Christophobia* Community of Strangers or How to keep ‘em in the pews -Part Two

During the mid-1960’s America’s Christian majority have been cowed into a frightened whimpering shell of its’ former self. Christianity in the United States aforementioned in part one has lost its hold on the American mind despite a small statistical upswing in attendance since 2008. Church attendance always increases during economic hard times; the inverse is also true. Christians must do better. In order to attract more people to Jesus Christ we Christians must shed our excess ‘baggage’ and relegate our false gods of bigotry, greed, sexism, spiritual lethargy and phony elitism to the dust bin of history. In many churches congregants have become communities of strangers Christians in name only.
When I was a small boy churches were welcoming places; I felt at home in any church. I couldn’t wait for Sunday. I didn’t have to dress up. I would come as I was. My childhood buddies and I would go from church to church and made ourselves at home. We’d participate in the lively services, eat for free, and attend the various social functions of whatever denomination we found ourselves with that particular Sabbath. I was baptized or christened Baptist though my church home was the Church of God in Christ. In those days churches of all denominations were full to overflowing most Sundays and certain weekdays. Things changed when Mom wanted me to attend parochial schools. In the 1940’s through the 1950’s families had to convert to Catholicism and be re-baptized for their children to attend Catholic schools. Catholic spirituality was cold and impersonal compared to what I was used to but slowly, I grew to love the Roman Church. I made few friends in my new denomination. Eventually it would be my clerical acquaintances that saved my life/sanity many times over. I would be dead or in jail today if it wasn’t for the Lord and the Catholic clergy.
When I was a kid parish priests took on extra duties in addition to their daily Mass. In my neighborhood (Englewood) priests would function as substitute fathers. Parish priests could be seen shopping for groceries with poor families. If single mothers had problems in disciplining their kids distraught moms would call ‘Father;’ he’d come a’ running, strap in hand to square away potential juvenile delinquents. If families couldn’t pay their utility bills they sometimes called the rectory. Those old time priests didn’t have a lot of fancy post graduate titles after their names unlike modern career clerics. They were there for their people and knew each person by name. Growing up was damn tough back in the ‘bad old days’ but in times of trouble you knew who to call. Back then doctors, priests and pastors made regular house calls.
The primary reason why Christianity in the United States is going the way of the dinosaur is people no longer feel at home within their faith communities. Church committees are generally comprised of close knit groups of friends who think they own the place to the exclusion of all others. If you’re not a part of their clique you’re excluded. Racism, sexism, and other evil isms prevent believers from full participation in church activities. Judging from my recent experiences I feel more at home among my non-believing friends and associates most of whom wouldn’t dare enter anybody’s church. African-American comedian-cum-activist Dick Gregory said in a recording that he felt more accepted in bars than in churches. Gregory quipped that crosses be removed from churches and placed on top of taverns! Jesus Christ came to save all people; churches should reflect His sentiments.
A very prominent North Side Chicago parish hosts ‘Diversity Dinners’ whose purpose is to discuss over meals the problems of race, gender, and other pertinent issues within the Christian community. This same parish adopted a twin program of inviting parishioners for dinner with the pastor. More churches should adopt similar programs and get to know their people.
The Holy Spirit can work within any group with equal effectiveness. All that is needed is open hearts/minds among communities of believers. As long as ‘Christians’ pay lip service to the Call of Christ church, attendance will further decline. Case in point: for over hundreds of years the Middle-East/North Africa was major Christian centers; all that remain are ruins of once great churches. The Muslims have converted the more famous ones into mosques (Think: Hagia Sophia). Once Christianity is reduced to a few believers in nominal Christian countries the great persecutions will re-emerge with a vengeance (Think: Syria, Iraq, Egypt and a host of others)!
I grew up on the South Side. Hordes of Jehovah’s Witnesses used to canvas my block in search of converts. People would ridicule, cuss’ them out, and slam doors in their faces. A few heartless individuals would sic their dogs on them; their perseverance paid off. Despite their non-Trinitarian Christian theology their global numbers has increased exponentially. Christian denominations must canvas neighborhoods to explain Christianity to legions of un-churched individuals in search of potential converts.
