A different image of Christianity

In the past I have mostly imagined Christianity - in its unified, disembodied form of being - as a castle of sorts where the different denominations and proper churches are different form of rooms and regions in this wide castle- space. There is a common center and the walls are made of the doctrines all christians share together, but some rooms are locked from the others and all sections isn't available for everyone. This image is all well and good, but recently something else came to me that focuses in a better way that Christianity is an actual living being inside the fractal cosmos of the Lord. 

The three main churches of Christianity; Catholicism, Orthodoxy and (yuck) Protestantism corresponds to three-parted division of the body; Head, Heart and Belly. Catholicism is quite clearly the Head. Not even the Orthodox disputes that the seat of Peter should have a leading role of the Christian church and in any case the Catholic dominance world wide is resulting that when someone from the outside is picturing Christianity they likely envision a papal bishop in some form. The imagery, aesthetic and general influence on the culture that Catholicism has makes them the face of Christianity. It's who we are, to the outside. Catholicism is also structured in a strict hierarchical, almost bureaucratic way. What the pope and the leadership says that the church is, so also it becomes. Kind of. Of course there is a fractal version of all of this also inside of Catholicism alone and they also have Heart and Belly-institutions and groups inside of them which makes these images a bit less clear than perhaps would be ideal, but still - Catholicism is in many ways defined of their rational, clear minded way of thinking and structuring their theology. It likes their rules, their dogma and to elevate them as much as their spirituality can muster. This is simply what a head does. 

Orthodoxy is corresponding to the Heart, the Heart is focusing into what is of the most crucial importance and to stay there. Regardless if there are gloria or kyrie- times the Heart keep on pumping, keep staying in the centre to do what it is supposed to do. The spirituality of the Heart becomes naturally more mystical and hidden. It isn't as clear as with the Head what Orthodoxy thinks on this or the other matter, the language isn't as directed to the outside as with the Head - yet, it's undeniably orthodox and non-heretical. True to the core. Again, every church has their own body with all the departments and the orthodox belly has sometimes made their churches to appear vain or apathic even, but in Christianity Unified the Orthodox stands for a consistency that isn't depended on a leader structure, worldly power or affirmation from the outside in other means but merely a devotion to prayer and to stay true to the ways of those who went before us. I love them for that.

The Belly then, my own traditions place in the organism, stands for.. everything else. No, but but the Belly represent the Many, the multitude, and the option to do things in different ways than what the Heart and Head can allow for themselves. The Christianity that came after the reformation stands for a liberation of the christian spirit, for good and bad. The most poignant draw back of this mode of being is that protestant churches can't stop dividing and separating from each other. The multitude can't really contain itself and in a way it is our bodily purpose to be in this mode. The positive side of this process is that the Christian way of life reaches groups of people that would never fit in the higher structure of Christianity. The Christianity we practice is often watered down and not seldom heretical in one way or the other, but it is still done with sincerity and a true longing for the Lord that created all churches active in this form of being. Belly-christianity has a weaker defence against the passions of existence and these kinds of churches is often toying at the borders to what is lawful to do as a Christian. They are neither as structured nor as disciplined as the departments above them, but on the other hand the Belly has a reach the other forms really can't get. It is through protestant faiths Christianity became one with the culture of the world. Again, for good and for bad and if all of the church would have behaved this way we likely would have lost our roots, but no, we are divided not only as a cause of evil and sin, but also for the greater good when it comes to the Being of Christianity. 

I repeat it once more, that all three divisions named here has their own full fractal copy of this being within them and there are heads and hearts also among protestantism that keep things as straight and structured as they can be down below in the body, there are groups that focuses on the holy things of proper Christianity and makes sure that our religion doesn't stray away to become something completely different in the process of multiplying. As long as this balance is uphold I think even the groups up above can recognize that their weird brothers in the Belly are still living out Christ to the beneficial for all of them. Belly-Christianity is still weird, wobbly and has a tolerance for the outside the Head and Heart simply can't, and shouldn't, stand. But it has a purpose. 

How is it possible that we still hold together then, when we are so deeply different in many ways? Well, in this image, I would like to propose that there is a backbone that every section is sharing in the same fashion. This backbone is the millenium of Christian practice where Catholicism, Orthodoxy and especially Protestantism where foreign terms or at the very least not words that pointed to different churches or modes of faith. There was only Christianity. These thousand years of unified faith is still influencing all of us and all of us share this heritage with the same right - as long as we agree with the creeds we all have in common from this age (creeds that in this image can say to be the skin and garment these bodily organs have around us.) To a protestant especially this is highlighted in that we can shortcut the traumatic centuries that followed from 1054 into 1517 and onwards with all their conflicts and bloody disputes among brothers to connect with a tradition that is so rich, so deep and indisputably unified. From that foundation it is then possible to go forward and appreciate all spirituality that has happened in the sections of both the Head and the Heart without looking down of what the Spirit has done through the Belly as well. All of it belongs, all of it makes Christianity into what it actually is. 

In short - this image helps me better to be a ecumenical in a meaningful way in a world where the union of the different churches likely will never come to pass - this image helps me see that it actually isn't necessary. Not as long we keep remember the backbone, not as long we keep realise that we are united in essence and in a being higher than all of the organisational churches we keep going here on earth. It's not always easy, but when we are moving in the principles of love towards each other I think it is at the same time unavoidable to take notice of.