About the Breaking Church Project
The Breaking Church Project (BCP) is a movement that recognizes that the only way Christ's church survives is by breaking itself down and starting over. This goes for the whole shebang: denominations/sects, congregations, pastors/priests, buildings, missions organizations, praise bands, theologies, religious private schools, sermons...all of it. While the Bible teaches us that anything can be redeemed, we have to stop thinking that it's up to us to redeem, well, anything.
It's not about faith — we're all believers here — nor is this yet another faith deconstruction initiative. Instead, this is about how we "do" our collective faith: we should still journey together, but not centred in the Godforsaken structures and idols we've made Church into. We've taken Christ's word and bastardized it, butchered it, and twisted it beyond recognition, and told the world that we have a say in the salvation of others. We don't. We are not in charge of any part of eternity, nor are we the gatekeepers of the truth. What we've built is beyond redemption on the scale that organized religion has created for itself. What we've built is not the church of Christ; what we've built is the Church of Church. It has to go. Burn it all the fuck down.
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It's time.
About EB Rowan
EB Rowan is the founder of the BCP, via the arts, education, and faith. They've put words and podcasts together, sat through way too many silly Church services, and have had too many thoughts about why this Church thing isn't working.
The Basics
We've assembled the basics of the movement here, as well as statements of response. We expect that the FAQs are gonna get really, really long as people figure out what we're up to.
"Church" vs...
“Church” vs. The/Our/This/That/My/Their/Some/Other/Etc. Church
Church is the unquestioned concept instilled in Christians from babyhood that we need somewhere to go, support, and defend no matter what. We differentiate it this way simply because this term refuses to “other” different churches (see: how sects view and distance themselves from other sects — Catholic vs Protestant, for example), and therefore must encompass them, almost without exception.
Who We Are
The BCP is made up of every Christian who ever felt let down by the organized church, and who recognizes that the institution of Christianity is only redeemable by breaking it down and starting from scratch. EB Rowan is an individual who realized it was time to stop trying to fix what’s beyond fixing, and decided to take a leap of love-driven faith.
What We Do
Identify the ways in which Church has broken covenant and explore why, therefore, a complete physical, social, emotional, and economical breaking down of Church is needed.
Why We Do It
Because those who are called to take action, should do so. This is what we feel called to do. Plus, Christ's message and ministry was caring, kind, and full of love, which is what we're called to as well.
Why This Matters
Because Church has hurt too many people for too long and refuses to change, even when the evidence of sin and corruption is overwhelming. Most importantly, because it is structured almost entirely to protect itself, Church refuses to repent and dismantle the harmful structures and ideas it has created in service of human greed.
Are you politically aligned?
Fuck, no. We have beliefs and opinions, but these are personal. We promise never to take from and/or give money to any political party or group.
Thinking About Salvation
Fear of eternal damnation has suppressed many of the ideas explored in the BCP, but has not eradicated them. There is no evidence to suggest that having thoughts of any kind threatens your eternal relationships. There is, however, a mountain of biblical and historical evidence that paints a very different version of eternity than we've long assumed. We certainly aren't afraid to ask questions and critique these human constructs, because the bible does tell us to have lots of thoughts, to love our neighbours, and that our eternal path is negligible compared to these.
Why Do You Swear So Much and/or Use Crude Language?
In short, because sometimes there are only certain words that will do the job, and this includes salty language. But in a bigger sense, we swear because we can't ignore that the world and our place in it as followers of Christ can't be separated from those we seek to love and serve, hopefully towards the good news. We need to be able to hear and use the language around us: you can't listen to (and therefore are useless to Christ) if you cover your ears whenever you hear something your don't like and/or find offensive. We refuse to be useless to Christ. Are there limits? Yes. Hateful or discriminatory language has no place here or in our lives. (But honestly, comparatively speaking, we don't swear that much. Really.)
How Can you call Yourselves Christians?
Easily. We follow the teachings and principles of Christ and his mission on earth. That said, our views on the historical character of Jesus aren't very mainstream, but reflective of scholarship that more holistically places the Christ character in its historical context. In terms of Church, the bible has zero to say about organized religion or the "churches" we've come to know; it does, however, set out advice and suggestions for small-gathering churches, as followed by the earliest Christians. And likewise, us.
Thinking About Change
We hope for quick results on a macro scale to prevent more abuse and pain, but we recognize that Church is likely too big, too far gone, too invested in itself to change. This is sad but true. We can change the micro realm by leaving Church and investing in and loving our neighbours. Love will dissolve the toughest, oldest stones, the very foundations of Church, but it’ll take time.
How You Can Help
Share these stories and ideas. Stop apologizing for and defending Church. Leave Church and start something Christ-centred where you are. Contribute ideas and creations to the BCP (click here to ask and find out how).