The Christian Church must go where people live, shop, work and recreate. Evangelization should be top priority secondary only to effective life witnessing. During my Legion of Mary years I remember visiting a Near North side parish. I tried to convince parish leaders to organize an evangelization program. The two bearded ‘hippie’ priests who administered that parish chided me and told me that Christian outreach was ‘irrelevant’ to use the parlance of those days; the ‘New Church’ approach was to “wait for the people to come to us.” That parish closed decades ago for lack of new blood.
Holy Name Cathedral parish has various ethnic/social outreach programs (Filipino Network, Young Adults Group, Black Catholics, etc.) and a wide assortment of diverse groups. Most parishes don’t have resources like HNC. Lack of funds shouldn’t hinder community organizing; work with what you have which is enough.
Satan Great Infiltrator can corrupt any gathering no matter how well intentioned. Organizations that alienate new comers denying them opportunities to contribute their unique qualities/talents to your church community does more harm than good.
‘Food for the Poor’ is a Catholic-Christian charitable foundation dedicated to feeding, clothing, and housing poor people around the world. This noble organization maintains an active prayer line. They phone each of their donors to offer them words of encouragement and pray with them. A few minutes ago a woman from this organization called me and asked how my wife was doing. A few months ago she prayed over the phone with me that my wife get well; she did! That’s ministry in action! Prayer must be the cornerstone of Church organizations.
The time tested method of passing out of religious tracts/flyers isn’t for the faint of heart. Years ago the Catholic Truth organization would explain Catholic belief/practices to interested non-Catholics. When the Church liberalized this once dynamic organization to my knowledge limits its outreach to publishing pamphlets, books, tracts, and related publications. Their once colorful Bughouse Square confrontational approach to Christian apologetics is a thing of the past. Maybe we should bring this back. Case in point: Pro-Life folks aren’t squeamish in confronting people.
When our family left Robert Taylor Housing Projects in the 1960’s and moved to Hyde Park we attended St. Thomas Apostle Parish. The parish ran a bus service to take people to and from Sunday/holy day Masses. Providing transportation to and from services especially during winter months would be an invaluable service.
The United States aforementioned is a nation of religious illiterates. Bussed in Bible Study/adult religious education programs for children/shut-ins/elderly members would be beneficial to Christianity.
Recently departed Fr. Andrew Greeley a personal friend from my Hyde Park years wrote as I recall that the new liturgical changes only added “ten minutes of boredom to the Mass.” For Catholics a revival of certain elements traditionally associated with Catholic worship (bells, sung Masses, incense, etc.) would revive interest/attention in the Mass. All too many of my non-Catholics friends constantly complain that some ministers are more interested in higher salaries than souls. The Christian Church needs saints; fix the problem!
Support qualified church leaders (Think: Pope Francis); pressure ecclesial officials to remove clerical incompetents.
Invite people to your church but keep them coming back by making them welcome not just to ‘pad your numbers.’
Christian websites, radio and television programs abound. Churches minister to prison/hospital communities around the country. The life blood of any ministry is its’ dedicated volunteers/lay missionaries; sign up!
Reader, there are secondary factors that are contributing to the demise of Western Christianity; episcopal cover ups of clergy pedophilia, fiscal mismanagement by church officials, doctrinal watering down, the presbyterial minority ignoring member complaints/suggestions, lingering racism and sexism, an anti-Christian liberal media/government, a fanatical religious right, the Gay ‘marriage’ issue, the birth control/abortion debates, ‘sloppy agape’ aka spiritless Liturgies, Biblical/doctrinal illiteracy, randy clerics, and other evils; word space don’t permit a proper examination. Reader we have a lot of work; let’s get busy!
For a broader examination of our subject please read: ‘Christianophobia-A Faith under Attack’ a book by Rupert Shortt. Next time ‘AWT or Artificial Womb Technology’ capping the abortion debate or emptying Pandora’s trick bag. We at Megascene wish you and yours Merry Christmas and a successful 2014!
(vamaxwell@yahoo.com)