tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244166128997441003.post5478369731685229528..comments2010-11-22T22:19:54.049-06:00Comments on R(EVOLVING) Thoughts: Stewardship and ChurchPastor Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08467093466716836308noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244166128997441003.post-81328868559181030192009-08-31T10:14:55.480-05:002009-08-31T10:14:55.480-05:00Joe-
I agree in that I believe when most people s...Joe-<br /><br />I agree in that I believe when most people say "my" or "our" church they often are thinking more about the connection, and yet in some way I believe the use is formative for people and transforms at some point into ownership. (Especially when one is giving money in the offering this can push forth the notion of ownership in our culture, even though that is not the case).<br /><br />JustinPastor Justinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08467093466716836308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244166128997441003.post-90720222273676194562009-08-29T22:04:18.516-05:002009-08-29T22:04:18.516-05:00I think there's truth to what you say. I do t...I think there's truth to what you say. I do think sometimes members of congregations take a sort of ownership over the church that can become spiritually unhealthy (creating a sense of disproportionate pride, creating a sense of exclusiveness, etc.). It's interesting to me because I always refer to the church I attend as my wife's church ("Sadie's church," "your church," etc.), and I do it with a consciousness, a sense that in some way I don't belong and in some way I'm refusing ownership.<br /><br />The issue of possessive pronouns is an interesting one. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "My Kinsman, Major Molinieux," a country kid named Robin goes to a town and keeps talking about "My kinsman, Major Molineux." I always emphasize to my class that he's not just asking for Molineux: he's identifying Molineux's title (thus trying to add respect), identifying the relationship as kinsman (almost saying "I'm like him, so you should like me") and adding the possessive to in some way take some ownership over Molineux. If you read the story, you'll see Robin's sense of pride in "My kinsman, Major Molineux" gets spat back at him in unexpected ways.<br /><br />BUT...I wonder in the sense that the "my," "mine," or "our" isn't to take ownership necessarily, but to announce a connection, a relationship of a sort. When I say "my wife," I truly do not think I am identifying any form of ownership or control over her; however, I'm clearly identifying an association, a sense not that this person belongs to me, but that, perhaps, I in some way belong associated to this person. So in some ways, saying "my church" or "our church" may convey a desire to belong, to show a sense of being accepted, to show not that you own something, but to show that you belong to it. In that sense, the ownership may be reversed. <br /><br />After all, we can sometimes say things like "my boss" without wanting to take ownership, and not even wanting to show a sense of belonging: we may not even like the person, but it's just an accurate way of expressing the relationship.pacifist vikinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02639283781758286098noreply@blogger.com