Monday, July 19, 2004
'Location Location'
Im gonna take a leaf out of Nathan's book, or blog rather!
I was just thinking that this blog has not been very worthwhile reading so far! :) so, i intend to attempt to correct this! :)
So, here i am procrastinating from going to gym, and so reading blogs, and i come across Nathan's post on Tongues and Spiritual gifts And my thoughts on that got me onto the topic of 'LOCATION LOCATION'
let me go further, cause i can see the people in the back row shaking their heads.
When in Church, (in the main percentage of Catholic/Orthodox/Protestant churches) the central focus in on the altar. Whether it is a simple table, or stone pedestal with all the trimmings, that is what we center around, and where the pastor makes his stand (:P). It is where the consecration of bread and wine takes place, its where the crucifix (if there is one) is, and where we all turn towards. (In dramas it's sometimes seen to be a bad thing to block out the altar from view of the congregation). I know that this stems from the Judaic tradition of the temple with the inner area and the 'Holy of Holies' but when Jesus was crucified, the temple veil was torn in two, symbolising that the rift between God and Man had been bridged, and that we could approach him even if we weren't a priest (or an Israelite for that matter! :D).
The point that i'm trying to make here, is that why do we put such an emphasis on the altar as the 'Holy place' of the church, when God is everywhere. In a lot of churches today (that ive been to! :D) there is an 'altar call' where people can go to the altar and feel close to God. to bring him their troubles and just let him work in them. THis is also linked in closely with prayer, as in, going up to the altar during a worship song to pray.
I have issues with this. Shouldnt we have exactly the same connection to God in prayer at our homes, or sitting in the congregation? why do we see that its only at the altar that we can be truly close to God?
In summary! :D It is my view that God is everywhere, and even in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so we shouldnt need to place an emphasis on a specific location being 'Holy'. This world was made by God, and as such, can be seen as a temple to him. There is no place Holier than any other place because God's presence is everywhere! :)
Thoughts? Comments? Hecklers? Rabble Raisers? Squirrels? ;)
Im gonna take a leaf out of Nathan's book, or blog rather!
I was just thinking that this blog has not been very worthwhile reading so far! :) so, i intend to attempt to correct this! :)
So, here i am procrastinating from going to gym, and so reading blogs, and i come across Nathan's post on Tongues and Spiritual gifts And my thoughts on that got me onto the topic of 'LOCATION LOCATION'
let me go further, cause i can see the people in the back row shaking their heads.
When in Church, (in the main percentage of Catholic/Orthodox/Protestant churches) the central focus in on the altar. Whether it is a simple table, or stone pedestal with all the trimmings, that is what we center around, and where the pastor makes his stand (:P). It is where the consecration of bread and wine takes place, its where the crucifix (if there is one) is, and where we all turn towards. (In dramas it's sometimes seen to be a bad thing to block out the altar from view of the congregation). I know that this stems from the Judaic tradition of the temple with the inner area and the 'Holy of Holies' but when Jesus was crucified, the temple veil was torn in two, symbolising that the rift between God and Man had been bridged, and that we could approach him even if we weren't a priest (or an Israelite for that matter! :D).
The point that i'm trying to make here, is that why do we put such an emphasis on the altar as the 'Holy place' of the church, when God is everywhere. In a lot of churches today (that ive been to! :D) there is an 'altar call' where people can go to the altar and feel close to God. to bring him their troubles and just let him work in them. THis is also linked in closely with prayer, as in, going up to the altar during a worship song to pray.
I have issues with this. Shouldnt we have exactly the same connection to God in prayer at our homes, or sitting in the congregation? why do we see that its only at the altar that we can be truly close to God?
In summary! :D It is my view that God is everywhere, and even in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so we shouldnt need to place an emphasis on a specific location being 'Holy'. This world was made by God, and as such, can be seen as a temple to him. There is no place Holier than any other place because God's presence is everywhere! :)
Thoughts? Comments? Hecklers? Rabble Raisers? Squirrels? ;)
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