What Is “Church?” Any Group that Calls Itself “Church?”

What Is “Church?” Any Group that Calls Itself “Church?”

Not far from where I sit there is a “Church of Cannabis.” It is a church, nobody can deny that. But in what sense is it TRULY a “church”—from a Christian theological perspective?

Something that has been bothering me for years is that MOST of my students have THOUGHT (until I corrected them) that ANY group of people who call themselves “church” is really and truly “church.” After all, in our American system and society, tolerance requires that way of thinking. Our government doesn’t decide which religious (or even non-religious) institutions and organizations constitute “true church;” virtually any group can call themselves “church” and get the government’s approval which carries with it certain tax privileges.

But, in my experience of teaching theology for about forty years to mostly conservative or orthodox and evangelical students, students become flustered and confused and don’t know what to think when I bring up the names and descriptions of certain “churches” and ask them to decide if THEY, as Christians, think they are truly churches.

In one sense, sociologically and legally, in America, any group that calls itself a church automatically IS, especially if they gain government acceptance for tax exemptions. But even if they don’t, most Americans are reluctant to say “That’s not a real church.”

I write here as a Christian theologian, not as a sociologist or legal expert. But I have found it very difficult to get students and even “church people” to think my way about this subject. It just seems to them SO, SO intolerant to say of any group that calls itself “church” that it isn’t. So, I have to take quite a bit of time to explain these two very different approaches to the subject (viz., sociological and legal versus theological).

So I’m asking YOU, my faithful and reasonable readers, especially my Christian readers, do you think “Church of Cannabis” is really a church? Let’s set aside the legal and sociological fact that it is. But let’s ask what, from a Christian theological perspective, is required for US to consider an organization, institution or group of people “truly church”—in the biblical, historical, theological sense?

Do we need to accept as “church” any group, organization, institution that calls itself “church?” Shall we accept the cultural acceptance of that? I’m not talking about accepting the freedom of any group to call itself “church;” I’m asking about OUR Christian acceptance of any group that calls itself “church” as church.

Now, please do NOT say here “No, the Church of Cannabis is not a true church.” I could probably get into trouble publishing any such opinion here or elsewhere. You can say “Yes, the Church of Cannabis is a true church.” I’m sure it would not object to that. But explain yourself if you are expressing your opinion AS A CHRISTIAN.

Let me go a bit deeper. What does the word “church” mean to US? Does it have any meaning? There doesn’t SEEM to be any English alternative to translating “ekklesia” (the most common New Testament term for “church”). If you don’t think that any and every group of people who call themselves “church” really counts as “true church” but you think it’s wrong to deny a group that status, then what?

Why is there so much confusion about this? Some theologians and even some sociologists talk about the “entrepreneurial spirit” about “church” especially in America.

So instead of naming any specific organization or group, let’s talk about, say “Pirate Church.” Let’s say, for the sake of safe discussion, that a group of former pirates form a church specifically FOR ex-pirates. Let’s say you don’t have to be a Christian to belong to it. You just have to be either an ex-pirate or someone interested in “pirate culture.” Someone asks you whether you consider the “Pirate Church” really a church? What would you say and why?

Then let’s go a bit deeper still and say that a requirement of belonging (not merely attending) “Pirate Church” is that the person has to be a Christian. Non -Christians can attend but not be members. Is a church for ex-pirates and people interested in “pirate culture” be really, authentically “church” from a Christian perspective? Why or why not?

(I’m using “Pirate Church” here as a cipher for a myriad of churches centered around some particular interest, experience, etc. and generally and normally not open to just anyone.)

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