Letter to The Editor - The Distance Between Christ and the Church

to THE AGE
     Elizabeth Farrelly sees the Church as ‘the patriarchal superstructure’ that is built ‘like a skyscraper on a well’  (‘Be a saviour to your spiritual beliefs, free Christ’, 8/7), but I see it as a noble, if flawed, institution that offers me a sacred space in which to worship with my local neighbours every Sunday. I see it also as the organisation which introduced me to Jesus and his teaching. Without it, I might never have attended to his beautiful words and deeds.

     Yes, churches and church people have by no means always believed and acted in accordance with the gospel wisdom at the heart of our sacred tradition, but we should not exaggerate the distance between Christ and the Church. Both are always needed.
NJ, Belgrave, Vic