I have found a secular group that meets weekly. This group was specifically formed to meet the communal needs of those who are on the spectrum of atheism/agnosticism/skepticism/free-thought, and is especially helpful for those transitioning out of religion. We have potlucks, bar nights, volunteer opportunities, camping trips- all in addition to having presentations on Sunday mornings on relevant issues in our society.
15
Surely God is the point? When I sit in a majestic forest, and experience the most intense religious feelings, and give thanks to the divine for existence, isn't that church?
13
Jeez, you need to get a little background on this subject. Churches have been broadcasting their services ever since broadcast has been available. The only thing that's changed is the medium. The church I grew up in, First Baptist Church of Pontiac, Michigan -founded by my grandfather - did live radio broadcasts in the 1950s.
You should do a story on how tithing has changed over the years. I know they still pass the plate but I'm sure there's specialized tithing software just for churches. That would be interesting.
6
There are so many benefits to social connection. Another piece in today's Times by Richard Friedman links social connection to better health and resilience, for example.
But I prefer my connections outside of a religious cult. I prefer my connections based on real human love, not on the supposed infallibility of the fiction in the Bible or the social control exerted on people, particularly children, for the purpose of money and power.
Statements like: "Reminder that (bread and cup). . . are the body and blood of Christ" strike me as rather silly.
Ms. Turner's sentimental piece is propped on the letters of Apostles or the Gospel of Matthew as though they reveal something to be literally true and deeply important.
I don't begrudge those who find community in a church, I suppose. But religious belief requires suspension of rational belief. It requires subjugating your own free will to the cleverly crafted authority of the church. I don't choose to, or need to, find community in a community of those who conform with so little questioning.
There is great beauty and abundant love in our world. I find it with family, in magnificent music and art, and in the natural world around me.
I find religion generally, and the experience of sitting compliantly on those padded, stackable chairs, suffocating.
Each to his/her own.
6
Laura,
I appreciated this piece and so I looked up some of your other writing - “A Trio of Miscarriages” brought me to tears (I experienced a miscarriage at 9 weeks and am now pregnant again at 22 weeks). Thank you for your beautiful thoughts and message of hope.
4
What church (or a congregation) is and what it could be are distinct. If church is the joining of spirits who practice love in similar fashion, it can be done without meeting up. I have lived my life without a congregation, admittedly sometimes longing for the company of like-minded worshiping folks. But I know that, if I keep conscious of the family human, the world is my church and everywhere my "meet-up". I am happy for people who find a small community to help one another with their practice. But it's not always a loss when one's helpers are not pre-designated by denomination or faith tradition or like-mindedness...
In a similar way, what Israel is and what it could be are distinct. If Israel were properly understood, like heaven or nirvana, as a spiritual state -- as oneness with others in God-realization, as a community of love -- we would not be forever fighting over land rights. Everyone would know themselves to belong where they are.
5
Though I am not a believer, I could not agree more wholeheartedly. Internet church isn't really church, just as Internet education isn't really education. Both religion and education are quintessentially transformative experiences, transformative of the whole person. Both deal in Enlightenment and Redemption in their fullest, deepest senses. Both require presence, because both require that the intangible all we are be put at stake. In ways both profound and subtle, the self that enters is not supposed to be the self that emerges. Neither religion nor education, properly understood, is about the mere acquisition of information or skills, mere enablement. The Internet is not redemptive. And as for enlightenment, recent history has taught us all too well that the Internet functions as a confirmer and amplifier not a dispeller of preexisting opinion and prejudice. The self it touches not.
6
Church is about shared humanity and fellowship and helping one another. There may be no God, but there still could be churches. Thankfully!
4
Religion is a branch of the entertainment business, and like others in the entertainment business it must take advantage of whatever channels are available to attract necessary revenue.
8
Im not a regious person, but long distance churchgoing be it TV or whatever tech has for a long time been essential for a lot of believers that cannot attend services. Is it the same thing as being there? Of course not, but that is not the point. Given the freefall of faith of all stripes making believers feel less than welcome to just tune in seems silly.
8
There is nothing whatsoever to religion, so whether one goes to a church or attends online, isn't nearly as important as the filling of the Collection plate. #untaxedracket
5
It's often said 'the church' is what is left when the building burns to the ground. If you want to experience the church, you need go to 'the church' - the community that comprises it is as faint an image on-line as it is a vibrant one in person.
1
It’s a scam whether you do it online or in person.
8
Church isn't church. Church is not a building nor a day nor a congregation nor a clergy nor a scripture nor a prayer nor a song nor tithes. Church is an every day shared supernatural mythology of beliefs and rituals.
1
Why do have I subsidize this non-sense? All churches do is promote bigotry and intolerance.
7
"But this individual, isolated experience of church is the poorer one…" - Maybe for you, however…
My "church" is in the gob-smackingly Glorious canyons of southern UT, and I'm fortunate to attend services on most days. I usually choose to visit Her on-going Creation alone since, when I go with others, the day is spent on "What I did yesterday" and "What I'll do tomorrow" with little appreciation of the (to me) unique sense of Patience and Waiting that pervades this high-desert Holy Country. Praise Jah!
"Be still and know that I am." Psalm 46:10
“I should stop talking now. Having a voice separates me from All That Is.”
“Lamb”, Christopher Moore
5
You are correct.
Bless you for writing about it in the New York Times.
Merry Christmas!
