Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians

Religious believers should acknowledge that they are now “strangers” in U.S. society, in part because of their own failures, but should nevertheless work for renewal and worship God with joy, said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput.

“Our job is to be the healthy cells in a society. We need to work as long as we can, as hard as we can, to nourish the good that remains in our country – and there’s a deep well of good that does remain – and to encourage the seeds of a renewal that can only come from our young people.”

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Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

A great article detailing Archbishop Chaput's criticisms and commentary.


After reading the article, do you agree or disagree with his assessment?

ChezC3 said:

Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

A great article detailing Archbishop Chaput's criticisms and commentary.


After reading the article, do you agree or disagree with his assessment?

Click to expand...

I agree ...

Many activists, on the right and the left use their activism as both an idol and a mask, they forget that they serve God first, and they serve him as a person first, and they are to renew themselves in Christ constantly, and instead hide behind a political ideology.

I also agree that genuine Christians are a stranger, InFact anyone who puts moral value above market value or justice and love before profits and Growth is a stranger.

But it all starts With service to God, and everything else follows.

ChezC3 said:

Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

A great article detailing Archbishop Chaput's criticisms and commentary.


After reading the article, do you agree or disagree with his assessment?

Click to expand...

With all due respect to His Grace, we were warned about these things in Matthew 24. It is clear that Christ was not necessarily referring to this time in the 21st century, but, as someone a lot smarter than I am has pointed out, history has a tendency to repeat itself, usually with the same results. So I guess the short answer is that we are strangers in a strange land. I couldn't imagine it 50 years ago, and I can barely believe it now.

RGacky3 said:

I agree ...

Many activists, on the right and the left use their activism as both an idol and a mask, they forget that they serve God first, and they serve him as a person first, and they are to renew themselves in Christ constantly, and instead hide behind a political ideology.

I also agree that genuine Christians are a stranger, InFact anyone who puts moral value above market value or justice and love before profits and Growth is a stranger.

But it all starts With service to God, and everything else follows.

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There was a thread a little ways back about people who hold socially conservative views and "left" economic views. I couldn't remember who posted it to look it up, and I never got a chance to comment. Was that you by any chance?

I strongly related to this article. I look at headlines, I read what people say, I talk to people, and I'm like, WOW??!?!? Either call me old fashion because I think fire is magical and we should be afraid of it or something is definitely off with our society.

Unfortunately, because the Catholic Church isn't the tyrant ruled Monolith that our protester society has made it out to be, there is also conflict from within.

Personally I find capitalism no more compatible with the Church than I do socialism. Basically, I'm echoing the Archbishops sentiment on a topic he didn't necessarily broach.

it's just me said:

With all due respect to His Grace, we were warned about these things in Matthew 24. It is clear that Christ was not necessarily referring to this time in the 21st century, but, as someone a lot smarter than I am has pointed out, history has a tendency to repeat itself, usually with the same results. So I guess the short answer is that we are strangers in a strange land. I couldn't imagine it 50 years ago, and I can barely believe it now.

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There is a book by Abraham Herschel, a rabbi, "The Prophets". In it (a brief section) he tells of the characteristics of what makes a prophet. Now I'm no way in hell calling you or myself one, but it definitely touches on the same themes in regards to the disconnect of the righteous to their society.

If you've never read it, I would recommend it. Along with most of his works.

ChezC3 said:

There was a thread a little ways back about people who hold socially conservative views and "left" economic views. I couldn't remember who posted it to look it up, and I never got a chance to comment. Was that you by any chance?

I strongly related to this article. I look at headlines, I read what people say, I talk to people, and I'm like, WOW??!?!? Either call me old fashion because I think fire is magical and we should be afraid of it or something is definitely off with our society.

Unfortunately, because the Catholic Church isn't the tyrant ruled Monolith that our protester society has made it out to be, there is also conflict from within.

Personally I find capitalism no more compatible with the Church than I do socialism. Basically, I'm echoing the Archbishops sentiment on a topic he didn't necessarily broach.

Click to expand...

May have been me, I am very socially conservative, I'm also very left economically.

I don't think the term "socialism" is even helpful, I don't like using the term becuase People automatically think it means "state controlled economy" which is NOT what I believe AT ALL. Unfortunately most Neo-liberals (thats what many American "conservatives" actually are, not conservatives, but neo-liberal market radicals), only see the world as either a market Capitalist Plutocracy or the Soviet Union ....

