Is The Church’s Officer Class Surrendering?

[Michie]

I’m getting more and more e-mail from Evangelical readers who have had it with Evangelicalism, and have reached a breaking point this spring. The common thread is frustration with wokeness in the church, and a belief that Evangelicalism is too thin and culture-bound to offer resistance to anti-Christian forces. I wrote recently about a reader who is a person of color, but couldn’t stand how her Evangelical megachurch was replacing the Gospel with woke identity politics. She and her husband are now trying out an Orthodox church.

Just now I received the longest, most detailed letter I have yet gotten from an Evangelical. I present it below, slightly edited to protect the reader’s identity:

Continued below.
Is The Church's Officer Class Surrendering? | The American Conservative

 

[PloverWing]

Forgive me, but what is an "officer class"? I couldn't tell from the article. Possibly, it's a Catholic term I'm not familiar with.

 

[Michie]

Forgive me, but what is an "officer class"? I couldn't tell from the article. Possibly, it's a Catholic term I'm not familiar with.

First I have heard the term as well. My impression it is the clerical movers and shakers within the Church that hobnob with public figures. Such as Bishop Barron, etc. while saying it is laity that are not doing their part.

 

[Michie]

I have some errands to do but here is the article he was referring to. I plan on reading it later after I get back to get a clearer picture.
Bishop Barron’s Pitiful (But Honest) Response to a Church in Crisis - Crisis Magazine

 

[Anhelyna]

I have some errands to do but here is the article he was referring to. I plan on reading it later after I get back to get a clearer picture.

Ummmmm - what article ??

 

[Michie]

Ummmmm - what article ??

What would I do without you?? Lol!

 

[Anhelyna]

 

[thecolorsblend]

On previous occasions, I have voiced my doubts that evangelical Christianity has the institutional strength to withstand a serious social/cultural onslaught. When I said this to evangelicals in the before time, they would usually bristle with outrage. Today, I wouldn't say it to them at all. Because they already know.

In truth, evangelical Christianity has never been seriously tested. They never had to figure out how to survive with the full weight of the Roman Empire coming down on them. Consequently, my doubts about their ability to survive even a soft persecution mostly couldn't be proven for sure back then. But any uncertainty I might've had before has been put to the side.

Mark my words and read them back to me later: When the time comes, when the chips are down, the evangelicals will fold. Their leaders will continue running their ecclesial communities like businesses seeking profit rather than religious institutions seeking to save souls, they'll continue reaching out to what they believe is the largest part of the "audience" with their marketing and social media, many of their laymen will embrace whatever social fad is trending at the time and, ultimately, they cannot be expected to be real allies. The two or three good apples among them doesn't change the fact that the rest are bad.

That's why I'm glad I made my home in Rome.

 

[pdudgeon]

The problem with the Evangelical movement is that it's not cohesive, and also not continual.
There's only a lot of very little individual "umbrellas" under which to shelter, and the history of the movement is also not cohesive or continual.
That means that there are lots of bright individual candles here and there, but no candelabra's in which to house them, no one to trim the wicks, and no organized source of supply for new candles.

There are flocks, but they each mainly depend upon one charismatic leader.
And that's not the plan that Jesus set up for His Church, so that it would be strong and able to survive for centuries, until He returns.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I would say we are seeing the same thing in the Catholic church, weak ineffectual leaders who have been fawning and obsequious to the forces that are now surrounding the flock. Most of the sermons I hear make me want to throw up. They are most often milquetoast and never address the reality of what we are now facing. No one wants to call sin sin or speak the truth. Leaders are afraid to insist on teaching the gospel or teach the catechism out of fear that there will be a reaction. If Catholics want to abandon the faith because they hear the truth then let that be on them.

 

[pdudgeon]

here's a brave priest who addresses the issue.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

here's a brave priest who addresses the issue.

I have watched him, but a voice crying out in the wilderness. Too few.

 

[thecolorsblend]

I have watched him, but a voice crying out in the wilderness. Too few.