9
The Catholic Church has had Sunday Mass on television for many years and my grandmother would watch it when she became too infirm to attend in person. It was wonderful for those who were too ill to go no matter their ages and they were able to view the Mass right in their own homes.
I never miss Mass and only will not attend when I am too sick and cannot leave the house. The one thing that is missing by not being in Church is that you do not receive the Holy Eucharist which is the body and blood of Jesus. This is the most important part of the Mass and is central to the Catholic faith.
The Catholic Church offers many Masses on both Saturday and Sunday so there is little excuse to not attend. I love being there in person where I can take advantage of the stained glass windows and the beautiful crucifixes that adorn the Church. These are only some of the benefits that you receive by being in the pews. Seeing the Mass on TV is fine when you are absolutely too sick to go but for me it does not substitute for the real thing.
Not being able to receive communion would be a terrible loss. That is why I love to go each Sunday. The way I feel after receiving the host is most important to me. It gives me a hope and peace that I can find no other way. No matter the struggles in my life, it refreshes me. It brings a renewed joy that things will be all right with the world.
26
Churches are ultimately social institutions, if not by design, then certainly by practice. They function as a means of uniting people in a way that reminds them of their shared need to find a meaning to life. The purpose of church is to provide organized answers to the fundamental questions people have about not only life itself, but more importantly, what happens after life ends. Because this is a troubling issue for people, churches have, in a sense, monetized it and used their versions of the answers as a means of aggrandizing power.
Church also tends to appeal to the tribal urge in our natures. We long to belong, so church capitalizes on that urge by suggesting that “We’re right, their wrong.” This is why so many wars have been fought in the name of religion. Conflict tends to create a desire in humans to band together, and church provides a convenient means to accommodate that need.
Marx famously declared religion the opium of the masses. He clearly was not intending to discourage his followers from becoming addicted, but rather was giving them an alternate provider for their drug, an entity which became the communist party.
Modern society has tended to marginalize many of the institutions that in the past brought people together into communities, making church into a convenient locus for the angst that lack of connection to others creates in us. As with three card Monte, it’s easy to be distracted by the show and forget what people truly need.
2
@Marshall Doris
Uh, it's always useful to read a social theorist before critiquing them. What Marx thought was unfolding historically was working class consciousness, a concrete awareness of the scientific fact that the combined efforts of the industrial working class created the incredible wealth of capitalism. Part of the revolutionary work of transforming itself from exploited workers into masters of their own destiny was a realization that false consciousness--nationalism, patriotism, "pull yourself up by the bootstraps," the right of private property, and, yes, religion were all opiates designed by the bosses. The idea of the party as a new church that's Lenin and, especially, Stalin.
2
Technology is not gadgets and it's not "applied science." Technology is the modern way of life. Be more expert; be more efficient; worship the wondrous miracles of technology. It will extend life span indefinitely, cure all diseases, provide instantaneous connection through a "global village." Religion can't compete with that. So it becomes technological. Like everything. Online was preceded by megachurches with video screen worship chants and food courts.
Fellowship is available at the water cooler or the bar or book clubs or whatever. If you want spirituality go out in nature, if you can find any.
18
@James Durante
I can’t believe this is a Times pick unless it is to highlight the emptiness of modern American life. James Durante can fellowship at the water cooler, worship, yes, worship modern technology, and find spirituality in his “can’t find anyway” nature. There is nothing there, there! Nihilism and nothing but nihilism.
6
There is one thing I've observed that makes attending services worthwhile for some. In a synagogue, when a congregant completes a reading and returns to his seat, everyone rises to shake his hand. He feels special and appreciated, something he may not experience at home. The author is correct, there is something magical about being part of a caring group of people who celebrate and sympathize with you and your family.
4
My father always preferred TV church to the real deal. Back in the '50's he would tune in to Oral Roberts and laugh and laugh and laugh. Dad appreciated it for being some of the best (if unintentional) comedy entertainment on television.
15
This is no different than televangelists. Every Sunday morning, just turn on the the local channels, and men (typically) are wailing away, for all the couch potatoes to watch.
3
I spent years trying to find a synagogue where I would feel at home and feel authentic, something that I would look forward to even when I might not want to go.
About a year ago I found a real shul. The rabbi is a true mentsch, funny, welcoming and no one has ever asked me to join or give money. And the kiddush is wonderful; not just a bunch of cookies.
The rabbi works three jobs to support his family and the shul. If people want to contribute, they do so voluntarily and the place limps by. Simple people, just wanting to be with other Jews.
The shul is part of the Chabad stream in Judaism, orthodox, hasidic, non-judgmental. I told the rabbi I was gay and his response was, So what. I later came out to the entire group.
At first I was hoping to make some friends. I was a bit judgmental towards many of the others; stuck in my little shell. When I finally gave up trying to make friends things changed and I enjoyed myself a lot more.
No option for online participation. From Friday night till Saturday night, shabbos, no cell phone, computer or other such things. It is very freeing to be totally off the grid for 24 hours. Try it; you might look forward to it.
Officially, no driving but most people drive as do I. This is typical of Chabad; just come as you are.
They have never tried to influence me to change my ways or beliefs and I like that.
I am sure that some people may benefit from online groups but nothing digital can substitute for what I have found.
14
Sorry.
You should not be 30 minutes late to church each Sunday. That is not your baby's fault, it is yours. To walk in late is disruptive to the congregation and insulting to whomever is speaking at the time. This is common courtesy.
And so, whether it works for you or not, streaming services would seem, in your case, the best solution for everyone. Egads. To be perennially late for anything, be it church or a concert or any stripe of public meeting, is rude and disrespectful.
