But whose trappings, hymnology, ritual, routine, disciplines, expectations, doctrine, and dogma shall be deemed the right ones, though Spendi? Is the church who foregoes written prayers or instrumental music or who doesn't include the Eucharist or Holy Communion in the service every Sunday less spiritual or less Christian than the next church that does? Does Jesus care if those partaking of ritual elements view them as consubstantiation, transubtantiation, or a spiritual memorial exercise? Would you dare say that the penitance of the man in his living room is less sincere than that of the man on his knees before the altar?
FranklyI think people in Europe became weary of the rituals and trappings that they did not see as significantly changing their lives. Perhaps that is why so many of the great churches and cathedrals stand mostly empty filled mostly with faint echoes of past generations. Replacing a relatiionship with the living Christ with rituals and disciplines left too many feeling that it was all pointless.
Of course the rituals are significant to many still, and I have felt the presence of God performing them in the Church of course. I regularly attend church, participate in the rituals (though I chose a church that has a minimum of those), I teach, occasionally preach, and volunteer where I can be useful. Some of this I believe is in obedience to and pleases God.
But I do not confuse the church and its rituals and its activities with my relationship with God. I think each person has to meet God one on one--there is no such thing as 'inherited faith'. And so long as we meet Him on His terms, I think He doesn't much care how we got there.
I do think that those who attempt to practice Christianity apart from the Church, i.e. the company and support and encouragement of other Christians, has a much tougher go of it.
