Do we need some updating?

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TheOldColonel

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Throughout my life, I’ve heard certain people say, “I don’t like the readings at Mass. The world has changed and it’s time for the Church to catch up with the times. Things need to be updated.” Each time, I’ve asked the person what needs to be “updated,” In each case, I’ve learned that the person has a bone to pick not only with certain Bible passages, but with a litany of Church teachings on topics like marriage, divorce, abortion, war, capital punishment, homosexuality, celibacy, ordination of women, etc.

How would you respond to one who says the Bible and the Church are “outdated”?

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Indeed. This concept seems lacking in the minds of many.
 
It’s ok. Don’t be sad.

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TheOldColonel said:
How would you respond to one who says the Bible and the Church are “outdated”?
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Millions of people think that. I don’t know, there isn’t an easy answer. At least, there isn’t a single stock answer that will work for everybody.
 
The interpretation may be outdated. The Bible itself is not. We believe it gives us the truth about God, the resurrection and salvation. That will not change or cease to be relevant.
 
Point out that there is nothing to update. “Get with the times” is flawed thinking. The Church has an established nature. The outside world is filled with false messages and perversions. We are not to imitate the world.
 
When I hear people say this, what I have learned is they usually mean they don’t find things in the Church or Mass to be relevant to their lives. So I would ask, “What changes would you like to see that might make things more relevant to your daily life?” If they are up for the conversation, chances are they will have a laundry list of suggestions. I wouldn’t try to invalidate what they say. However, you could then suggest ways for them to receive current practices so they BECOME relevant to the person.

I also would be careful not to discount their ideas or (name removed by moderator)ut. There is always room for improvement, in practice, at least.
 
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I would respond that the Church certainly does change (we are not like the 16th century church before the Reformation), but it changes slowly. There are good and bad things about slow change, but generally I think slow change is good.
 
People who say the Bible and Church are “outdated” should value ecumenical councils more highly as the Church intended, such as the Vatican II council.
 
The Church doesn’t need to get with the times- the times need to get with the Church.
 
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I once asked a man who said Scripture and Church doctrines need updating if he had any old letters or cards he was saving from loved ones who have died. He said, “Yes, of course… From my grandmother.” I then asked him if he thought the letters should be “updated” since times have change. He seemed, rather unhappily, to get my point.

In my opinion, updating Scripture and Tradition is a bit like editing your grandmother’s old letters because they’re just too old fashioned. The disdain for things old and traditional seems to be a driving force in today’s western society.
 
I was talking about the music, but that’s a good point.
 
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TheOldColonel said:
How would you respond to one who says the Bible and the Church are “outdated”?
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I would probably say from my experience an update in any institution on the face of this earth tends to occur when an Authority deems that an update is necessary. I hear you and would love to have a civil discussion on any of these topics. However, in the end unless you or I can show that we were given the authority from God to make these changes how are we able to claim that the Bible or the Church is outdated, solely based on the fact that we are unwilling to accept Her teaching on (fill in the objection here)?

That is the number one problem in our society today, an unwillingness to accept authority in our lives.

Pick any one of those topics and in the end it has nothing to do with updating what is now true, it comes down to me doing whatever I want to do when I want to do it and no one has any business telling me what I should do or which parts of the Bible I need to believe in.

Maybe try to be a little kinder than me but if they aren’t willing to discuss who has the authority then they are pretty much letting you know that nothing you say is acceptable since they are the ones in charge.

God Bless
 
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