In this world we can hope to know only the church in her present aspect, hated by her foes, betrayed by false sons within her pale, sore oppressed by the vast number of evil persons in her membership, rent asunder by schisms, distressed by heresies, weeping amid the toil and tribulation and tumult of her warfare. To want to know any other kind of church is presumption, a hankering after a
theologia gloriae instead of the
theologia crucis that is our earthly lot. -- A. C. Piepkorn, *The Church* p. 49
In one of his Table Talks, Luther said, and I paraphrase, "Whoever is looking for a perfect Church really wants no Church at all."
ReplyDeleteTom Fast
Yet despite our shortcomings, God comes to us with Grace. May we recognize our worth comes from Christ Jesus alone. All is good; we beggars still have the Eucharist.
ReplyDeleteAmen and Amen!
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