Steeple Envy is the story of Vic Cuccia and his journey of losing religion and “rediscovering Jesus.” Vic was pastor at a mega-church who had a holy crap moment that led to his leaving his position so he could rethink and relearn his Christian faith.
I appreciate his ability to speak in honest terms about where he came from and where he is now. He does not mince words and some may find it offensive. Particularly those who are in a similar evangelical subculture that he came out of. Been there, done that….He speaks frankly about the priorities of some churches, issues of finances and a larger meaning of loving your neighbor. Some may take his words as harsh, yet what he says has a certain prophetic edge that many evangelical(and not) Christians need to hear if they are willing to hear the Spirit speak….
He also speaks candidly regarding the church and our evangelical tendency to measure success by numbers and not relationships His overarching view of the church may put off some in the evangelical mainstream as well as those outside in the house/simple church movement. The mainstream may tend to see him as too radical and the house church crowd as too compromised. In either case Vic sees both as expressions of the Body of Christ. We could haggle for days about the effectiveness and purity of those expressions, but when it comes down to it, in faith we should be able to see the Body of Christ expressed in various ways in the multiplicity of local churches.
One passage did strike a cord. It struck me because I believe it but I also struggle with it.
To be a follower of Jesus and to give up on the Church makes no sense to me. You can’t give up on the Church because, whether you like it or not, you are the Church! It’s not an institution or the place where we meet. The Church is and always has been the people of God.
I believe these people, Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox, Mainline or whatever…constitute the Body of Christ. Not the cathedral, chapel, converted warehouse or mega campus, but the people. Not the programs, but the people. My struggle is finding the people which I should belong, call family. I admit, I am a restless soul. I might be a constant nomad. These people, wherever they are on their journey, are my sisters and brothers. I will not despise them. I might disagree and argue with them. In the end, they are family. deserving respect, care and most of all, love.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
Yesterday evening I was greeted by some trick-or-treaters dressed as pirates. Little brother and bigger sister, by my guess, three and five respectively. The three year old boy by far was the boldest. Makes me wonder if mom and dad were filling them in on the the history of pirates or reading to them from Kester Brewin’s latest work Mutiny! Kester is a leading voice among the Fresh Expresssions in the UK, we would liken this to the Emergent Church here in the US. He looks at the history of piracy, at sea to online, to provide some lessons for our lives and possibly for the church.
Mutiny! is not for everyone. If you are not radically Protestant, not for you. If you don’t have an anarchic bone in you body, not for you. If you do not mind the status quo or being silent in the face of empire, not for you. If you like the idea and practice of radical grace, anarchist church government and speaking truth to power, you will enjoy this book and the rich history of pirates, from seafaring to internet varieties.
As Kester lays it out, pirates are enemies of the state. As such, they faced the gallows for their actions. They opposed the use of their disposable lives as labor to support an imperial system that reaped the benefits. They sought the goods and wealth that was isolated among the ruling class. While they employed violent methods to overthrow oppression, the reasons why should be understood. People forced to work for the benefit of a few do have breaking points and are willing to lay down their lives to bring it to an end. My Anabaptist and anarchist leanings tend to agree with this, it is just a matter of how one should confront the powers, the violent revolution, often typified in the lives of the pirates or the way of Jesus, the path of non-violent resistance. This book raises some of the political and economic implications of the life of Christ. Although this is not an in depth exegesis, it provides a starting point to look at the story of Jesus in a different light.
Kester also highlights Temporary Autonomous Zones, areas outside the reach of empire in which pirates exercised freedom and equality. These areas could be viewed in proto-democratic or anarchic terms depending on your slant. The people in the TAZ were not under any ruler, they all had a say in the rules to live by, all were treated as equals. This way of seeking community provides an opportunity for churches to become places of radical freedom, equality and grace. Such a venture into self-organized expression in response to the Gospel will not be for everyone. For those restless, feisty seeking few, it can be an adventure into expressing the Body of Christ in a prophetic way.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
In light of all the political kerfuffle, I thought it would be timely to re-examine Romans 13:1-7, A certain passage of scripture that brings about fervent patriotism among the evangelical status quo and eye-rolling from those radicals on the fringes….
This is a troubling passage regarding church and state. Those leaning toward a strong church/state relation see this as supporting the powers that be or legitimating them at least. This inspires (ironically) the need for Christian nation (re)building and strong Christian leadership to the highest levels. The church must influence policy and bend it to our understanding of godly society, or so the religious right would tell you.
Those leaning toward a weak church/state relation (for some it’s akin to apathy) see this passage as ironic, subversive and highlighting the prophetic aspect of the church. Anabaptists, Christian anarchists and other grassroots radicals be they Protestant or Orthodox tend to lean this way. When Paul speaks of “Jesus is Lord” a political statement was made. A statement at the time which had a death sentence. Part of me thinks his inclusion of this passage, at a gut level was,”…don’t piss off the empire because they can kill you, nevertheless continue seeking the Kingdom of God and proclaiming, ‘Jesus is Lord.’” Last I checked Paul wasn’t necessarily a law abiding, but a ,Gospel abiding, citizen.
Some Christians see the coming election as a duty endemic to a good Christian life. I’ve shared articles and blog posts that challenge this view. My view is that the system is broken, flawed, fallen and under judgment. The choices given are not true possibilities for the destiny of a people, but the options that reinforce the present systems of power. Vote if you must, but please don’t tell me it is my Christian duty. Maybe it’s my duty as an America citizen, but I am a citizen of another Kingdom that takes priority over American .
I had the opportunity and privilege to share a word with my house church. [Not 'my' as in ownership but in belonging.] Poetry, spoken word, the start of a song…however you take it, this came in a manner of minutes a few weeks prior. This is the joy of a free Christian in a free church, a radical Protestant seeking radical love and grace…Blessings…
Look at who God made king
Jesus the un-king the un-lord
The servant of all
He died and rose again
Conquered sin and death
Did not conquer others
But overwhelmed with limitless love
Peace grace hope freedom is what he offers
His kingdom is not of/like the world
It is a different way a new creation
A reversed kingdom and upside-down empire
The Communion of Christ
The community of creation
A Creative Commons
[Special thanks to Mark, Kester and Rich for providing inspiration.]
