We live in interesting times.
Joe Rogan’s podcast and truck driver protests dominate social media. However, recent events are impacting the Church, events that years ago would have been front page news, have emerged and are evolving without much attention. Believe me, I am thoroughly engaged with the Joe Rogan story and trucker protests. These two events will have significant ripple effects throughout culture, but other stories are unfolding that have direct impact on the Church.
For example, this week, Canadian Parliamentarians will begin committee meetings to review the Protection of Communities and Exploited Person Act. Committee deliberations will likely result in a new Bill that would propose the legalization of prostitution in Canada. Those close to this issue are predicting a vote in the House of Commons later this year.
On January 7, 2022, Bill C-4 a federal bill that amended Canada’s criminal code by creating new criminal offenses related to conversion therapy, came into effect. When the Bill was being deliberated in the House, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote, “The Catholic Church, like most Canadians, is opposed to all forms of coercive and manipulative activities because they do not respect the dignity of the human person and the freedoms inherent with that dignity. The protection of vulnerable Canadians from harmful acts is a necessary and important goal and one which the Bishops irrevocably support.” However, the wording of the Bill was problematic in committee hearings and remains problematic as law. There is a possibility that criminality may be applied to conversations within extended families, private conversations between friends and well-established professional relationships. Furthermore, there is a real danger that Christian and other religious and ethical teaching with respect to human sexuality would be interpreted as criminal acts. In the coming months, cases will be brought to the courts where interpretation of the law will provide further clarity.
One final example, the National Catholic Register has reported that Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, head of the pan-European Catholic bishops’ conference, is calling for a change in the church’s teaching on homosexuality. He is suggesting that the church’s assessment of homosexual relationships as sinful is wrong. The NCR quoted Cardinal Hollerich saying, “I believe that the sociological-scientific foundation of this teaching is no longer correct.” The cardinal said that fundamental revisions of church teaching on homosexuality are needed. The Cardinal suggested the way Pope Francis is speaking about homosexuality could lead to a change in doctrine. Before you dismiss these comments from a relatively unknown Cardinal, you may not know that the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Hollerich as Relator General of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops taking place in 2023.
While Joe Rogan's podcast and truck driver protests dominate social media, recent events impacting the Church, events that would have been front page news, emerge without much attention Click To TweetWhen Catholics consider the legalization of prostitution in Canada or the new law regarding conversion therapy or the Cardinal Hollerich situation, the Cardinal McCarrick situation, the Jean Vanier situation, the Marcel Maciel situation, the residential school crisis or financial corruption in the Roman Curia, there are two typical responses: indifference and entitlement. Neither are helpful.
To clergy abuse scandals, financial corruption and depressing statistics revealing a downward trend of faith, I have seen two types of responses: indifference and entitlement. Neither are helpful. Click To Tweet
Photo by Michel Grolet on Unsplash
What does indifference look like? We forget how to blush when scandal breaks. We no longer gasp when another leader gets outed or new statistics reveal the loss of faith. We simply shrug our shoulders and whisper, “Of course, what did you expect?” Indifference lulls our souls to sleep. Indifference numbs our hearts so we stop crying over the injustices and disorder that breaks the heart of God. Lord, save your children from such apathy.
Indifference lulls our souls to sleep. Indifference numbs our hearts so we stop crying over the injustices and disorder that breaks the heart of God. Click To Tweet What does indifference look like? We forget how to blush when scandal breaks. We no longer gasp when we hear of another leader getting outed. We shrug our shoulders and think - what else did you expect? Click To TweetWhat does entitlement look like? In response to clergy abuse, entitlement says, “The Church’s history is full of corruption and depravation much worse than today. Did you know that Pope Stephen VI …” Or, in response to the sharp downward trends of mass attendance, baptisms and marriages, and the loss of faith in the real presence, entitlement says, “But the gates of hell shall not prevail.” Really? That is our response? Lord, help us see the entitlement in our own faith.
Many Catholics scoff at evangelical Christians for their, “Once saved, always saved” doctrine. But the same presumption is at work in the Catholic Church today, no? Staring at the gap between what we have become as a Church and what we are called to be and offering a pithy, “but the gates of hell will not prevail” is entitled and irresponsible.
Catholics scoff at evangelicals for a once saved, always saved doctrine. But isn't the same presumption at work when we consider the Church's struggles and offer only a pithy response, well, the gates of hell will not prevail. Click To TweetWhen we want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, what shall we do?
Get Educated. John Stuart Mill, in 1867, delivered his inaugural address at the University of Saint Andrew. He said, “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
Christians of today and certainly of the future, the near future, will need to become much more aware of the changing culture. The social fabric of society is tearing apart from its Christian roots. Each day, the tear grows wider and each year, the pace quickens. Christendom no longer exists. It is becoming more apparent every day that Christians without a well formed faith will be not only ineffective in their witness, but are at risk of losing their faith altogether. The Church needs sagacious members capable of navigating the ever-changing interactions with the culture.
Photo by Luis Alberto Sánchez Terrones on Unsplash
Repent. The Lord’s disciples – laity and leaders alike – can turn their hearts back to God. We can see the holy discontent that runs through our veins as the catalyst to bend our knees in repentance with complete trust in God to turn things and us around. We can ask the Lord to change us and transform us from within. We can ask the Lord to start His renewal of the Church in our own hearts. An older friend of mine, and dear disciple of Jesus, is very found of II Chronicles 7:14, that says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Sounds like a plan to me.
Intercede. We can choose to overcome our dissatisfaction with the low state of the faith, the Church and culture by praying for the new springtime; an abundant harvest of souls. We can stand in the gap of intercession on behalf of the Church and pray that every baptized Catholic would have a merciful encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and be filled with the Spirit. We can pray for the conversion of our leaders. Some of whom do not know Jesus personally.
Hope. We can see the hunger we have for something more, something better, as a gift from Jesus. This gift of holy discontent inspires us to achieve great things, to become a great Church, a community that is capable of transforming the world once again. We can walk and lead with this kind of hope.
The changes in modern culture are pervasive and consequential. Will the Church be able to respond adequately? What does an adequate response look like? It all begins when God’s people, those who are called by His name, will humble themselves in repentance and turn their hearts back to God.
Featured image for this blog (credit): Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash