Commentaries Index
Freestyle
Christianity
By Fr. Gregory-David Jones, O.S.B.
Introduction
There
is a popular trend that isn’t something new, but has been
gaining more acceptance recently with the ever growing
popularity of internet social media. Being
dissatisfied with mainstream Churches, some individuals have
decided to personally not engage in a believing
community. Additionally some even promote the idea
that the Church is really unnecessary through internet
websites and social media. Whether it takes the
form of a blog, a song or a video commentary, the idea of
the Christian faith without the Church can be characterized
as Freestyle Christianity because it appeals to many
Christians as a way of not carrying the “baggage” of
religion while maintaining a personal belief in
Jesus. No longer will they have to worry about
rituals, regulations of membership in a church and they can
disassociate themselves from the misuse of power, hypocrisy
and scandals that have always been part of the history of
religion. They are free to choose when, where and how
they worship or what to believe in. Their spirituality
is in line with the modern exultation of self-determination
and free-thinking. However, regardless of how popular or
socially acceptable the idea may be, it is fundamentally
contrary to the very founding principles of Christianity.