Hope-full Presbyterianism
April 21, 2010
For some, my title is a bit of an oxymoron. I like to say that I'm so pleased with the cover of my book, On Being Presbyterian, because the people actually look happy being Presbyterian; that always gets a big laugh. But I mean the title seriously. I wish that we could center ourselves around the fact that Presbyterianism as a polity means hope--an earnest expectation that Jesus by his Spirit is ruling over his church, its structures and activities.
I know that there is a different perspective on Presbyterianism--one that maximizes continuing sin, one that suggests that all things entropy (especially organizations), one that holds up the downfall of mainstream Presbyterianism as proof that organizations inevitably become bureaucratic, coercive, and abusive.
But I have a new perspective on Presbyterianism (NPP?): what if we really believed that because Presbyterianism is biblical, that God by the Spirit of Jesus will rule over us; what if we really believed that we need each other with all our difference in perspective and context; what if we knew that we couldn't do ministry alone, that in fact Presbyterianism means that ministry is not all local nor all national nor all regional, but all three at the same time (and global as well); and that formalized structures and process are not evil, but in fact helpful guides for moving us forward with agreed upon progress.
At the same time, what would it look like if we remember that it is not really about the structures or processes--rather, these simply help us love people well by assisting, admonishing, instructing, correcting, praying, enjoying, delighting, rejoicing; what would it mean if we were willing to trust each other, to believe the best (and not the worst) about each other, and to be willingly to confront the other should the worst come out; what would it look like if we were willing not to show any partiality but love others for the strengths they offer and the struggles that are evident.
It would look like biblical and hopeful Presbyterianism. It wouldn't be perfect (after all, no NT church is). But it would be a step toward the reign of God in our midst, a move toward God's will being done on earth as in heaven.