I confess that I do not attend church, not am I particularly religious. But I do, I hope, have manners.
13
In our church all our welcome, come early come late, with crying babies, dressed in stockings and high heels or jeans and a t-shirt. If you don’t attend church you might not understand that the types of “manners” you reference are frequently not applicable.
5
@August West
Agreed that being consistently late can be a sign of disrespect (that my circumstances are more important than yours). However, it's far better that she attends late than not to go at all. You think she is not aware of being late? She did not have to even include this in her op ed, but in doing so made a strong point that she would rather go late than not go at all. She and her family quietly slip into their chairs. No one is bothered around her except those not focusing on God, but rather on the rules of "promptness." Jesus was always castigating the Pharisees for their judgments against others. Instead He offered and suggested an attitude of acceptance and love.
11
@Linda
As I say, I'm not particularly religious. I have gone to a service or two in my time, and you are right: All are welcome, at least, in my experience--they let me in. I don't give a wit how someone is dressed, if at all. Being there is the most important thing, I reckon.
However.
When I did attend church, rarely as I say, it was at the behest of my ex-wife and in-laws. all good people--it just didn't work out. My attendance was limited to Christmas Eve masses and other once-in-awhile events. Inevitably, and even at my nuptials, folks brought babies that cater-wauled--not just a sniff or two, but full-on, no-holds-barred wailing and screaming. It always took much longer than it should have for moms and dads to take their kids outside.
I think that is selfish and disrespectful to other people. On every occasion that it happened, including my own wedding, there were spaces set aside just outside the sanctuary for parents to take kids where they could be responsibly cared for while services were given. I can't understand why folks did not do that, especially since many of the parents I saw with kids disrupting ceremonies put their kids in daycare each day while they went to work. They wouldn't dare have their kids disrupt the office. Why not the same consideration for a place of worship?
Kids whose vocabulary extends to a dozen words or so cannot possibly appreciate what happens in church. For a lot of kids, it's boring as heck. And, so, why?
5
A friend used to say that her “church” was running along the tow path in Georgetown. A rector allegedly told her that wasn’t corporate worship. But then again, it allegedly cost that particular church approximately $100K per day to operate. In short, fellowship pays the bills where stewardship is concerned.
4
Glad church works for some....Some of my dear friends are real Christians who help the poor and care about others...they don't shove their beliefs onto our plates when we eat with them...the church can be a drug...high of the week with some sects and others morbid since they think they must save "sinners" ie anyone not in their congregation...I am a Buddhist, but rarely go to the local temple...meditation keeps me in contact...
3
I'm a hard case - I admit.
At one time in my life, I had a religious phase - until I found out some things.
(Never mind what things - it'll just depress you - well - just go with hypocrisy - RANK hypocrisy - discuss that amongst yourselves while I finish writing here)
Coming to these realizations about religion, generally, and MY religion even more so, made attendance at church - which before had been definitely an important aspect of my life - a VEXATION, that I could not bear for literally, more than a few minutes at a time.
While I never actually DID this (well - at least not quite in the way I'm about to describe) at a certain point in a service, all I wanted to do was run, screaming, from the meeting area - and I actually DID feel impelled (note the word) to leave, because I just couldn't STAND it anymore.
I used to calculate the time I would have to spend waiting for the actual ordinance (the sacrament of the bread and water/wine/grape juice - what-have-you) and how I could position myself within the church building (often actually outside the actual meeting area, the closer to a door, the better) so as to be able to partake of these, nominally fulfill my purpose, and then slip out as unobtrusively as possible, to be free, yet another week.
When I FINALLY was able to FREE myself COMPLETELY it was SUCH a relief. SUCH a relief. I have never regretted a single day of that separation. Not to this moment I am writing this.
So Internet Church?
HAH.
It is to laugh.
2
No different than on-line classes, especially those classes in subjects like sociology or psychology where interaction with others is part of the learning process. Being of the belief that all organized religion is evil, I vote we move it all to the internet and stop giving tax exemption to anything other than the spot where a bottom sits to worship. The businesses on the side, the property ownership, etc...all tax free, is exploitive and an insult to the working enslaved.
3
Isn't worship something we give to God? Yet so much of the discussion about streaming and other church issues is about what we get out of it. Church is a community where we give ourselves to God and to one another - to love the Lord and our neighbors. Streaming can be useful in the larger picture of engagement but as a standalone exercise it is sorely lacking.
5
Great article. My wife watches live mass every Sunday morning.
What's the problem with spreading the "word" online?
Is it the same as attending? I never attended church.
Love they neighbor? Sure, but I don't know them.
1
The title of the article caught my attention "Internet Church Isn't Really Church" and in fact it shouldn't be. Those who attend church do so for many reasons but as a Pew Research Poll showed in 2017, social was the most identifiable reason. I an glad those who like going to church have churches to go to but at the same time I also believe that it limits people's view to one denomination's "opinion" about the meaning of the scriptures and ancient wisdom. Spiritual seekers should be open to finding what they are seeking and this is where the Internet becomes invaluable.
5
In my understanding, one of the primary purposes of "church" is to dedicate some time to spend with the Lord in His house. For the "give-me-convenience-or-give-me-death" crowd the lure of a streaming service may be irresistible, but it totally usurps the community aspect of organized religion.
