There is a tendency within humans to look for ritual. And at times to be quite nitpicky about the ritual. The cloth was not folded correctly. (Change that phrase to the flag was not folded correctly, if you don’t get it). The motet should have been Mozart. We should not sing that response. We should fast. We should not fast. Sister Hippopotamus and Brother Elephant definitely need to fast.

We should count our carbon footprint and offset it. Carbon taxes are immoral, as the money should go into development and charity. We will have divided opinions on these issues. Even when there are people who really want to do good  — there are often huge arguments over what is the correct course of action.

Paul was clearly dealing with this.

Romans 14

1Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.5Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.7We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s

via Daily Lectionary Readings — Devotions and Readings — Mission and Ministry — GAMC.

The Festivals and Fasts Paul was talking about were those laid down by Moses in the law and being faithfully followed to this day — and to their best ability — by the Jews. There is nothing wrong with the festivals. There is a lot wrong with making them compulsory.

Let’s take a modern example. The ritual  of confession has benefit and we are indeed commanded to confess our sins to each other. However, the ritual or rubric is compulsory for Catholics. I’d argue that the ritual is optional, but the need to confess is not.

It is important that we allow differences on areas that are not essential and confront and correct congregations when issues are essential.The latter is the true reason for church discipline — the secular authorities can keep the peace, but we need to keep the unity within the congregations and between congregations. And even for the Roman church –  which has a magisterium and the most directive cathecism — this is an  ongoing challenge.

If the current socail democratic system collapses under the weight of debt. then the Churches do have a duty, as institutions, to set up or support setting up more localised and human banking and social institutions. It’s best that we do this as a consortium, as for somethings there is truly strength in unity.