From/To

Paul Fromont has posted a list that gives me hope:

• From the centre to margins: in Christendom the Christian story and the churches were central, but in post-Christendom these are marginal.

• From majority to minority: in Christendom Christians comprised the (often overwhelming) majority, but in post-Christendom we are a minority.

• From settlers to sojourners: in Christendom Christians felt at home in a culture shaped by their story, but in post-Christendom we are aliens, exiles and pilgrims in a culture where we no longer feel at home.

• From privilege to plurality: in Christendom Christians enjoyed many privileges, but in post-Christendom we are one community among many in a plural society.

• From control to witness: in Christendom churches could exert control over society, but in post-Christendom we exercise influence only through witnessing to our story and its implications.

• From maintenance to mission: in Christendom the emphasis was on maintaining a supposedly Christian status quo, but in post-Christendom it is on mission within a contested environment.

• From institution to movement: in Christendom churches operated mainly in institutional mode, but in post-Christendom we must become again a Christian movement.

Check out the rest of Paul's post for the context.

Comments

[Tim Chesterton]

This list actually comes from Stuart Murray's book 'Post-Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World' (Paternoster Press, 2004, ISBN 9781842272619).

[Mike]

Thanks Tim. I've seen it in a few places but couldn't find a source.

[Mark R]

Yeah ...this list gives me a lot of hope as well.