in recent times, the scott hahn conversion story has been bugging me. i do not have an issue with how God has worked with and through scott hahn in his own unique way. it is the word "conversion" that does not sit will with me.
"conversion" seems to convey a debunking of previous beliefs and embracing completely new ones. i do not believe that was the case with scott hahn. his protestant grounding definitely provided him with sound fundamentals. i would not want to attribute his spiritual foundations to a protestant or any denominational basis because it is God who nurtures and nourishes our spirit, not a tradition, not a heritage.
scott hahn might have been seen as a rebel rouser within his protestant community, the same way john wesley - the founder of the methodist church - was. john wesley set up his own methodist chapel when the anglican order in his time disallowed him from preaching on "sacred cow" topics. "the world is my perish" was his motto, he felt burdened for the lower classes so to speak and often preached to the industrial workers and the uneducated. his message was simply God's love. the theological establishment in his time seemed to parallel the pharisees in Jesus' time. so comfortable were they in their ivory towers that the keepers of the law distanced themselves from real people and real issues.
in opposing the anglican order however, i don't believe that john wesley was turning his back on everything he learnt from the heritage and tradition thrust upon him, his father was in fact an anglican minister. for all his head knowledge however, john wesley never experienced God palpably until he was "strangely warmed" by God's presence during a prayer session.
like scott hahn, john wesley was called by God in a new direction in his ministry, not a superior direction, just one that met God's purposes at that specific time and place, which involved going against the grain of the established order.
so why rock the boat? why would God allow for the splintering of an established order that gave rise to other denominations? after all, doesn't God sanction order and unity in the church?
i have people tell me that the Catholic church is the church and every other denomination has deviated and strayed in folly.
this is what i think.
from what i have gathered from scott hahn's conversion story, john wesley's founding of the methodist church, martin luther's reformation and even Jesus' messianic ministry, i believe that God does rise up anointed leaders to rock the boat of established orders when God's church fall into the "pharisee-trap". it is a most humbling encounter for the head of an established order to be told that his leadership has left much to be desired.
in all this, humility is the key ingredient to be used by God. perhaps there is something to learn form every denomination, from every fellow brother and sister in Christ. none of us will truly find ourselves having arrived, paradoxically, the moment we feel so, we're at the furthest point.
above all, i believe that no church is perfect because people are flawed by default. the attitude we should take when we do God's work is to recognize our imperfections and acknowledge that God will work and wants to work with and through flawed individuals and flawed churches.
so if all these churches are flawed, which one should you choose to attend? the best option is to surrender that option to God and ask Him to lead you to a church where he wants you to serve in, not just one that you're most comfortable with. in fact, it is in discomfort that our learning curve and spiritual growth soars.
"conversion" seems to convey a debunking of previous beliefs and embracing completely new ones. i do not believe that was the case with scott hahn. his protestant grounding definitely provided him with sound fundamentals. i would not want to attribute his spiritual foundations to a protestant or any denominational basis because it is God who nurtures and nourishes our spirit, not a tradition, not a heritage.
scott hahn might have been seen as a rebel rouser within his protestant community, the same way john wesley - the founder of the methodist church - was. john wesley set up his own methodist chapel when the anglican order in his time disallowed him from preaching on "sacred cow" topics. "the world is my perish" was his motto, he felt burdened for the lower classes so to speak and often preached to the industrial workers and the uneducated. his message was simply God's love. the theological establishment in his time seemed to parallel the pharisees in Jesus' time. so comfortable were they in their ivory towers that the keepers of the law distanced themselves from real people and real issues.
in opposing the anglican order however, i don't believe that john wesley was turning his back on everything he learnt from the heritage and tradition thrust upon him, his father was in fact an anglican minister. for all his head knowledge however, john wesley never experienced God palpably until he was "strangely warmed" by God's presence during a prayer session.
like scott hahn, john wesley was called by God in a new direction in his ministry, not a superior direction, just one that met God's purposes at that specific time and place, which involved going against the grain of the established order.
so why rock the boat? why would God allow for the splintering of an established order that gave rise to other denominations? after all, doesn't God sanction order and unity in the church?
i have people tell me that the Catholic church is the church and every other denomination has deviated and strayed in folly.
this is what i think.
from what i have gathered from scott hahn's conversion story, john wesley's founding of the methodist church, martin luther's reformation and even Jesus' messianic ministry, i believe that God does rise up anointed leaders to rock the boat of established orders when God's church fall into the "pharisee-trap". it is a most humbling encounter for the head of an established order to be told that his leadership has left much to be desired.
in all this, humility is the key ingredient to be used by God. perhaps there is something to learn form every denomination, from every fellow brother and sister in Christ. none of us will truly find ourselves having arrived, paradoxically, the moment we feel so, we're at the furthest point.
above all, i believe that no church is perfect because people are flawed by default. the attitude we should take when we do God's work is to recognize our imperfections and acknowledge that God will work and wants to work with and through flawed individuals and flawed churches.
so if all these churches are flawed, which one should you choose to attend? the best option is to surrender that option to God and ask Him to lead you to a church where he wants you to serve in, not just one that you're most comfortable with. in fact, it is in discomfort that our learning curve and spiritual growth soars.
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