Reformation or revolution?

Fellow blogger Andrew Black commented on my posting about reformation: "Is 'reformation' the appropriate word? 'Reformation' implies taking the structure, traditions, theology etc. of the existing church and repairing and improving them to get them closer to where they should be. You talk of a return to a Christ centred church. You talk of getting rid of the idolatry of institutions. This is not reformation - this is revolution!"

Let's have a look at the root meaning of the words 'reformation' and 'revolution':

Main Entry: re·form
from Latin reformare
1 a : to put or change into an improved form or condition b : to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses
2 : to put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action
3 : to induce or cause to abandon evil ways

Main Entry: rev·o·lu·tion
from Late Latin revolution-, revolutio, from Latin revolvere to revolve
2 a : a sudden, radical, or complete change b : a fundamental change in political organization; especially : the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed c : activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation d : a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm e : a changeover in use or preference especially in technology

We're talking about fundamental changes, a paradigm shift, an uprooting and replanting. Not a cosmetic renewal or improvement of what's already there. So from that point of view, just by looking at the root meaning of these words I agree with you. We're actually up to REVOLUTION rather then REFORMATION.

But I'm also a historian, and from a historical perspective the word 'reformation' hits home better than 'revolution'. Reformation is associated with THE reformation and implies that you keep what's good and throw away what's bad. It's a recognition that what Christ started is foundationally good, though it got distorted along the way.

Revolution is associated (at least in Europe) primarily with the bloody French and Russian revolutions, which was a rebellion against any authority (the king as well as God). I know the American revolution is a different story, but we're based in Europe.

Perhaps, as we plan to connect in Prague, we should look more to the Velvet revolution (or the recent Orange revolution in Ukraine), which was a bloodless fundamental political change. Or the revolution in the airline industry - I like the pay-off a low-budget airline carried: "We change the rules of flying." What we envision is a change of rules, from corrupted church politics as we know it to the rules set by Jesus.

Comments

[A]

Excellent thoughts Marc. Well thought through, and well expressed. As an historian by training myself, I really appreciate your historical perspective. I think from reading your blog regularly, that we may be coming from some different places theologically on some things, but I resonate with what you have written here, and when you start analyzing and writing it down...good stuff. Thanks and keep up the good work in the Europe. One of these days I'll be in the Netherlands, and when I do, I plan on giving you "a shout." (American slang as you probably know) Peace

[Marc Pranger]

I hope that these words can be helpful in thinking about Reformation through Revolution :-)

GRAZING ON BARREN HIGHTS.

Isaiah 49: 9
Saying to those who are bound, Go forth;
To them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.
They shall feed in the ways,
and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.

Psalm 72: 6
May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the
earth.
7 In his days may the upright do well, living in peace as long as there
is a moon in heaven.
8 Let his kingdom be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the
earth.

These scripture verses have been on my mind for quite some time now.
This increased by some quotes I heard here and there.
So to those who recognize a quote that comes from them..
Thank you!
I believe these scripture verses are holding a prophetic message
for the Children of the Living Light of the
world, Yeshua.

I believe that Creator – Adonai is moving forward to a new movement of
people following Him instead of following a religion, church or
denomination that speaks of Him.

People who do not believe in God, but people who believe God.

Some people wonder why Christianity seems to be something I am against.
They tell me that there are many good things in many churches and many
ministries.

I can not speak against that, I see the good things; I see the good
deeds, the genuine faith.

But this will not blind me from seeing that the whole structure of
Christianity is slowly falling apart because of all the negative
associations people have with it.

I see the Spirit moving away from the Christian way.

Seeing the good doesn’t hinder me from seeing that many churches have
become prisons of religion, with guards called pastors, priests or
whatever title they wear. Who teach people to be Under Cover of someone
else than Jesus

It is taught that this cover is not only when they are babes in faith,
when they need protection from human leaders (if they are appointed by
the Spirit of Truth) but also when they are adult, yes even when they
should be mothers and father in faith themselves.

Maybe because Jesus is coming sooner than we think Creator – Adonai is
shaking the church, and many spiritual, creative Jesus-following, and
especially prophetic people are leaving the structural system of Christianity.
Because they feel that even though there is a good level of teaching and
some good deeds to the poor and needy they are hindered in going where
they KNOW they are called to go.

