by Kenneth Platz, St. Alban's Anglican Church
Discipline is required to ensure the success of any human endeavour. In order to have discipline one needs to engage in the process of making sure that having discipline works and see and realize that there will be benefit if one applies oneself. Well, belonging to a faith community is no exception.
In the course of general conversation, we hear from people about the great and wonderful benefits we receive from our culture and society in Canada and the western world, and that these are largely built on Christian values, morals and doctrines. This value-set has been history in the making for 2,000 years.
It has been proclaimed, enacted, abused and revamped by churches and people countless times. Among the benefits we enjoy are liberal thought, democracy and the rule of law, with justice and personal decency added for good measure.
In order for this evolutionary process to take place, participants had to apply themselves, sometimes at great risk to the individual. Even when the "going got rough", they persevered, reorganized and brought a tremendous amount of discipline into what they hoped to achieve. In other words, they kept the faith and kept on trying with hope and steadfastness.
So, why do we think in this generation that we can coast our way through history? If we know that Christian thought and action brought the good life, why do we think that we do not need the same dedication to maintain it for ourselves and those who are to follow? A tremendous amount of personal discipline brought, kept, nurtured and enacted our shared values. Seeking out a Church, making the move to join in the service it gives to the community, and having the personal discipline required to be faithful in attendance, involvement and commitment is a necessary part of keeping our society strong and vibrant.
In today's world I see a disconnect. Many people are abandoning their once-held faith and replacing it with a brand of secular humanism and consumerism. No discipline required there! I believe the Christian Church is where scholarship fellowship, hope for the future and protection for what we hold dear, still thrives as it has in the past.
Why do I attend church? I seek connection to my faith society in order to continue to build for the future, enjoy the present and remember the lessons of the past. Join me!