The Church: Love It, Hate It and What You Can Do About It: © Henri Nouwen, Bread For The Journey, 1997, Harper Collins
The Church: Love It, Hate It and What You Can Do About It: © Henri Nouwen, Bread For The Journey, 1997, Harper Collins
The Church: Love It, Hate It and What You Can Do About It: © Henri Nouwen, Bread For The Journey, 1997, Harper Collins
The Church is the people of God. The Latin word for "church," ecclesia, comes
from the Greek ek, which means "out," and haleo, which means "to call." The
Church is the people of God called out of slavery to freedom, sin to salvation,
despair to hope, darkness to light, an existence centred on death to an existence
focused on life. When we think of the Church we have to think of a body of
people, travelling together. We have to envision women, men, and children of all
ages, races, and societies supporting one another on their long and often
tiresome journeys to their final home.
Superabundant Grace
Over the centuries the Church has done enough to make any critical person want
to leave it. Its history of violent crusades, pogroms, power struggles,
oppression, excommunications, executions, manipulation of people and ideas,
These notes are extra material for DCI School of Mission study purposes only. www.dci.org.uk
© Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, 1997, Harper Collins.
and constantly recurring divisions is there for everyone to see and be appalled
by. Can we believe that this is the same Church that carries in its centre the
Word of God and the sacraments of God's healing love? Can we trust that in the
midst of all its human brokenness the Church presents the broken body of Christ
to the world as food for eternal life? Can we acknowledge that where sin is
abundant grace is superabundant, and that where promises are broken over and
over again God's promise stands unshaken? To believe is to answer yes to these
questions.
These notes are extra material for DCI School of Mission study purposes only. www.dci.org.uk
© Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, 1997, Harper Collins.
it in joy and peace. And without a true love for the Church, we cannot call people
to it.
These notes are extra material for DCI School of Mission study purposes only. www.dci.org.uk
© Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, 1997, Harper Collins.