The proverbial question of what identifies a Christian is going on over at Everyday Liturgy. I sort of took issue with the premise presented, so brought it back over here. (I get too verbose, and dont want to derail another authors blog). That being said, the premise is Christians should be identified by their spiritual discipline. I completely disagree, albeit I’d rather be known as one that prays the cannonical hours, than one filled with bigotry and hate.

And bigotry and hate is a huge problem, its not just the Fred Phelps type folks. Egads, talk about a terrible witness over the prop 8 deal in CA. Ideally. one of the things things that should come to mind as to what Christians are known for is love. Sadly, the first thing that often comes to mind is anything but.. Not good at all.

Getting back to the blog’s premise and how I disagree… as far as spiritual disciplines go… we should absolutely not be known by them. Jesus upended many of the spiritual disciplines of the time, and in Mark 2, going so far as to say the Sabbth is for man, and not the reverse. His very spendy grace sets us way way away from the works oriented activities of Judiasm and Islam.

Yet, people have historically always tried to replace grace with works… even going back to some of the earlier church writings, one can see things starting to deviate, and I think thats whats happened today with love being changed to hate. Its all focused on me and to some extent power that comes from me doing… not what God does. Its likely also what is underlying the conversions of folks from Christianity to other faiths. Many are looking and not listening, and as part of that they seek to get closer to God by works, rather than allowing God to come to them. And with works, for a time, it will feel right to do so. Note the phrase feel right to do so, and thats what works do, they give a false and fleeting sense of closeness to God, a feeling. In some ways, I guess one could even replace love with works… Its a ton easier to do works, than it is to love in many cases.

In fact, this is what the Lutheran church went through with the Pietism movement, fortunately it came fast, and died away pretty fast too, albeit there are still some remnants around. It was a dangerous time for sure, sadly many fell off the narrow path, and it took a long time to come back.

Now, this does not mean I think spiritual practices are bad. Certainly the office of the hours, the creeds, even the Rosary, can be pretty powerful. However, to be known for them… that takes the gift of Christ dieing for us on the cross and throws it out the window. We need to be known as followers of Him, and the love for Him and one another, not what works we choose to do or not do.