Looking at the message I believe can be seen in the combination of the
scripture verses on top of this article, I believe that the message is
this:

I the Lord of Host call you out of your comfort zone, I call you out
from under the cover of human leadership and structures that seem to
save but they are going forward on age-old roads of being fed by some
leader, and of being protected by structures and living on a safe island
of religion. These are prisons built by your own hands, where you
proclaim to be free.

Build on once found treasures.

Listen to My voice. I am still calling through whispers that there is
more, there are more treasures, more ways to follow and serve Me.

Don’t you see that the freedom you proclaim to have is bound by the
many, many rules you (Not I!) invented:--how to dress what to eat, what
to do how to live. These rules are hindering the lost and lonely, the
creative spirits and prevent them from coming in.

Don’t you understand that I am the never-changing God,
and that my way of being consistent is to constantly change within My
once set order?

Angels have been circling around my throne for ages,
and they are still praising Me because they see something new in Me
every second!

I am the God of adventure, of peace in the midst of suffering,
persecution and pain.
I am the God that calls you off the road of Christianity and on to the
small and winding Way Home.

I call you to come out of the box, out of your comfort zone.
I call you to go where the hills are barren.
Climb up to Me my children.

And where you think that there is
nothing to eat,
no lesson to learn,
no fellowship to attend,
there will I be the one that feeds you,
there will I be the wings that cover you.

There will I send the Rain of the Spirit to refresh you,
there will I raise my army of Children of the Living Light of the world.

Yes, you will not be alone there;
I am building My community of diversity all over the globe.

Some will stay in the church, but being freed from the church, but they
will look and meet outside their own little box.
Others will leave the church altogether, but stay close to help others
to become free too, others will…

And this will stir the uprising of the upright; the people who Love
Jesus with all their heart, soul and body.

Feel the stream, touch the Wind,
and see Me Move
from the North to the South,
from the South to the North,
from the West to the East,
from the East to the West.

Come in the River of the Spirit,
not to walk in it, but to swim!

Hear Me calling;

Shouting the whisper of LOVE

2005-04-28

www.ruachstream.com

[Andrew Black]

Well, Marc, what is your historical perspective on church practices and traditions which were lifted from pagan culture:

- at the time of Constantine,
- following the first Reformation
- and by the 18th and 19th century Revivalists?

Are you aiming to get back to Biblical Christianity by dumping things like:

- liturgy of the Sunday service
- the distinction between (ordained, salaried) clergy and the laity
- church buildings
- the sacred space
- the ritualised Lord's supper / Holy Communion

See Frank Viola: 'Pagan Christianity: The Origins of Our Modern Church Practices' http://www.ptmin.org/pagan.htm

"The Reformers did a great deal in changing the theology of Roman Catholicism. But in terms of actual practice, they made minor rearrangments to the liturgical furniture. Despite the many stripes of Protestant churches that have appeared on the canvas of church history, the Sunday morning order of worship continues to be etched in stone. The result: God's people have never broken free from the liturgical straightjacket that the inherited from Roman Catholicism!"

So are you really going for just some more reform, or is it time to start again from Acts 2?

[Marc van der Woude]

Andrew, I formulated my response to your question in a separate posting:

http://marcsmessages.typepad.com/mm/2005/05/jesus_dna_and_f.html

[andiwolf]

can follow basically everything that all of you contributed - seems like all of us are on the same page content-wise (and that is reason for great hope indeed..)
yet, i would like to stress Marc's point of the importance of the "communicative force" of the chosen wording, and add that it is not so much about the root meaning of a latin word than it is about the connotations and feelings that our listeners get in their minds and hearts when they hear us talking. we can find good arguments for using both terms: we are "reforming" tenets and practices that are not good enough and we are "revolving" tenets and practices that are simply bad - i can't find a pure either or in the choice of terminology here.
i do find a clear distinction in the effect on the listener though and therefore i fully agree with Marc that we should be using "reformational" terminology which conveys a strong affirmation to the cloud of witnesses of those that have gone before us. in the end humility needs to reign our hearts (and FOR ME that is expressed by cherishing the riches in our history acknowledging that we are nothing without our spiritual forebearers, faulty as they may have been) instead of pride (which FOR ME is strongly associated to the "i know it better and throw away everything else" attitude of "revolution"). i have been pondering about this distinction for some years and that is where it led me personally. might be different for other biographies.