Two Reflections: Grace and The Hidden Church

These reflections come from dialogues in my Contemporary Theology class...Thanks to Dr. Phil Ruge-Jones for the Halle Berry example.

Grace::Not a Matter of Acceptance

One could say that grace is like this...If I were on a beach and along comes Halle Berry. She's not wearing much. And she walks up to me and tells me "We are going to make out." This is something so wonderful that it wouldn't be a question of "did you accept" - OF COURSE I DID! Rather though you'd be asking me what it was like. I might even brag a bit and tell you. Something this good, the gift of salvation from God is not a matter acceptance. That's the wrong question. Acceptance isn't the same as active participation - like that of making out with Halle.


The Hidden Church
From Forde's "Where God Meets Man"

Forde, relying much on Luther, draws a distinction between a hidden and revealed church. Something that is hidden is not obviously visible - however if you were to look in perhaps unexpected places...if you look in the right place, you can find it. Clues of where this "hidden" church may be can be found by looking for the marks it leaves. The church leaves its marks when it reveals itself is acts of liberation.

The true church is made up of those liberated by the good news. It is the communion of believers, the bearer of the proclamation of freedom and hope.

So what does this mean for us?

I think we are seeking to be intentionally hidden. The revealed (or institutional) church serves its purpose - but the hidden church also has its purpose in its abiliy to leave its marks in places where a revealed church can not go. The Church should consider commissioning "secret" agents of change - missionaries or sorts to intentionally be the hidden church. To go undercover into our culture and to leave our "marks" of "caring for the poor and the sick, prayer, praise, and bearing one's cross". Perhaps our questions of being called to "The Church" are too simplistic. If we adopt this twofold vision of The Church, perhaps we can really start asking questions of discernment.