Re-creating the Church: Communities of Eros

As the new millennium emerges, many Christian pastors and theologians are asking themselves whether the Christian church can play a vital role in a culture marked by the decline of denominationalism, the rise of quasi-Christian supercommunities, and the persistent religious searching of many Americans. Are there any religious practices vital enough to keep the pews packed and the prayer benches worn? How can the 21st-century Christian churches, asks Young, define and understand themselves in relation to the historical Christian tradition and to contemporary questions and contexts? Young maintains that churches must be viewed as communities of eros, communities where love entails both connection and passion, if the Christian church is going to be relevant to 21st-century culture. In short, the Christian church must be a diverse collection of communities of eros finding their common identity in the shared memory and presence of Jesus Christ and seeking to embody God's transforming grace by fostering flourishing and right relationship for all creation. Young provides sample sermons and Eucharistic services that reflect the vision of the church as a community of eros. Pamela Dickey Young is Professor and Head of Religious Studies at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She is the author of Christ in a Post-Christian World: How Can We Believe in Jesus Christ When Those Around Us Believe Differently, or Not At All?>