The Heirarchy of Christianity - AHB

One of the things I've noticed this semester is that most major church movements contain two essential components, a spiritual leader, and a common history. Both of these seem to be essential aspects, and while the first is almost obvious, the second has taken on a greater meaning over the last couple months of our studies.

The Jewish people were able to survive through so many trials because they never completely lost their sense of identity, despite the best efforts of others to homogenize them. Each of their leaders built on this shared history, and there is a lot of examples of the Jews institutionalizing the remembrance of their past. Even when Christ came he tapped into the Jewish identity and history as a basis for his movement. Many of the Jews dismissed his teaching, but he was still one of their own (I like the image of Jesus weeping over the city of Jerusalem and its narrow mindedness). This may be a common formula for any kind of social or political movement, but it is definitely key to any spiritual movement.

The reformation is another example with some interesting differences. Here reformers were building on the historical and religious foundation of the Catholic church, but they wanted to make such drastic reforms that they were forced to separate completely from the church. Both Jan Hus and Luther built their reforms on the people nearest them. And hundreds of years later their ideas are informing the spiritual lives of millions all over the world who have chosen to follow these august traditions.

The role of community and history is important in every aspect of life. I think this also relates to some of the things we've talked about with myth. It is very hard to separate history from myth, but really that is not what is ultimately important. Our inherent social desires require that we assimilate ourselves within a particular group identity, and this is as important in religion as anywhere. Often American's have a hard time understanding what Europeans know instinctively.