Many years ago, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it still goes on, WGN in Chicago broadcast "Mass For Shut-Ins" for those unable to make it to church due to age, physical infirmity, etc. It made sense in that context. But if one is to be honest with themself, Internet "church" where one needn't change out of their PJs to "attend" and can pour themselves another cup of coffee during the sermon, doesn't, from a spiritual connection standpoint.
I appreciate the sentiment behind Laura Turner's "Internet Church Isn't really Church." However, there is an internet-based church that does provide a sense of ongoing community, and much more.
I am the founding minister of First United Church of Christ Second Life. We are the only church in any mainline denomination to have full standing as an actual church while existing only in virtual reality. A church is not a place; a church is people. Community is the foundation of First United Church of Christ Second Life. We do multiple worship services, morning and evening meditations, Bible study, pastoral care and more.
The world is changing. The church model we use in most places is ancient. We have confirmed over our five year history, that it is time to take the church to the people. And that eliminates the frantic efforts to get someplace on time that Ms. Turner described so well.
Here's one simple example of how community works. The church "coffee hour" after worship is ubiquitous. We can serve virtual coffee to the avatars at First UCC Second Life, but that's not really a substitute for the real thing. So, we gather to dance and chat. Each avatar is, of course, driven by a living, breathing person, who may be at home on the sofa or at a kitchen table. Where they are in real life does not matter. They are very present in Second Life, and that is what makes community work.
Information about this cutting edge ministry is available at www.firstuccsl.org
5
The author contends that attending church in person is important for her, and as a lifelong atheist I can see both the good and the bad in this:
Community and connection are important, and there is little doubt they contribute to our mental health, but when a community serves to reinforce bad ideas, it offsets the positive aspects. As another comment here has said, attendance at churches offers "an opportunity to encourage other believers", and while the person commenting meant this as a benefit, I see it as a danger.
If religion -- apart from its communal aspect -- was beneficial, shouldn't it be beneficial even for those where it is not predominant? And yet a study found "The impact of personal religiosity on self-esteem in highly religious countries was five times that of the effect of religiosity on self-esteem in highly secular countries."
The psychological benefits of religiosity, at least as it relates to self-esteem, rely heavily on the relative religiosity of the country you live in.
Yes, as the author says, "Studies show that regular attendance at religious services correlates with better sleep, lower blood pressure in older adults and a reduced risk of suicide", but if holding believable beliefs also matters, we've got to create places for gathering which do not require that we leave our brains on the hat rack. Why not have a win-win?
7
"But being together is the whole point".
Some might say that being together is the only point. And in the opinion of a steadily increasing number of thinking people they would be correct.
2
Churches also have to change their infrastructures to accommodate their congregants. Congregations are aging across the country. Pews are now torture. Kneelers are some leftover tools from the Inquisition. The vast majority of churches are not well equipped for acoustics. I just sat through a sermon this morning that I THINK was about the need to support others in need, but I can't be sure. The preacher's voice kept going in and out like a bad radio connection in the huge sanctuary. Parking has been an issue at almost every church I've ever been to. And if I want a prayerful experience, I'd rather not do that while straining to hear over the noise of many small children screaming --- all because the soundproof family room is either closed, broken, or used for storage. Why would anyone in their right mind ruin a Sunday morning to deal with tight parking spaces in snowy, wet, slippery parking lots, to go into buildings that have no decent heating/cooling, where they get to sit for an hour in piles-inducing pews, while straining to hear what is being said? Communion can be brought to the home --- and in many churches it is. If churches want to be welcoming and listen to the injunction to gather in Jesus' name, they need to remember architecture, design, and building upgrades are a big part of making that gathering a successful experience.
1
I wonder how many people are like me. I used to love going to Unity Church, particularly christmas eve and easter sunrise services. Unity is a christian-based church and it's core principals honor all religions and beliefs. They believe that Jesus was a man who personified the christ spirit available in all of us.
Then came the catholic church, evangelical Robber Baron attacks on Separation of Church and State in OUR U.S. Constitution. It protects citizens from government interference in one's religious and/or non-religious practice and protects WE THE PEOPLE from interference by religions trying to foist their ideas on the rest of us.
For a few years now I have refused to say merry christmas or participate in any "christian" holidays. I will not attend any religious gatherings until the attack on OUR right to choose how we worship stops.
I honor my higher power and communicate with it constantly. I do not need some man or woman with a microphone to act as the middle person - just to make money and try to control. In the end all religions honor the same higher power that gave us our existence. There is nothing to fight about or go to war over because no religious idea is provable.
What the world needs now is Good News gatherings on Sunday morning to honor our higher power through songs like "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and sharing Good News stories. Something to make us feel good about living and a time to share the goodness and kindness in all of us.
3
As a chaplain, I say I don't care what you are but that you are. And I also reflect that possibly the communion over coffee after servicies where we see our friends seeing us and hearing each there say our names is as an important part of our church going experience as the service iteself.
2
As a Jewish person, who has many synagogues available to me and was a President of one up north, for various reasons my husband and I have not joined any down here, though we have been to many services. I do miss belonging but I have to also say that I have live streamed many different services that I have enjoyed. We do still attend services sometimes, but I have found Central Synagogue in NYC to be my joy now. I love Rabbi Buchdahl and all the other clergy. Their services, music and sermons always speak to me, and yes I follow along on line and have even printed out the special prayer books they use for the Holidays. So, to each his own, and yes I do send dollars, to synagogues, in this area and back home in MA and yes to Central.