One voice can change the world. History shows us that again and again.

 

[pdudgeon]

Archbishop Vigano once was one such, but look at him now! He has the ears of people, the attention of the World, and the support to preach God's word.

Then look at Bishop Barron. He had the ears of the people as well for many years.
But when the crisis came, he stayed inside his empty church, preached to empty pews, and lost his support.

The lesson to be learned here is that when the sheep are locked out of their fold, it's the Shepherd who has to move out of the comfort and safety of the fold to find them, fight for them, and bring them back home.

Jesus Himself could have stayed in the comfort and glory of Heaven, but He didn't.
He came down into the cold, cruel World to find His sheep, and to lead them back to the Father.

Today I had an unexpected chance to do just that; to open my door to a sheep that had lost his way. So I did just that. I stayed home from mass and talked instead with a young man who had been tossed out of his home at 2 am in the morning, and with no shoes.
I brought in a friend who also talked with him, and who intervened with the family. Together we ministered to him, told him where he could find work, and smoothed the way for him to go back home.

So yes, today I was the one who moved out of my comfort zone, helped another person, and hopefully found a way forward for them to come back home.
So we not only have to "talk the talk" but we are also called to "walk the walk" with others when they have lost their way in life.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Archbishop Vigano once was one such, but look at him now! He has the ears of people, the attention of the World, and the support to preach God's word.

Then look at Bishop Barron. He had the ears of the people as well for many years.
But when the crisis came, he stayed inside his empty church, preached to empty pews, and lost his support.

The lesson to be learned here is that when the sheep are locked out of their fold, it's the Shepherd who has to move out of the comfort and safety of the fold to find them, fight for them, and bring them back home.

Jesus Himself could have stayed in the comfort and glory of Heaven, but He didn't.
He came down into the cold, cruel World to find His sheep, and to lead them back to the Father.

Today I had an unexpected chance to do just that; to open my door to a sheep that had lost his way. So I did just that. I stayed home from mass and talked instead with a young man who had been tossed out of his home at 2 am in the morning, and with no shoes.
I brought in a friend who also talked with him, and who intervened with the family. Together we ministered to him, told him where he could find work, and smoothed the way for him to go back home.

So yes, today I was the one who moved out of my comfort zone, helped another person, and hopefully found a way forward for them to come back home.
So we not only have to "talk the talk" but we are also called to "walk the walk" with others when they have lost their way in life.

Job well done.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I’m getting more and more e-mail from Evangelical readers who have had it with Evangelicalism, and have reached a breaking point this spring. The common thread is frustration with wokeness in the church, and a belief that Evangelicalism is too thin and culture-bound to offer resistance to anti-Christian forces. I wrote recently about a reader who is a person of color, but couldn’t stand how her Evangelical megachurch was replacing the Gospel with woke identity politics. She and her husband are now trying out an Orthodox church.

Just now I received the longest, most detailed letter I have yet gotten from an Evangelical. I present it below, slightly edited to protect the reader’s identity:

Continued below.
Is The Church's Officer Class Surrendering? | The American Conservative

Given Barron's gross dereliction of duty in recent weeks, and his crybully behavior online, and the general weakness of many American bishops, the author may have a point. We're being lead by very few true shepherds right now, more of them priests than bishops. The only bishop I can think of off the top of my head who's stayed the course is Bishop Strickland in the Diocese of Tyler, TX (gah dang't Bobby!). We also have non-American bishops to be thankful for like Archbishop Vigano and Bishop Schneider.

Otherwise, I can only think of faithful priests like Fr. Dave Nix and Fr. John Hollowell, along with the traditionalist priests in the FSSP and ICKSP who are guiding their flocks properly through these treacherous seas.

Forgive me, but what is an "officer class"? I couldn't tell from the article. Possibly, it's a Catholic term I'm not familiar with.

I've never seen that phrase used before, but I imagine it's just a euphemistic expression for the bishops (the princes of the Church).