This sculpture has caused a great deal of controversy. When Rob showed this picture to our class I honestly wasn’t sure of what to make of the image. Whether you love it or hate it, it exists and stands to represent mixed feelings about the church in western society. Some may see the church as sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong, or acting as a moral regulator, others may maintain the illusion that we remain in a culture of Christendom. These perspectives and others are valid; they are perspectives based on individual experience and pose a difficult question. How does the church go about repairing the views of the larger culture in the west?
We have discussed this at great lengths in class and it seems that the next logical step is to step out of the safe, comfortable church bubble and step into the dangerous realm of missional living. The big idea is to stop defending ourselves, to put our arms down and to accept the criticism, to own up to our mistakes and to finally start loving people. The church as an institution has historically caused a lot of controversy, from the crusades to the Westboro Baptists. People have said they like our Jesus but not the church, I say it is time for us to stand up and accept responsibility and to begin living as Christ did. The church needs to take a position of humility in order to gain any ground in western culture. The church has gained a reputation of condemnation but to live in a fresh way, to live sacrificially and incarnationally we need to surrender our defense and begin to let the light of Christ shine through us.
-Jeremy