6
As a recent, surprised, even reluctant convert to Greek Orthodoxy after decades as a hard-core atheist, I agree with Ms. Turner. I am currently home bound, but the sense of a community is faith I get attending our rather long services i our beautiful parish church, surrounded by icons, enveloped in Greek and English chanting and prayers as incense wafts over us, is truly special. I can certainly pray, read my Bible, and watch the weekly homily on my computer. I can do our Sunday Divine Liturgy at home, and I do. It is nowhere near the same. I hope to be able to return soon to live services. They deepen my faith, and engender an even stronger desire to live a long life and seek to better our world. Technology is a tool, only that. If we allow it to dominate us, we truly cease to be human.
5
I am glad Laura Turner and her family have found a church home, although it almost sounds more like a support group. For me, it is ironic to read these words, as I just left my church and have no desire to go on a church search, at least not now.
Having spent my life in church and participated through music and teaching, I see this community gathering (yes, better in person) as also a place to learn, to shed a biblical light on our own lives, along with the confusing world of clanging voices around us.
I had already given up on the social component of the large church I attended, despite active participation. Fargo is a challenging place for some of us, in church or not - even after nearly 14 years.
I had hoped, however, to hear the truth of "salt" and "light," that bears on our lives but also applies to current policies or events from time to time. In a recent week, with dark incidents, like the attack on a synagogue, they were silent, without even a prayer. They were silent on border separations, with a pastor telling me they were afraid of offending their conservative members. Silent with the voice of hatred booming. So I left. I didn't need another chili contest announcement.
It was not an environment where love and courage grow and we need these more than ever, so yes, I stay home and watch, and read my bible, my Oswald Chambers, and sing worship and pray with others, including my husband. For now, at least, this is church.
101
@Honeybee
I think you misinterpret Joan's words and thoughts.
What she found lacking in church was not politics, but an articulation of humanity, compassion, decency and helping the least among us by the clergy (and the parishioners) in deference to 'conservative' misanthropes and the whited sepulcher community.
In other words, there wasn't much actual Christianity in the church, just a bunch of empty hypocritical words and scripture.
Remember, Jesus was a democratic socialist and a nice Jewish boy....not a Bible-thumping radical espousing prosperity gospel and public policy that would delight the anti-Christ.
Conservative America's definition of Christianity is almost completely devoid of Christianity; what kind of Christian wants to be part of that insult to Jesus ?
80
@Honeybee You seem to miss the distinction between politics and policies. You can steer clear of endorsing candidates or parties, while addressing non-biblical policies that separate children from parents, with many legally seeking asylum. One of my biggest concern was the failure of the church to condemn anti-Semitism or violence toward minorities. These actions were condemned by Republicans and Democrats. Was Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. "political" when he fought and died for equality? Are pro-life advocates political?
16
@Honeybee
God's will may be mysterious, but Christ's isn't. Presumably that's why he came among us and preached and commanded we help the poor, the sick, and the disadvantaged. Any Christian church that hasn't the courage to say this country and government isn't doing enough for those people isn't Christian at all.
Furthermore, conservatives don't seem to have a problem with politics from the pulpit when preachers are demanding the appointment of prolife judges or legislation defunding Planned Parenthood.
Of course politics belongs in churches. These are the most important decision in our lives.
18
Ms. Turner has this right. Church is about koinonia (fellowship) with God in Christ and with one another through sharing of the same Spirit and the same space when we can.
5
“The chiefest sanctity of a temple is that it is a place to which men go to weep in common. A miserere sung in common by a multitude tormented by destiny has as much value as a philosophy. It is not enough to cure the plague: we must learn to weep for it. Yes, we must learn to weep! Perhaps that is the supreme wisdom.” (de Unamuno, Miguel. Tragic sense of life (pp. 55-56). Kindle Edition.)
1
“But it presumes that God is primarily present to us one on one, as individuals, rather than as a community of believers. This is not what the Bible says.”
I’m paraphrasing here, and probably committing some kind of blasphemy, but I’m pretty sure that the Pentateuch says something along the lines of, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I Am That I Exist.’”
God is either present everywhere that you are, or nowhere at all. Don’t take my word for it, take Pascal’s Gambit; or William James’ ‘Leap of Faith’.
Happy Christmas!
3
Experiencing God means sharing God's loneliness, for what being is lonelier than God? The community of the church is a falsification of the experience of God for the experience of the community becomes the goal, and therefore it is idol worship. The idolatry of interaction both in the actual Church or over the Internet is identical. If a person really believes in a god, then they can't mind being alone and would find going to church of streaming it via the Internet to be a shallow distraction.
2
Church attendance in the USA has declined not because of the availability of computer and the internet, but rather because all the evil that has been done by the US government around the world has finally come home to roost. It is safer to go to internet church than to a gathering where some maniac might open up on the congregants with an AK47. When the entire scam, called the USA, collapses under the weight of all its accumulated debt, and if our psychotic leaders have not already nuked us out of existence, then you might see a return to traditional values, but I suspect that it's probably already too late.
2
The reduction in attendance to a physical church started long before the current series of mass shootings. Your example of causality is false. It is interesting that you don’t acknowledge that democratic socialist nations are also seeing a growth in secular attitudes and attendance.
1
Like many Catholics, I have given up on believing in the inherent morality of the institutional church. To be sure, the church does good work through its charities, but the institutional church seems more interested in gay marriage and abortion- which Jesus didn’t talk about- than helping the poor, being humble and loving one’s fellow human- which he certainly did talk about.
