De-consecration

Yesterday Christchurch cathedral was de-consecrated. For many this is a moment of profound sadness described in several places, here for example. Elsewhere Bosco Peters has asked some thoughtful questions as to what is going on.

I here reproduce my own response to his questions and a question of my own.

'There is a real sense that over the years the church has undone the work of The Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, not only in space, but also in time and our humanity.
This has occurred through the setting apart of:

Place (‘God’s House as some called churches in England)WHERE certain things could not be done, but thus making it fine for them to occur elsewhere;

Time (The Lord’s Day, or Sabbath) WHEN some things were not fit, but letting loose the rest of the week for ‘Profitable’ business ;

and Humanity (focusing ministry in one person) WHO ‘did the God stuff’ so the rest of us didn’t have to trouble ourselves with it.

The question we are left with is, "has the Spirit gone out of these containers, set free into the World as some would say, or has it ‘merely’ gone out . . ."  '


I suggest that we should not be quick to respond - triumphalism of any shade is not appropriate in such liminal times