Brother and Sisters (er... Adelphoi?),

I have to prepare a presentation on the aforementioned subject "is the Church the source of much injustice"? I am really have trouble with how to approach this.

Can anyone recommended any good resources or perhaps give their own opinion on this subject.

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Willie Grills
Trinity Presbyterian Church
OPC
Huntington, WV

That's a can of worms due to the massive differing definitions of "the Church."

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
Facebook - The Calvinist Vent
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It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

Exactly. Now you see my dilemma.

Then what you write about is said dilemma. That, or ask the prof what his definition of "the Church" is.

No, the church isn't; mankind's fallen human nature is.

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Jonathan
Audio Engineer
Reformed Anabaptist
Ohio

Moroni's magical glasses of proper interpretation:

Okay sorry I was a little bit vague in the OP.

My prof is a Campbellite, the room will be full of Baptists and Campbellites. With little Reformed me in the middle. There most definitely be a difference of opinion as to what the Church is. I have the liberty to define Church as I want to. I figure I am going to have to explain the visible versus invisible view. That being said I still am having trouble on how to approach the question.

^^Use what I said. The church isn't the problem; it's the people.

Divide the question. Is the institution of church a source of much injustice? No. Historically has the church committed great injustices? Yes. Injustice is accidental, not essential, to the church.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

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Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

The Church = the Body of Christ.

Is the institution established and sanctified by Christ the source of injustice?....no.

As said, it's not the Church itself that is the source of injustice, it's the people. Understanding the depravity of man should lead one to this conclusion. The visible church is made of fallen people. Are they the source of much injustice? Yes, I'm sure. Yet it is their sin, not just the people by themselves. If i were you, i'd address that in my presentation.

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Nathan Riese
Under Care, PCA
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Aledo, Illinois
Current student at MBBC
Future student of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
www.gpts.edu

My first thought upon reading the subject was "Humans are the source of much injustice and the church is full of humans." That may not be the most useful way to approach the subject in your particular presentation, but I think its worth thinking about.

Generally, I concur with Ruben, and think the way he divides the question might be the best way to present the topic to your class.

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Kathleen M
nondenominational
Montana

Contrast the true church versus the false. Medieval Papism was unjust as a system. Those truly saved saints of the ancient church were a persecuted minority who, through treating the sick and outcast, examplied the love of Christ. The false church now is unjust for peddling religious trinkets and using God as a tool for profit, while the true church proclaims truth and is willing to suffer in service to others.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone