Another Church, Another Witness

Roman Catholic theology offers us some paths to reflection that we Presbyterians do not readily employ, such as churches named for different aspects of Jesus’ presence and being within the world. For instance, there is a beautiful basilica in Barcelona named “The Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” You just would never hear one of our congregations named such with “Presbyterian Church” tacked onto the end. But there is much in the name to consider.

Expiation is bringing God to one’s aid—we make whatever sacrifice, amendment, or alteration to our way of being to open ourselves to God’s presence and to invite God to be present with us. It is a theological deck-clearing, if you will—we get rid of whatever stands between us and God, and sometimes that means giving up things, practices, and even relationships (toxic ones) to be fully there for God.

Temple is, of course, a house of worship. It is the meeting place with God. It is the setting for the divine encounter. We hope that the churches we build foment this relationship in their architecture—that they create a sacred space within the world. There is a reason why we stubbornly cling to the use of “sanctuary” as the site of our worship—it is a place that is to be a haven, a safe place, a shelter, and a place of healing for all who enter it. St. Paul made the audacious claim that, in Christ, that sacred space was within our own being—our very bodies were the temples of the Lord. God, through the Holy Spirit, a gift of Christ, breathed in us and through us. What such a move accomplishes is that we awaken to the sanctity of our own person. What a beautiful assurance in a world where life is cheap, relationships used only for gratification, and value is determined only by monetary amounts. 

The Sacred Heart of Christ is the locale of redeeming, interceding, and healing grace in mystical Christianity. It is also where the term “bleeding heart” comes from, if you wondered. Jesus is the ultimate bleeding heart who gives all he has for the ideal of redeeming all humanity from sin and death. The whole title of the church is brought to fruition—Christ himself makes expiation for all worshippers gathered in his name, freeing them to experience the full holiness of the presence of God with them and in them. It all comes through the total embodiment of the love that is God revealed in Christ Jesus.

Now think for a moment about the far simpler name given to our own worshipping community—Covenant Presbyterian Church. Think on it through the same contemplative lens just employed above—what do we learn?

Covenant is a such a loaded term in Christian theology—it is truly a foundational concept in our life and being. Often, we think of it in contractual terms—if we do so and so, fulfilling the terms of our relationship to God; then God will return the favor by granting us the gifts of grace deserved. Yes, yes—hardcore Presbyterians are already roiling with critiques—that is WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS! And they are correct—the contract is works righteousness—we earn the grace of God by obedience to God’s rules—and it is scary how stubborn this mindset is within the Church universal. Covenant is not a contract. A covenant is an agreement, but actually more of an acceptance. Biblically, God very simply and directly defined it, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Note that God asks for nothing, seeks nothing, and certainly does not lay contractual terms on us. No, instead, it is a free gift of a promise—God will be with us and will claim us as God’s beloved just because God is God, God is good, and grace abounds. We enter this covenant through the basic means of believing it to be in place. That’s all that is needed—trust God’s word.

Presbyterian, though, begins to define how we respond to this covenant of grace. No, we do not earn salvation through our embodiment of grace, compassion, and mercy as we respond to God in Christ, but we make it real and actual in our lives. As Presbyterians, we do so through our community, a community in which representative government gives us shape and form. We elect presbyters (i.e., Elders) from within the pews to help us act out our faith in mission, education, worship, and compassionate care. We choose this means because we find it efficient and efficacious for bringing the Gospel to light within the world. It is the means by which we proclaim the good news. It is also the means by which we form ourselves as the best representatives we can be despite who we are as frail, mistake prone human beings. We believe our system helps us transform and transcend who we are. 

We hope.

And that is the bottom line—a church building is a hope. It is hoped it will be a beacon within the world of God’s grace. It is hoped that lives can be formed as followers of Christ. It is hoped that we will carry God’s Word into the world. It is all hope.

Realization of that hope is up to us.