The great Catholic theologian, Garry Wills, in his book “Why Priests?” has exploded the myth that Jesus meant the church to be a hierarchy of knowing elders i.e. men. The priest abuse scandal has destroyed the facade of priestly authority. Ultimately, our relationship with God is a personal one the way Jesus meant it to be. “And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11.26
7
Internet Church? The potential for scams is mind boggling. There are already more than enough with mere televangelists.
2
Internet school isn't really school.
Internet social isn't really social.
5
A faith community that values and empasizes community above dogma or doctrine is life enhancing and only works when people are in the room together praying, learning and building relationships together.
Laura Turner wrote: "Studies show that regular attendance at religious services correlates with better sleep, lower blood pressure in older adults and a reduced risk of suicide."
Your op-ed tacitly accepts this correlation as causation.
7
I worship from afar deep into the Universe, going here and there traveling in the back pocket of God. Some times for a few brief moments He invites upfront to see the Universe and all life as He sees it. Of course i do this in my mind.
1
Turner is in no position to be calling anyone out or saying what is right or wrong as far as church, people can go, do you and worship as they please.
Who ordained her as an authority?
4
And as I sit here supposedly finishing a sermon for a small, mainline (PC-USA) congregation, all I can say is thank you! We struggle with many things in small congregations but one thing never seems to be lacking and that is fellowship! And people forget how nice it is to have someone walk up to you and say with a smile and a handshake "how's it going?". And that's what can't be found online! Peace, tw
61
Wanting to worship a god, and inform others of the information that he has asked you to disseminate, is much different from wanting to socialize.
While you may *enjoy* socializing, this has nothing to do with Christianity. Regarding the passage in Matthew, what exactly does "gather" mean? Is it physical proximity? Or participating in a like-minded body of people?
If it's physical proximity, the question then is: why? Why does Jesus require this? The gospel is silent on this.
If you observe most church services, the attendees don't interact with each other at all, other than the obligatory "shake the hand of the person next to you" moment. They're really not united in spirit, or even in mind (do they go out and preach the gospel after the service?). So what difference does it make whether or not they're in the same small geographical area?
22
@John Richardson Living in community with others has everything to do with Christianity. Socializing shouldn't be the whole point, but it is part of the point. If we don't interact so much during the service except for passing the peace, that's why we have the coffee hour. But, if you "participate" rather than merely "observe" most church services, you will see that a lot more interaction is going on than you might imagine.
9
@John Richardson
I guess the church service my wife and I attend is different from your experiences.
Perhaps it's because the vast majority of the parishoners who attend the 6:30pm Mass at Our Lady of Las Vegas are strangers in a strange land, far away from their own. Perhaps it's because so many of them, my wife included, attend Mass at that hour because they work on Sundays and that's the only time they can reasonably attend. Perhaps it's because it's one of the few places in the Valley where they can gather and be able to speak to others in their own dialects without being looked upon as hiding something from those who don't understand them. Perhaps it's because while the Mass itself is primarily conducted in English, the choir at this particular Mass sings the hymns in Tagalog, which allows these parishoners a window back to a time in their lives that more likely than not was kinder and gentler than the everyday struggle that life for immigrants, particularly in Las Vegas, can so often be.
I was totally non-religious when my wife and I married. I made a conscious decision to actively participate in her spiritual life regardless of that that might entail, and I'm very glad that I did. It's opened up a number of new worlds to me, spiritually and culturally, and enriched my life far beyond what I might have initially expected. Minus the physical proximity "requirement" you question, this never would have happened.
Maligayang Pasko, ading.
12
@John Richardson
The difference is in a sense of community and fellowship with others. It's pretty clearly stated.
1
Remote church is just another way technology is bad for our brains. This is a particularly bad one, because it takes an established communal practice and fragments it, thereby removing most of the benefit of being there.
At the heart of Jesus' teachings is a message about unity, and watching church from home is not aligned.
20
@Barbara If Jesus was a real person, the heart of his teaching is to love everyone. He didn't talk about tax exemptions, gun ownership, birth control, and yet Christians all over the world act as if he did. Poor Jesus. Everyone putting words in his mouth.
9
@RCJCHC Actually the heart of His teaching is that for God so loved the world, Jesus, the Son of God was born, lived as a man, sinless and compassionate, die for our sins, defeated death and rose again. That we may find redemption, worth, and freedom in Him/Holy Spirit/God. Through that act, we may know and share love to others.
And that is straight from the New Testament, no words being put in anyone's mouth.
4
For those home bound, getting to any form of public worship can be difficult, at best. Those of us who find being there less and less possible, we miss it and do what we can to feel connected.
10
More than anything else, going to Church, & being involved enables one to make life long friends, and allows us to get away from the harsh realities of Life, if only for an hour or more.Personally ,it is something I look forward to.I get more than enough TV, it just doesn't replace the spirituality I get singing with the choir.
8
The structure of churches and modes of worship don't just reflect unchanging theology; they also reflect the values of the society at the time. In the Catholic Church of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, cathedrals physically divided congregants from clergy. Oftentimes, the congregants couldn't see of hear what was happening, and if they could, didn't understand what was said in Latin. This very much reflected the hierarchical power structure of society at the time.
Now, when our society worships entertainment and technology, large mega-churches (our new cathedrals) embrace these societal values, with theologically based entertainment and an embrace of live-streaming technology that, like Facebook, gives an illusion of personal connection without actual connection.
