from structure to anti structure - alan roxburgh

Alan Roxburgh's second article on the emerging church over on www.allelon.org raises an important issue; he discusses the polarity between the institutional and organic; the inherited church -v- the emerging; the structured church -v- the anti-structured. In flagging up this polarity he acknowledges the need for some form of co-operation and engagement between the two. He suggests:

The way forward is in seeking together how Christian agents are formed within structures that shape the church as the polis of God in our time.

While I wholeheartedly agree that we need conversation, relationship and engagement, I wonder why there always seems to be an ultimate demand/suggestion that those outside the existing structures will only find their full identity and effectiveness by re-entering those structures. It seems to me historically that when that happens, whatever dynamic movement was present is quickly stymied.

The underlying issue is control; who will have ultimate control? My answer, maybe naively, is Jesus. let Him have the control then we don't need to get too het up over what our structures look like. Generally man-made structures are for the purpose of controlling things; we will NEVER see movement if we are constantly trying to impose our structures.

I agree with Alan that there is no need to set up an either/or polarity on this issue. We all need structure, so I don't believe it's an issue of being anti-structure - that's nonsense; but as in the area of authority, in the new paradigm we are gradually shifting to, these elements take on a whole different shape and feel. Let's not assume then for legitimacy or "accountability" that the new has got to plug into the current structures.

posted by alexander @ 2:18 PM    0 comments

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