Both the state and the market have major problems and Authentic Christianity critiques both.

RGacky3 said:

May have been me, I am very socially conservative, I'm also very left economically.

I don't think the term "socialism" is even helpful, I don't like using the term becuase People automatically think it means "state controlled economy" which is NOT what I believe AT ALL. Unfortunately most Neo-liberals (thats what many American "conservatives" actually are, not conservatives, but neo-liberal market radicals), only see the world as either a market Capitalist Plutocracy or the Soviet Union ....

Both the state and the market have major problems and Authentic Christianity critiques both.

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I am as well for the most part.

Sometimes it is, other times not so much... I use the term specifically for that very reason, as that is the varietal of socialism which the Church opposes. I am aware of the wide scope socialism encompasses but would still use the word for brevity's sake.

The Church preaches the themes of socialism (small s, the wide type) yet does its best to damn any implementation. Also, its critique of liberation theology to me is almost incomprehensible. Its critique is incomprehensible to me not so much for what is said, but what isn't. If you're going to criticize a work of that magnitude than it is imperative that you elaborate further, giving insight and clues as to what would bring it in-line with the Magisterium.

I agree with your assessment of the political landscape of our time. I don't share that view of others that it is a choice of the extreme opposites.

ChezC3 said:

I am as well for the most part.

Sometimes it is, other times not so much... I use the term specifically for that very reason, as that is the varietal of socialism which the Church opposes. I am aware of the wide scope socialism encompasses but would still use the word for brevity's sake.

The Church preaches the themes of socialism (small s, the wide type) yet does its best to damn any implementation. Also, its critique of liberation theology to me is almost incomprehensible. Its critique is incomprehensible to me not so much for what is said, but what isn't. If you're going to criticize a work of that magnitude than it is imperative that you elaborate further, giving insight and clues as to what would bring it in-line with the Magisterium.

I agree with your assessment of the political landscape of our time. I don't share that view of others that it is a choice of the extreme opposites.

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I don't think it's critique of Liberation theology is based on the ends and actions, so I think both the conservative and Liberation theogists in the Church for the most part want to oppose neo-liberalism and have a Church that Works for the interests of the poor, I think their problem (from what I understand), is the idea in Liberation theology that the gospel is about Liberation, and thus demands literatory action, I think the gospel is Liberation from sin, and from that we become made anew, and are thus a People for the poor, but the gospel itself is not an earthly reformist gospel.

I'm not a catholic, so I don't have a dog in the fight, but I have a TON of respect for especially the Latin American Church and what they've done for the poor and oppressed while staying true to the gospel (even though I think they have parts of it wrong ), but at the same time I have a lot of respect for the more conservative catholics.

I myself also still use the term socialism, just because I can't find another Word ... I mean I could use communalism, but honestly the ones that freak out at the work socialism, will deamonize anything that threatens their God, which is the Market, property and profit (the holy Trinity of American "libertarianism")

ChezC3 said:

Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

A great article detailing Archbishop Chaput's criticisms and commentary.


After reading the article, do you agree or disagree with his assessment?

Click to expand...

I agree with parts and I disagree with parts.

I do feel many have lost sight of what thier religion and faith actually is, the hierarchy of it. To many people use it simply as a tool to judge/force others and that couldnt be more wrong and backwards.

Personally as a christian, in my life, I've never felt more at home. I dont feel like a stranger by any means whatsoever based on religion. There are things I disagree with and dont like and IMO subjective lack of morals some people have but not any more so that was in my past IMO. And a natural amount for a free country also IMO.

I dont think i want to change the CULTURE of the NATION to match me or my religion nor would that be america. Now might i want to change certain things that I think benefit americans regardless of religion? yes. And i do agree 100% that people need to take ownership of themselves and focus less on others, its sickening and they make a mockery of themselves typically.

People should thank god they live in a county that allows them to pray to and have thier god, i know im thankful for that because it could be different.

As far as LEGAL marriage goes, thats got nothing to do with religion nor does it constrain my freedoms, in fact it increase them as it does for all of us.

My relationship with god/my religion is mine, thats it. Its not to be forced on others or how everybody does it.

Basically based on religion/faith I'm very much at home here cause I see my home as just that, my own home. I dont judge my home on the entirety of the country because that would be silly. I live in a great country where I have the freedom to practice and so do my neighbors. The general values/morals line up in the basic ways and thats great. Wanting more would be wanting less freedom for others and those wants are fine but they arent american (freedom/rights) wants.