There are pros and cons to whether live-streaming is useful for churches. For individuals not able to attend in person, they can be hugely important. But let's also not forget that churches don't just update their worship and use the technology of the time; they also embrace very worldly values that reflect the society of their age.
5
Absolutely excellent! Ms. Turner explains what a biblically based church is. In a time when electronic technology communication is replacing interpersonal contact and relationships this is a much needed reminder. Church is a community of people who see each other, greet each other, love each and help each other and their surrounding community in tangible ways.
7
If going to church puts one in touch with one's sense of membership in an ethical system that flows from a creator, that must be a very positive experience.
If going to church puts one in touch with one's tribal membership that is at war with competing tribes, that would seem to be more of a pep rally for hatred.
Maybe its the message that makes the difference ... not the building.
30
Now more than ever, when almost every day brings new outrage over the violation of our democracy, and fundamental human rights, I find I need my religious community. Others seem to be feeling the same need to be together, to support each other in good times and bad, and to affirm our shared beliefs, to stand on the side of love, when hatred surrounds us. It's not just about the Sunday morning service, although I love the candles and the singing, and words that uplift, comfort, or inspire to action. It's also about friendships, and celebrating and grieving together. It's also about standing together for social justice in our community and in our world. It is good to have a religious community in times like these.
23
The wonders of technology allow me to hear Pastor Fred each week [and Julie and Johnathan] via Podcast at the other side of America. Of course we attend in person when in SF. As a conventional PCA evangelical, I appreciate the mission and messages of City Church, which though thoroughly evangelical, presents strong Biblical evidence for viewing the world from the prospect of the other. Thanks City Church, looking for to today's sermon tomorrow!
But City Church, like Redeemer in NYC, is more about living the message than hearing the message. This does require actual people, together, doing actual things, together. In this,an Internet church certainly is less than optimal.
4
True worship resides in the heart of each person, and we each work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. To say we need to be in community to worship denies the individual who prays alone each morning, or anytime, thanking God for the day. God may have given the Holy Spirit on Pentecost to a ‘group’ of believers, but the spirit resides in the heart of each individual person.
We live in a life care community, and while we still sing in our choir, the service from our church is live-streamed into the theater where we live, and the gratitude of residents of all faiths, who can’t get to their home church, is immeasurable. Live-streaming worship, whether to a group or in an individual’s home, or hospital room or prison cell is a gift of God and a witness to God’s faithfulness to all.
16
In fact, we need both. We need the discipline and communion of both private and public worship, and, more especially, the discipline of community in these atomizing times. C.S. Lewis has a lot to say on this subject, to put it mildly.
I don't get to choose who calls themselves a Christian, and if I'm praying for Christian love towards others, what better place to test whether it is growing in me than in church? Alone, I can easily convince myself that I'm becoming a better person; together with my fellow worshipers I can do the things I pray to be able to do.
11
I am delighted to read the words of a sister reflecting on a matter of spiritual significance as I read the paper (pixels, actually) before church. Maybe I've been reading the Times too few years, but this is the last place I expected to come across a matter-of-fact piece about Christian life. Well done by Ms. Turner and the Times!
22
“The spirit of God inhabits the praises of His people.” That’s why I go, for a battery recharge.
I encourage you to visit other houses of worship when traveling. The saving grace of Las Vegas is a wonderful church that helps me ignore the oppressive environment. Even in places where I don’t understand the language there is a sameness of spirit that refreshes.
Imagine experiencing raucous praise and worship in a German enclave known for it’s sex trade! It was scheduled for 20 minutes but literally took off for 80 minutes. Unforgettable!
I have walked out of churches where I felt uncomfortable. That includes any congregation that is not diverse and welcoming or where the message is out of alignment with Scripture.
5
A spiritually uplifting article that took me back to my baby days when church was very much part of family life. Rituals, theology, liturgy and sacred traditions take on more meaning in my little world when they are experienced in person. At my highest and lowest moments, blending into the pews with others, shaking a hand, receiving hugs from strangers became my personal balm in Gilead. As one who has sinned greatly, I found comfort inside the church and acceptance of my flawed humanity.
I still feel tears of nostalgia from the music. You can't do better than a live choir. There is no bar, club, coffee house I've found as a journalist the can replace the church experience. For those who feel like outsiders, or are treated rudely, look for the right congregation. Suggestion: try congregations close to colleges and don't hesitate to visit different denominations. They are waiting for you with open arms.
28
One cannot experience a "community of faith" without being physically present. I'll look around my church today and see babies with one foot into life and the elderly with one foot in the grave, all united in a search for the divine. It keeps me grounded in a way that watching a screen never will.
38
As a minister whose congregation wrestles with all the time demands of modern life, as well as the challenges of Christian virtue, I am so grateful Sunday after Sunday for the act of faith, hope and love simply showing up expresses. While technology has enabled us to do so much in isolation, humans remain relational creatures, never as fully ourselves as when we are in actual touch with each other. Christians would add that our fullest humanity derives from Christ's spirit among us, unifying us somehow and giving us ample opportunity to practice grace and forgiveness and compassion as Ms. Turner illustrates, witnessing to a fragmented world the power of love.
10
"But I don’t believe I would truly be a Christian without the real, in-person, Sunday morning church".
Ms. Turner, I appreciate that this is important for you to confirm your Christianity however for millions across the world this is not true for them. There are many circumstances and reasons that prevent someone from attending a "bricks and mortar" building. I grew up attending an in house service every Sunday. Yet that was a different time. As each generation comes along, they will feel differently and have different tools to use for finding their religious fulfillment including using the Internet to find that connection and for them this will bring the same reward as your coming to a building to be with others.
