Counter Community

The church can only be a counter-community. If it is anything other than that, it has already compromised itself.

Comments

  1. Gwen
    Thu, 10/14/2010 - 7:59am

    I like this quote because it again reminds that there is a revolutionary element to Christianity and really to any "movement" that is visionary in a social and spiritual way. In daily life, I find I need to have a mini revolutionary attitude to counter what often comes my way, just to feel "sane" to myself, and to feel more whole. If you are gonna walk the walk, better be ready for some true grit!!

  2. Dorothy
    Thu, 10/14/2010 - 9:17am

    I've always thought of the church as a community that is counter-cultural. Is his use of "counter-community" essentially the same as "counter-cultural," or am I missing what Ellul is trying to tell me?

  3. Robin
    Thu, 10/14/2010 - 2:40pm

    Sorry you feel that way. We are in union with the good, not hostile to everyone.

  4. Ken Weinkauf
    Thu, 10/14/2010 - 4:55pm

    Most of the time, I find the quotes in inward/outward to be intriguing and thought provoking. This one is not. The terms are not defined, so there is no sense of what the author was trying to say. If you are going to include excerpts from authors, please include enough information to make the statement comprehendible.

  5. Michael
    Thu, 10/14/2010 - 6:45pm

    Can the host please elaborate more on this?

    It's befuddling to me. I could milk out some sense but it would be forced and the wisdom would be partial.

    Many thanks.

  6. Deanna J
    Sat, 10/16/2010 - 10:17pm

    FYI:

    I find using google to check out an author further sometimes is very helpful. According to what I found, Jacques Ellul was very concerned about the ability to maintain moral values in a technological society.

  7. Cheryl M.
    Thu, 10/21/2010 - 1:00pm

    Jesus was a revolutionary! The church must be counter-cultural for to go along with the"current"(at any time) culture is to be self-absorped and materialistic.
    The way of love and peace is antithetical to a culture of fear and domination.

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