Grants and Ethics

It seems I cannot do anything without thinking deeply about it, at least examining underlying assumptions and testing them against my beliefs. I have the very practical problem of raising money so I can attend school this fall, so I am searching out bursaries and grant information. While I am doing this I am keenly aware of being a person with his hand out. I am looking for other people to give me money so I can pursue my ordination. I assume most students are madly filling out forms at this point, not trying to think too much about anything else, except maybe how much they can get for their old Star Wars toys. Yet, in the midst of this I am also examining the ethical issues. I am being open and honest about my reasons for my financial need to those I am asking, so I feel pretty good. It is this constant examination of everything is terms of the ethical implications that come through this, and I cannot think of a more useful habit in my path to priesthood.

Too often, it seems to me, the Church and its representatives seem fixated on theological technicalities instead of examining the fullness of a subject and its ethical implications. By the Church I mean the broad expanse of the Christian religion, both Catholic and Protestant. The Church has developed a reputation in the secular world of not just being out of step with the times, but being wrong. How can someone trust the Church with the most precious possession, their spiritual being, if they cannot trust us with the simplest of things?

Those parts of the Church that do express strong opinions on subjects either fly in the face of reason, such as the current evolution versus creation debates in the United States, or go against a person’s tried and true experience, such as the Roman Catholic dogma promoting sex for procreative purposes only. Not only does the Church assert itself in arenas that are strictly outside the scope of nurturing one’s soul, they make no sense. A faith should guide us in learning to respect ourselves and respect others. It should not be designed as a system to shame and silence us into blind obedience and servitude to an elite.

Those denominations, which do not hold such shackled opinions, are not clear in expressing an alternative. The leadership in the Church in these matters, as it appears to secular North American society, is missing. I am not sure why, because I have met some brilliant, forward-thinking and inspiring clergy. Maybe I will be able to discover some of these reasons with this blog. Or maybe you can post some.

Before the Church becomes relevant in people’s lives again, it must get back to basics and enter into the worldly discussions in the secular world in ways that reflect the respect, tolerance and forgiveness that Christ teachings encompass. They must also respect the incredible mind and intellect that God has given us, and respect the knowledge that God-given mind uncovers.

To survive the next twenty years the Church will have to get into the filth of the real world and deal with issues we too often are silent on, such as sex and greed. If we do not provide clear leadership in these areas, there are a thousand false idols waiting to take our place. It will be the Church that has failed people, not the other way round.