My only hope is that what ever way someone can find some kind of spiritual uplifting-that they just do so.
14
I doubt whether Ms. Turner would find her church so welcoming and supportive if she was a unmarried childless woman.
Because, even in today’s changing world churches still view their mission to welcome and embrace traditional family units.
So, if you are single and childless going online to worship maybe the next best alternative than to sit in a church pew and be submitted to the shame of being treated as an invisible person.
16
@Mike M.
As a sixty-something gay man, and a weekly churchgoer in a traditional Episcopal country parish, all I can say is that you don't know what you are talking about. I am entirely welcome there even if there are members of the congregation who do not understand my life.
It depends upon the congregation in question, and to a considerable degree, the denomination, if any.
71
@Mike M. I must echo Mr Shaw here. There are certainly open and welcoming Christian communities who wouldn't even bat an eye at a single person (gay or straight), a single parent, a blended family, or anything like that. I'm fortunate to belong to one.
That said, I'm also living in a large, liberal city where my choices of congregation are numerous. I sympathize with those that may live in smaller communities without a variety of Christian expressions, and hope that your exemplar (assuming s/he is real and not theoretical) may find a warm church home.
10
As an unmarried and childless woman, I find @Mike M.'s comments absolutely accurate. The lack of support for single people that I have found in every church I have attended is one reason--though not the only reason--that I am listening to an online sermon even as I write.
10
Thank you for such an insightful article; some times attending church is not about ourselves but rather an opportunity to encourage other believers. It is indeed worth the effort and every time I go it is a blessing. Thank you again for the encouragement.
8
@Tim, As a pastor for 40 years, and in a time when churches are struggling, I appreciated whatever will encourage people to come and worship. We live-stream our worship services from Boothbay Harbor and this has proven to be a gift to the sick, the aging, the homebound, and even those who are away on vacation.
32
I listen to concerts on the internet at home or even at my office at work if I am alone. Is that the same as going to a concert? Of course not and it is not just the music (which might even by better on YouTube than at the real thing).
In Jewish tradition, Proverbs 14:28 "In the multitude of people is the king's glory", is explained as preferring prayer in a minyan, a prayer quorum (of at least 10 [I avoid gender here, that is not the issue]).
Can one pray alone? yes. God does not need to "see" or "hear" one in person in a building, church or remple. It is better than no prayer, although I don't know anyone who does Jewish prayer with the internet but I am sure that there are those who do so.
Is it the same as communal prayer? No.
Ms. Turner, your baby will change his nap schedule eventually. For the time being, late or not, in my view you are doing the right thing.
28
@Joshua Schwartz There are many Jews who "do prayer" with the Internet, as you surmise. My husband and I are two of them. When we moved to CT eleven years ago we visited the local temple and others, but nowhere did we feel as comfortable, as spiritual or as at home as at our family synagogue two hours away in NJ. So we have been streaming services the last several years. I will often email the rabbis to discuss parts of the sermon; at other times we will just enjoy being part of the congregation we have loved from here.
Lana Turner's way is right for her and many others, and it was a pleasure to read of the joy she gets in community worship. My way is right for me and many others. What is not right is to presume that one way is the only right way or to judge others for their manner of worship. At the very least it's un-American.
2
@Joshua Schwartz
I can't speak for the Jewish faith, but Jesus says, in Matthew 6, to indeed pray in private, not like the hypocrites who like to be seen praying in public. I'm not enough a theologian to know if praying in church with others is considered "in public" or not. But Matthew 6 is not some throwaway boilerplate - it is also the source of the Lord's Prayer.
3
The Apostle Paul wrote that “the cup of blessing for which we give thanks is a participation in the Blood of Christ and the bread which we break is a participation in the Body of Christ.” Participating in the Sacraments of the Christian Church is a participatory event and not a virtual reality. I’m very much in agreement with the writer. Thanks for the thoughtful piece.
9
Belonging is a strong human need. Church is one, though certainly not the only, healthy way of establishing community.
The description of how fellow congregants came through at your time of need was moving. If there were proof of miracles on earth, they would look like that: people putting on hold their own demands of time to help others through illness and grief. Such kindness and gestures are truly blessings, whatever the source.
18
Yes, the God of the Bible is always about community - God gathers the people into community and, in the New Testament, gives the Spirit not to individuals but to the gathered community. One can, I suppose, "believe in Jesus" (whatever one means by that) in isolation, but fully being a Christian means participating in the ministry and mission of a community of faith.
26
@Anne-Marie Hislop Agree that it’s necessary. There can be seasons where one needs distance from human weakness that we observe in the church community and it’s very human leadership. It’s happened to me.
3
I fully agree with the author. It seems to me that the whole purpose of religion--absent sickness--is celebrating the almighty through collective worship.
How else would Laura Turner have forged the friendships she has, friendships strong enough for them to pay her visits when she was too sick to be physically in church, to bring her Communion, to pray with her personally as a fellow spiritual traveler?
When I've been laid up by surgery or simply with flu, I do watch live-streamed Mass from the Chapel at Notre Dame University. It's not at all the same, but it's better than nothing, allowing me to hear the reading of changing liturgies.
But nothing beats being there in person, singing with my fellow choir members--or if a cold prevents singing, exchanging the sign of peace with my fellow congregants.
32
Got it, one more person who knows what God should be for everyone else. What everyone else's church experience SHOULD be.
3