Politics Advancing Participation
The Essential Power of Development in Society
The morning concluded with a presentation by political professor Dr. Klaus Topfer, director of Advanced Sustainability Studies, Postsdam. Here are some of his remarks:
Do you want to always be known as standing against something? Revolution has to be rethought. it is about wanting to change: modern people must change or die! If people are required to accept what they don't want, they leave. The goal, instead of forcing people to do what they don't want, is to get them involved in the solution. In a participatory church, participation must be honest engagement and not about a pre-determined consequences.
This do this:
- Requires time
- Recognizes the need for alternatives
- Knows the challenge of changing large structures
- Demands transperancy
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My Reflection
This reminded me of a recent experience of reflecting on the Gospel account of the healing at the pool in Bethesda. In this familiar story, Jesus comes to the place where people are waiting for the water to be stirred. When this happens the first one in is healed. Jesus speaks with a man who has been there a long time.
In my reflection the man says to Jesus: This method just isn't working for me. And Jesus replies: If you want to be healed then let's find another way ... and does.
This is our call. How can we, as invoolved and responsible adult Catholics, find a way to be church today?
