Time to Come Back

There is a concept in American Christianity referred to as ‘Christian Nomadism’. A nomad is one who moves from place to place, never ‘putting down roots’ for long. For Christians, this takes the form of ‘church hopping’ never being satisfied with one particular church. It’s time for a change.

Brethren, I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off. And even the others, if they do not persist in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree.

Romans 11.13-24

I once spoke on an interfaith panel about religious diversity. I sat among Christian and non-Christian leaders to discuss what religion has to offer as part of society. A variety of small groups answered and discussed questions of faith and society. One question intrigued me overall.

“What does religion offer to society?” Each small group offered a variety of answers, but each shared one common thread. “Religion teaches us a moral code.” I was shocked and amused at the same time. I was the only member of the panel to vehemently and publicly disagree.

I went on to suggest that nobody in the room believed that statement. In America, everyone either chooses to join or chooses to remain in the religion with which they agree. If the reason for staying is based upon agreement, then religion cannot TEACH us anything.

It is the basis of Protestantism, but it is quite present in the Orthodox Church as well. If we don’t like what one priest teaches, we go in search of one with which we agree. In America, if we don’t approve of how one jurisdiction responds to society, we ‘switch’ jurisdictions. It’s time for a change.

The idea of church hopping is not ancient. In fact, the opposite was the practice of the ancient Church. Saint Paul, among others, was forced to change his views rather than to go searching for a group with which he agreed.

If you were ‘born into’ the Church, or came later as a convert, but have since ‘hopped’ to another denomination or religion because you disagree with the priest or jurisdiction. It’s time for a change. It’s time for you to come back rather than to just keep hopping.

The thing about ‘church hopping’ is that it never ends because we can never be satisfied. One elderly Protestant woman once said to me, “I’m tired of my church always changing under me.” Because people are always hopping, leaders are always ‘adapting’ to keep us from leaving.

Nomads never put down roots. Without roots we will never mature. Without roots we cannot withstand the stormy winds that blow against us. With roots we grow, we mature, we stand strong, and we spread our graceful branches to produce fruit. It’s time for a change.

It is time to return to the Church and put down roots. We cannot keep hopping, hoping for that ‘one church’ that perfectly aligns to our way of thinking. Not only is that impossible. It is arrogant. Christ invited us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. (see Mark 8.34)

It is impossible to deny ourselves if we keep hopping because we don’t agree. We have been grafted into the native tree. It is not for us to change the tree. The tree changes us. If you want to thrive and produce fruit, you need roots.

Sure, not every priest is perfect. Not every member is perfect either. We are the arrogant ones if we think we are the only ones who are right. There is grace in the priesthood. Perfection is in the Eucharist and Christ. Every time we ‘hop’ we cut ourselves out of the tree. It’s time to come back.