I’ve got a real weak spot for people who take the Gospel earnestly. Joel & Rachel write here about “Why We Love the Mennonites”. They share seven ways the Mennonites they have known act like actual Christians. Point #7 gets to the heart of it*:
Jesus is the centre of everything they do. All the points mentioned above are because they are trying to take Jesus seriously as he is presented in the Bible. That following Jesus is about more than just saying a one-time prayer. But it is entering into a kingdom that is slowly permeating and overtaking this world. Not in violent, loud ways, but in subtle ways. In a powerful love that actually believes the love of Christ is the most powerful force in this world and God entrusted his people with that power to use it for his glory and for his kingdom. Sometimes in Christian circles that become very social justice driven, for some reason Jesus plays a less central role. I love the Mennonites because Jesus is the center and is the motivation for everything they do.
Other than a disagreement about the details of non-violence, and of course the necessary passion for good catechesis, this is all catholic teaching. (It is not a huge surprise that protestants talking about protestants tend to prefer doctrinal minimalism. You just ignore that part.)
Take-away lesson is this: Act like a Christian. If you managed to pull off all seven points, you could accidentally end up beatified.
And your hostess, Guilty Party #1, adds this: Don’t whine about church unity when you haven’t got your act together. This is exactly why the church is all torn up right now. Peace and unity are the product of holiness, not the other way around.
This ends our morning kick-in-the-pants. Have a great Wednesday.
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*Apparently good German cooking is strictly optional. Though didn’t Thomas Aquinas study in Cologne? And see how well he turned out. I wouldn’t toss the spaetzle too hastily.