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Church
and Culture : Students Views ...
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Church
and Culture ... Tell us what you think here |
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This
month we’re looking at where the church
stands within today’s post-modern ‘culture’.
ALOVE writer Rachael Cooper asks some of her
fellow students at Derby university (between
the ages of 18 and 23) to give an honest appraisal
of where Church figures in their lives. These
students were asked prior to the interview
whether they had affiliations to any church
institutions, to which all replied: ‘No’.
ALOVE: When you
look at the ‘Church’, what do
you see?
Gail
|
(19) |
Church. |
| Phil |
(22) |
A form of community, a place of worship. |
| Clare |
(23) |
A building. |
| Abby |
(23) |
An institution I don’t agree
with. It’s a personal thing…it’s
telling you to
conform to it’s beliefs and it’s
all based on fear. |
| Alison |
(18) |
A Cross, Vicar, people, building. |
Do politics and
religion mix? And why?
Gail
|
No.. |
| Phil |
No … isn’t religion supposed
to accept? … It’s supposed
to be a support
system not one that judges. |
| Clare |
No not really … because religion
is a choice … politics is more
of a job than pleasure. |
| Abby |
They cause problems when they do.
e.g. War in Israel over land and religion. |
| Alison |
Probably not. Probably a bit…
it doesn’t relate to religion. |
Do you think that
the Christian church is relevant to today’s
society? And why?
Gail
|
No … I’m not
a church fan. I haven’t got time
for it. I think it’s a load of
nuts. |
| Phil |
To some people it can be important |
| Clare |
Depends whether you’re religious
or not |
| Abby |
No. Very few people go to church these
days |
| Alison |
It’s a support system |
Do you ever come
into contact with the church?
Gail
|
Just weddings and funerals
… my family are Catholic …
I do it out of respect
for my family, not for the church. |
| Phil |
Weddings and funerals. |
| Clare |
Weddings etc. |
| Abby |
No. |
| Alison |
Yes … at weddings and stuff. |
In your opinion
do you feel the ‘church’ is an
institution, a body of people with similar
beliefs, a movement, a religion or something
else?
Gail
|
Institution. |
| Phil |
Sometimes but some people are forced
into it, like if their parents are religious. |
| Clare |
A body of people. |
| Abby |
Institution. |
| Alison |
A body of people I think. |
Capitalism is
the new religion! Do you agree?
Gail
|
I don’t know about
that sort of stuff. |
| Phil |
Yes. Everyone complies to the government
but not necessarily with one religion. |
| Clare |
I don’t really know… but
I would say no. |
| Abby |
No. Free speech is. We live in a society
where it’s your choice over what
you choose to believe. |
| Alison |
No … you can’t have a
financial policy as a religion, can
you? |
Is this a good thing?
Gail
|
It can give hope for the
community, it’s all personal belief.
It’s technology that has produced
a better life. |
| Phil |
It provides some benefits. |
| Clare |
Everyone to their own God. |
| Abby |
Yes. |
| Alison |
I'm not sure |
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Rachael
says:
The answers to the questions I posed were
telling a story that neither figured ‘salvation’
nor ‘Jesus’. These answers show
a church that is viewed as apathetically as
politics. Church seems to be something people
think can be picked up or chosen but not something
that they need. A standard (but not necessarily
Christian) definition of ‘church’
is: a service, a place for public worship,
a group of believers (Christian) who have
the same collective belief. But what is Jesus’
definition of church?
The original Greek word ekkIesia is composed
of two words: ek, meaning ‘out of’
or ‘out from,’ and kalleo, meaning
‘I call.’ Accordingly, the original
word means ‘I call out from.’
When Jesus said, ‘I will build my Church’,
He was saying, ‘I
will call my people together out of the world
and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against
them.’ This implies that Jesus'
called-out people will rally as an army of
love and grace to take the world for Him,
and the enemy will not be able to stop the
advance. The love of God within their hearts
will motivate this army that has the message
of love and forgiveness on their lips.*
One student’s view was that Christianity
was dying out, a feeling I got from the majority
of people I spoke to. So where does this notion
stem from? It’s my belief this is due
to the overwhelming opinions of a post-Christian
culture that sees God as an institution out
of touch with modern thinking and existing
only for the elderly and infirm. What are
we doing to contradict this misconception?
Why leave this job for others to fight? Why
are we not a force worth reckoning with anymore?
* definition taken
from www.cofcare.org/Miscellaneous/Definitions.htm |
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