There is the Church.
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From today's Gospel: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16: 13-20
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The blogosphere is NOT the Church. To see the Church, look to what is going on at WYD in Madrid and there you have a very good image of the Church: Where the Pope is, and the bishops and priests in communion with him are - there are the faithful - and that is the Church. Where the body is, there the eagles gather.
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Anyway - that's how see it.
I think though, that the blogosphere plays a part, it has to. I just had this conversation yesterday with someone:
ReplyDeleteThe pope and many bishops who seem to "be the Church" have said that the online world is the new place where ideas and the truth are discussed. So while you are right, that the blogosphere isnt the Church, it is a necessary part of it.
I think that those that read and write blogs use it as a way to move forward in some spiritual direction. It can't be sufficient, and it cant be an end in itself... but I do believe it must exist.
I am probably wrong though, if nothing else I am good at being wrong. I should have let your post stand sans this droning comment.
Terry, do you think there really are people who think the blogosphere IS the Church? Would these be people who spend their entire day online as opposed to say, praying or performing some corporal works of mercy or ministering to the faithful in person? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteLittle Way - I do not know. I do think there are people who take their direction and/or are deeply influenced by the different personalities and so-called authorities online. Some of these sources castigate the bishops and even the pope himself and foment deeper mistrust and confusion.
ReplyDeleteJoseph - indeed - the internet is a powerful tool for evangelization, and the Church encourages Catholics to use it - provided it is in accord with Church teaching, the pope and the bishops and priests in communion with him. Yet if the blogs and news portals foment disunity, mistrust, and assaults upon the hierarchy, I do not see how that can be considered evangelization.
Please understand that this is my opinion, enlarged upon from a response I made to a recent convert to the faith - who stated she has been confused by a lot of what she finds on Catholic blogs. She's not alone in this, I have been confused by what Catholics write on their blogs as well.
I think it's like any communications technology - everyone knows how printing contributed to the rise of Protestantism, but it also led to establishing better doctrinal unity than ever before. The Internet is no different: people can set themselves up as the true authorities, bit then again people can also access the actual teachings of the Church easily. I have a great aunt who left the church because her priest made it "clear" that she was at fault and that she was sinning because she left her abusive husband (and was not planning on remarrying). Lots of people "knew" that that was unacceptable. But in those days, where else could someone get information?
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