Collaboration, Ambition And Community
‚ÄúWhen you grow up knowing rather than admitting that such a thing as the Wikipedia works; when it is obvious to you that open source software is better; when you are certain that sharing your photos and other data yields more than safeguarding them ‚Äî then these assumptions will become a platform for a yet […]
“When you grow up knowing rather than admitting that such a thing as the Wikipedia works; when it is obvious to you that open source software is better; when you are certain that sharing your photos and other data yields more than safeguarding them — then these assumptions will become a platform for a yet more radical embrace of the commonwealth.”
Quote from What have you changed your mind about? by Confused Of Calcutta
Someone help me, because there’s something I just don’t get!
I’ve always assumed, in a naive and almost childlike way, that collaboration would be the natural state of being for Christian thinkers. That like-minded believers whose public pronouncements reflect common goals would be willing to work together, forsaking personal prestige in the hope of seeing their dreams and ideas take root in the real world and bear lasting fruit.
Of course, the reality is that I’m a simple idiot for believing this.
Often I feel like the fictionalised Albert Speer in the play bearing his name. There’s a powerful scene where the ghost of Hitler confronts Speer about his denial with regard to the true purpose of the Third Reich. Over and over the Fuhrer‘s ghost breaks into ranting speech mode, only to ask again and again “what did you think I meant when I said?”
What did i think was meant when ministers talked about “their” churches,” when denominational leaders talked about “their” vision, when Christian academics talked about “their” projects (or passed off other people’s projects as their own!).
I still believe that church can be a collaborative project. In fact, I only believe in church as a collaborative project. For me, there is no point if it is anything else (or, at best, very little point).
But, in the end, it’s not an argument we can win with words. Part of what gives me hope despite all the disappointments is that I’ve actually tasted what church can be like when it really is collaborative. I’ve felt that truth. It can be done.
[tags] Collaboration, Ecclesiology [/tags]
