I'm a Conservative?

Church History--a discipline with which I fear I have become far too familiar over the course of this summer--provides us with a number of examples by which we might compare the happenings of our contemporary lives.

One of these comes to us from the Reformation.

During that tumultuous time in the history of the Church, two men stand as examples of diverging ways of looking at the work of God in this world. The first of these is Erasmus--scholar, writer, Catholic churchman, satirist and much more. He believed in the cause of learning and remain faithful to his religious ideals throughout his life--questioning and correcting yet never bolting the great Church of Rome.

Then there's Martin Luther--scholar, preacher, Reformer extraordinaire. Though starting out deeply enmeshed within the Catholic framework, his efforts at reform were rebuffed by those higher up and subsequently bolted from the church of his youth.

Two men. One a classic conservative--staying close to the ways of the past yet working to correct abuses within. One a sort of liberal--freeing faith from the chains of the past and starting over with a new idiom and rallying cry.

It's the same choice many face today when considering the sometimes sorry state of our churches. And it's not an easy one either.

I've come down on the side of Erasmus. And I really think I'm right. There's just so much potential within the church and so much danger in doing away with the inherited structure altogether.

Some good friends, however, are starting to head Luther's way. They just cannot abide what they've seen and experienced in the churches they've been and feel abandoned and betrayed by the institutions of Christianity. We've debated, argued, talked...yet here we are--Erasmus and Luther--both agreeing changes must be made yet for all our differences just staring at each other across a room.

What now, I wonder?