About the growing phenomenon of churches that grow as supermarkets and the need to understand the mode of faith
I confess that I have some difficulty understanding the phenomenon, and because it is relatively recent and because it is so varied that try to make some general analysis is quite complicated.
I speak of the experience here in our neighborhood where there are eight chapels and Catholic communities uniting in the parish of Holy Trinity and where there are many other churches and communities Evangelical, Protestant and Neo-Pentecostals. Evangelical or Protestant communities are communities for the most historic as the Baptist church, Presbyterian, Adventist, who inspire, although with a lot of freedom, the evangelical churches of the European tradition.
The Evangelical community and Neo-Pentecostals (such as the widespread Assembleia de Deus) are from North American and were born in recent decades. We are growing dramatically in many countries around the world.
Some features that are part of the Evangelical Protestant tradition have moved even in the Neo-Pentecostal churches such as:
· the centrality of the Bible (with an emphasis in the preaching of the initial tests, although
prevails in the theological faith centered on Jesus Christ);
· an autonomy of each community and every pastor or pastor;
· the adversity against some features of the Catholic church (the use of images,
devotion to Mary, baptism for children);
· the emphasis on preaching, singing, celebrating ( respect to reflection or
catechesis and social action more typical of the Catholic church);
· the missionary dimension visits continuous "carpet" in families. • The
emphasize the dignity of persons above all taking care of the appearance of the dress
· the commitment to donate to the church 10 percent of revenues.
Other features have been introduced by the same Neo-Pentecostal churches:
· the immediate response to the ongoing problems of the people (
continually invoking miracles for health, work, success ,...)
· the liberation from vices ( alcoholism, drugs, violence) relying on self
• The place of the meeting as "theater" and order that reigns in the matches.
· the massive use mass media (show of faith)
There are churches that are good and are often the "full". Others are born and die quickly.
I think that the existence of all these churches is a response to a deep need for God in a situation of social deprivation, family and morality and also the search for hope, joy in simple things, sudden changes. The offer is so varied to meet the complex situation of the people. However, there is some confusion and competition, and often the transmigration from one church to another. We often hear the phrase "God is always the same for all", to which relativize the Church membership and often gets all with the same brush! The question people are not on the "truth" that the church proclaims (European philosophical question!) But on the existential response to the "My immediate problem."
The emotional stress is something miraculous and that we used to rationality seems to be what children, but that is part of the life of the people (as of every people and every person). In the neo-Pentecostal cult use a lot of body gestures, cries, slogans, etc..
Our Catholic community seeking to live in this reality, observing, looking for opportunities for dialogue and ecumenical prayer. But it is very difficult because, as already has been pointed out, the autonomy of each community el'avversità the Catholic church, The distinctive part of these churches. The people of our parish lives in the midst of this confusion, but sometimes normal to taking some form of other churches, sometimes assume an attitude of defense or display characteristics Catholic (I encountered a sign on a car next to a picture of Madonna "I am Catholic and if someone has something against you convert!"). But generally prevails "live and let live" that does not disturb anyone, but that does not stimulate deeper reflection.
For my part I look and try to learn everything that's good. I believe our task of priests, even before looking at the religious affiliation, and above all to love people and try and not lose, the paths of dialogue, at least where you'll find a few available.
Our social projects are of course open to all persons who are in need without regard to religion they belong to.
Some people reading the Bible and the Incarnation in everyday life.
In parallel with the spread of evangelical churches and Neo-Pentecostals was born in the history of the Catholic Church a greater attention to the Bible to the spread of grassroots communities where the Bible is the guide book. Certainly see walking the streets with the evangelicals, the Bible under his arm may have caused a rethinking even within the Catholic church. But the reason that prompted a group of biblical scholars in past decades to begin to reflect the original biblical call "liberation theology" I think it was the situation of extreme poverty, inequality and injustice of the great people. The Bible was rediscovered as an ad and a path of liberation of the person and the people, denouncing all economic and political structures which prevent this liberation. So he started reading the Bible in small groups = "base communities" to offer an alternative structure better suited to a person's life, to use the Easter category of liberation and living everyday as an exodus and a struggle for the conquest of a new earth and new living conditions. All this has given value to a church made up of small communities, with the power of the Word of God's liberation, the struggle for social rights and church trying to transform reality.
course this has caused the strong reaction of the powers and special interests inside and outside the church, creating many situations of persecution and martyrdom (as Sister Dorothy, who was killed Feb. 12, 2005 in Amazonia from large owners because he defended the cause of the small ......).
In the month of July in Fortaleza, I met and asked the biblical scholar Carlos Mesters, one of the original founders of the biblical movement in Brazil, the health of the community Base.La His answer was very simple, realistic and full of hope: how plants have moments where you have to wait for the fruits, so the biblical movement at this moment can not produce the desired results but the cultivation continues, the plant is good and everything is expected that the fruits will appear at the right time.
The current framework dominated by the media and a mentality that focuses on the good of the individual has slowed a little the importance of "coming together" in small communities. We prefer rallies that many satisfied immediately, but do not stimulate an assumption of personal faith and development ministry.
In groups of our parish is natural to use the Bible instead of the catechism or other subsidies. It happens often to see people come to mass with the Bible. In September, in which Brazil is the month dedicated to the Bible, in our parish we have 10 meetings (every two weeks) to study the Bible. But every month in each community there is a Bible study meeting. We priests, we find ourselves with some lay once a week to meditate on the readings for Sunday.
Bible study in the community is essential to avoid a fundamentalist reading or morality of the Bible, common in the Catholic church in past centuries and is now known in certain Catholic movements and many Neo-Pentecostal churches.
read and meditate on the Bible in the community helps to embody an almost natural (but there is a hand of the Holy Spirit!) The biblical message with our lives. We take this as the Bible is really a popular book and has something to tell all. Try it!
Of course there are difficulties: widespread illiteracy, delays, situations and attitudes, poverty ...
Our efforts of priests "fidei donum" is to help you read the Bible in the community by facilitating the purchase of the Bible at affordable prices all, giving the hermeneutical criteria and kerygmatic to mean more wealth can be the biblical message.
May this month of October, the month of missions, help us to establish new relations of friendship and sharing the faith and the unity desired by Jesus is not a dream or a utopia, but the result of small sharing experiences of everyday life in the light of God's Word
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