Comments on: The (Institutional) Church Is Like The Bark On A Tree http://waynepark.com/2010/02/24/the-institutional-church-is-like-the-bark-on-a-tree/ WAYNEPARK.COM: meditations on faith | place | race Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:59:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Wayne http://waynepark.com/2010/02/24/the-institutional-church-is-like-the-bark-on-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-892 Wayne Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:08:17 +0000 http://waynepark.com/?p=1506#comment-892 agreed; I might even go so far as to say that the bark itself is symbiotically alive together with the tree. agreed; I might even go so far as to say that the bark itself is symbiotically alive together with the tree.

]]> By: Matt EHH http://waynepark.com/2010/02/24/the-institutional-church-is-like-the-bark-on-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-886 Matt EHH Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:30:28 +0000 http://waynepark.com/?p=1506#comment-886 I don't like the "dead" thing. There is fair criticism that church/bark can look and act dead. But anyone who can take a step back and see the tree/global, historical, and moving church and see that there are just some portions that look like death. He has a good point: Institutions can protect and house creations. the metaphor, for me, would be more served to say the church appears dead. Someone with less church issues might not need that crutch. I don’t like the “dead” thing. There is fair criticism that church/bark can look and act dead. But anyone who can take a step back and see the tree/global, historical, and moving church and see that there are just some portions that look like death.

He has a good point: Institutions can protect and house creations.

the metaphor, for me, would be more served to say the church appears dead. Someone with less church issues might not need that crutch.

]]> By: Wayne http://waynepark.com/2010/02/24/the-institutional-church-is-like-the-bark-on-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-885 Wayne Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:25:37 +0000 http://waynepark.com/?p=1506#comment-885 that's the thing; is it fair to say the bark / church is dead? Considering it's coming from a Catholic theologian blows me away... that’s the thing; is it fair to say the bark / church is dead?
Considering it’s coming from a Catholic theologian blows me away…

]]> By: Matt EHH http://waynepark.com/2010/02/24/the-institutional-church-is-like-the-bark-on-a-tree/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Matt EHH Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:37:09 +0000 http://waynepark.com/?p=1506#comment-883 I love the metaphor. I wonder if it would help us church angst type people to look at tree picture without a scientific perspective. I mean, for most of history a tree is a tree. It consists of tree stuff: leaves, wood, bark, etc. And without all the tree stuff it would be something else ie wood boards, pile of sticks. You can't separate a tree from itself. Bark is the tree. Tree is the bark. the bark can't say to the branches, "I don't need you". It's more than a functional trade off of different tree duties, but the pieces share one identity. i'm rambling but I just find myself often looking for ways to bifurcate myself from the bad parts of the church. And while I'm all for questioning and challenging and improving things, I need to try to remember that "A bad brother--- is still a brother". I love the metaphor. I wonder if it would help us church angst type people to look at tree picture without a scientific perspective. I mean, for most of history a tree is a tree. It consists of tree stuff: leaves, wood, bark, etc. And without all the tree stuff it would be something else ie wood boards, pile of sticks. You can’t separate a tree from itself. Bark is the tree. Tree is the bark. the bark can’t say to the branches, “I don’t need you”. It’s more than a functional trade off of different tree duties, but the pieces share one identity.

i’m rambling but I just find myself often looking for ways to bifurcate myself from the bad parts of the church. And while I’m all for questioning and challenging and improving things, I need to try to remember that “A bad brother— is still a brother”.

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