Ethics Class - Boundaries

Today's class was interesting and thought provoking and a bit frustrating too. We talked about two types of churches, the bounded set church and the centre set church. The bounded set is a group that has a list of characteristics that determines whether a person meets the bar and is in or out. The line is clear and defined. And the centred set group is created by having a centre (which would be Jesus) and all moving towards that centre. The line of in or out changes and is fluid.

It got me to thinking about legalism and boundaries and how that has infiltrated my thinking as a Christian. I reflected on my experience as a teen in a very conservative Mennonite church and then my trip down to Bolivia and wondered how that shaped me as a person today. I think I like the boundary set church because there's a clear to-do list. So I can sit there with my magic pen to check off all the good things that I've done and then approach God for my seal of approval. But then I think of my guilt and fear if I don't measure up and hope that no one else sees me screw up.....

Oh be careful little hands what you do
Oh be careful little hands what you do
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So be careful little hands what you do

But my Dad and I added our own line for the fourth one and sang, For the Father up above, has a load of bricks he'll shove. We got good laughs, but then I would wonder, does God really have a load he'll shove and splatter me all over the pavement if I screw up? Certainly I have been splattered by loads shoved by fellow Christians. And do I have a load that I'm holding over someone else?

At Kingdom Tide (evening "service" at church) this Sunday, we had a discussion about the attributes of God and many people shared how they see God as an angry God, a God that judges. And I think maybe they have that Oh be Careful What you Do song swirling around in their subconscious, keeping them awake at night wondering what kind of punishment they'll get. Then they go to church, a church that holds tight this boundary set, and it only gets reinforced by fellow believers.

But the centred set church is freeing and messy and unpredictable. How in the world can you know who measures up? Well, I guess the question is, are you moving towards Christ? And what motivates you to do the things you do? Then I have to look at my relationship with Christ and my relationship to Christ. Then there's the relationship with my fellow believer. Instead of acting as judge, I come alongside someone and help them up to continue the journey towards the centre. The prof, Mark, challenged us that we work towards being centre set by thinking when we respond to a fellow believer. When they ask whether or not it's wrong to drink, will I respond as a boundary set or a centre set thinking person?

Sure, there are boundaries with the centred set church as Mark illustrated. A symphony can welcome amateurs, professionals, old and young alike, music lovers and those willing to learn. But it couldn't accept people who hate music and just want to disrupt the practice and concert. So too the church should accept anyone who desires to engage in the music, regardless of talent or experience.

Then amidst our discussion in class, there's always someone who makes a really ignorant comment (which was maddening) and then I was with a person in a small group that made a blanket statement that failed to recognize some of us come from very different cultures/churches/backgrounds. Grrrrr.......

Well, never mind. The book, Religious No More by Mark Baker (my prof; hey, I should get him to autograph my book!) is really good. In fact, I was tempted to keep reading it in class. It's a very good read, and I think you should pick up this book and read it. Until next week...