Identity Quote by Alexander Schmemann
““Our modern theology, which in many ways has ceased to be personal, i.e. centered on the Christian experience of "person," nevertheless - and maybe as a result of this - has become utterly individualistic. It views everything in the Church - sacraments, rites, and even the Church herself - as primarily, if not exclusively, individual "means of grace," aimed at the individual, at his individual sanctification. It has lost the very categories by which to express the Church and her life as that new reality which precisely overcomes and transcends all "individualism," transforms individuals into persons, and in which me are persons only because and inasmuch as they are united to God, and, in Him, to one another and to the whole of life.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Church and Personhood, 1975
Modern theology often reduces the Church to a collection of individual benefits, losing its communal, relational essence.
In simple terms: The Church is seen as personal benefits, not a shared life.
Key Takeaway
Remember the Church's communal purpose.
Themes
theology
community
individualism
personhood
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
theological
explanatory
When to use this quote
- parish life
- ecumenical dialogue
- spiritual formation
- pastoral counseling
Key Concepts
Ecclesiology
anthropology
sacramentality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance personal faith with communal identity?
- What practices foster true unity?
A Different Perspective
May overlook personal spiritual needs within communal worship.
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