We live in an age where people are made to believe in the absence of their own capacity to think and make decisions on their own. This is not a new phenomenon to any extent of the imagination. The tendency for the powerful to oppress the weak has existed since the dawn of humanity. However, I'd like to express my thoughts of a particular incarnation of this phenomenon which I have encountered recently.
In a church meeting a question arose regarding the eligibility of women to take communion while they are in their period.
Many adamantly asserted that it is the will of the church for the woman to abstain from communion during her period.
An argument erupted on the correctness of such a commandment.
Out of this argument two primary opinions arose:
- One opinion justified this commandment in many words, such as: the woman is not unclean, however, she is not suitable for communion. They compared the "period" to lack of fasting.
- The second opinion was that this rule is simply wrong and should be nullified
I label the group which associated themselves with the first opinion as institutionalists. They care to justify the institution of the church in all its decisions. They see the "church" as being represented in the Holy Synod. They believe the Holy Spirit guides the Holy Synod in all its decisions; and therefore attribute inerrancy to the Holy Synod.