Is the Pastorate Pagan? | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders
I've not read this book, just the review on Leadership Journal's website. I'm not sure what to make of it. I don't disagree with the fact that so much of what we do in the church was introduced through the pagan world. A lot of it through the union of church and state brought about by Constantine. But what can we or should we do about that? Is it right to continue to practice things introduced through the pagan world? Is it possible to eliminate those practices completely?
Think about it. Easter, which we will celebrate this week, is in fact, a pagan introduction. Of course the resurrection of Christ is purely Christian, but the way we go about this week, even the name Easter were introduced through pagan culture.
Of course, we still continue to adopt pagan practices. One might lift up the rock sound of our music and even the introduction of secular songs into worship services as a modern pagan practice. But, don't be too holy and claim that's why I prefer the hymns. Many of them were rooted in bar songs of their day too.
I think we do need to be careful not to make the church too pagan. I think we could even go back on some of our practices that were begun by mixing paganism with Christian faith. But I'm not sure how and to what extent we can do this.
