The Pope’s Challenge: Love over Ideology

By Jason Marsh

I was struck by this video from the Pope, which touches on a theme dear to my heart: focusing on ideology over Love.

It got me thinking about our churches and our services.

What ideology may be pushing people away from our churches? Here’s a few ideas:

– King James Version (old English) solely read from the desk

– Formalism of our Sunday service

– Musical instruments and solos limited to one style of music

– Inflexible membership policies

– Judgementalism around personal health care decisions

Some wouldn’t want to change our stands on these issues, but I think that each of these push people away from our churches. One argument is that we would prefer to push some people away: the purity of the movement is at stake. But really? Isn’t Love in Christian Science more important than the “grave-clothes of the letter?” Do we have the attitude to “…commemorate the word and works of our Master?”