“Religious Life did not die as a result of renewal, did not evaporate, did not abandon its compass points. It simply become more of what it was meant to be; a way of life in search of the God of the Daily, whatever the situation, whenever the era, whatever the shape of the system.--Joan Chittister
Religious life will rise again but there are hard times ahead, and there are no quick fixes, simple or off-the-shelf solutions. Most congregations will take the path of least resistance and die by default. If death with dignity is not what we choose, we shall be a beacon of light and a forklift unto humanity.
We are not a monolithic group that tows the party line. We are more diverse than we imagine, and that richness has yet to be fully embraced. No one’s beliefs can be neatly categorized as belonging to one of two camps, conservative or liberal. Labeling stifles conversation, perpetuates division, and whitewashes the reality of nuanced differences that prevent unity.
Fear of judgement from within our own congregation or local community makes many reticent about speaking openly about beliefs and hopes for the future. Without honest conversation about our genuine differences in beliefs and hopes, we will remain uninformed as to our true identity and lack authenticity with one another.
It comes down to our relationships and our willingness to honor the diversity that exists rather than trying to change others practice or what they believe. When diversity is denied or rejected we feel pressured to conform outwardly to the expectations of the group…or to go our own way. We ought to live in sync with our true beliefs rather than with the expectations others have of us.
Dunn, Ted, Graced Crossroads: Pathways to Deep Change & Transformation, CSS Publications, 2020, pp. 6-91
