Bailouts and the Institutional Church

[Wendy Johnson]

I've spent several days now listening to MPR going on about the bailouts. And for good reasons. This is a big deal. It seems we're witnessing the collision of several factors -- among them are a twisted-up economy, a prolonged war, greed, corporate dishonesty, and poor leadership. But, I believe, the most devastating and longstanding reason is an utter failure of imagination in these corporations that led to their inability to adjust their structure to changes in the world around them. Consider that the big 3 auto makers have consistently invested in SUVs and large engine models despite the fact that demand points toward smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

And now these industries are coming to Congress, to the American people, asking for a bailout. But are they going to change their business model? Will their infrastructure be transformed to overcome these factors that led to the present situation. Or, are we simply propping up a system that is ultimately unsustainable?

Is it a stretch to think that this parallels what has been happening in our church? Congregations that were formerly flourishing -- and are still located in well-off neighborhoods -- are now floundering. We are living in a post-denominational, post-Christian world where participation and support for the nearby Christian church is not a given or even necessarily all that socially acceptable -- and yet our church budgets keep growing and growing.

And, in the midst of these -- and other -- factors, congregations come to their membership or the diocese and ask for more -- a bailout of sorts. If we just had more money to hire a youth minister...If we could just run ads in the paper...we need more congregational development

But where's the imagination? Where's the recognition that the world has changed, people's expectations and behaviors have changed, and we -- whether we are large industries or a church -- are failing to change with it? Are we behaving like these failed leaders in the auto and financial industries and just trying to prop up a system that will at some point inevitably collapse into itself?

We elected a president who ran on the banner of 'change'. The jury is still out on how much 'change' will actually occur. However, doesn't that point us to the fact that we as a society are crying out for something new, something creative, something that is sustainable, that brings us together.

Can't the church get over itself enough -- can't we be creative enough -- to be that in this world?

[Michele H. Morgan]

SO in his Article Now is the Time: Hold Barack Obama Accountable to His Promise to "End the Mindset" of War , Kevin Zeese says this O"ur president elect has done and interesting thing he was often quoted saying, ". . . when citizens join their voices together, they can hold their leaders accountable. I'm not exempt from that. I'm certainly not perfect, and expect to be held accountable too." “(President Elect) Obama has repeatedly told voters that the change he promises will not occur unless voters organize to pressure him and other elected officials. For us the call is clear that we need to do the work of Justice to hold our public officials accountable. We must know what is called from us as people of faith and we must come together to make our wishes know so that we can”

So the change still comes from us organizing. It is not sitting back and waiting for the change to appear. I love the notion and I can not help but hear the idea of co-creation.

thank you for another way to think about it.

[Karen Ward]

This is amazing. This what is needed for us to address this within our denominational and parish contexts. We are trying to live into this at our Fremont Abbey in Seattle by establishing our role as church as being central (rather than peripheral) to the wider community, *because of our valuable service* as an active part of the eco-system of our neighborhood (with businesses, other non profits..) and working with others in a community life cooperative, aimed at fostering human flourishing. What we have to offer is nothing less than 2000 years of rich and deep spiritual and human community building resources, as the church. And also this work gives huge exposure and many and varied opportunities to embody and share the Gospel within our neighborhood context.