Throughout Scotland churches, synods, presbyteries and even extraordinary assemblies are talking about change and the what the church might look like in the future.
I was fascinated to see the Free Church of Scotland meet in Plenary Assembly for the first time in more than 100 years to talk about whether or not music and hymns should be allowed alongside the unaccompanied singing of the metrical psalms.
Not for the first time I get the very deep feeling that these meetings are not asking the righ question. They are talking evolution. How can we make what we have better? How can we attract more people to a failing model? How can we prop up the institution?
I wonder when we will get to the point when we realise that we need revolution? Something new. Not tinkering but radical change.
It’s Christ the King Sunday tomorrow. A day when we think about the revolutionary nature of the kingdom where institutions and religion and systems and power are turned upside down.
I wonder what that kind of church would look like?
I suspect that the ‘radical’ move to sing hymns and have musical instruments is nothing more than strategic placement, waiting for the exodus following the next General Assembly. As ‘close’ as the vote was, is it little more than pragmatism with a hint of opportunism.