Formative role of the Church in society

One  observation anyone will naturally make, while traveling in some parts of Europe, is how the villages and towns have grown geographically  around a church. Most villages will have at least one church building with its imposing presence in the serene skyline. 

Any community follows a philosophical tradition for its formation and evolution. Socrates, introduced the trilogy of truth, Morality and Technique(process) as foundational values for human existence and pursuit. It is but natural that the Christian west in the 19th and 20th centuries looked up to the church to be able to provide that thrust for pursuit of truth, morality, application of knowledge for human well being. The vicar of the church was viewed as the facilitator  to inspire the community for such a noble pursuit. Even now, all though church attendance has declined considerably, these churches still remain as reminders of the formative influence, they had in human development, promoting values of morality and truth and leading the community to live responsibly and relationally. 

In india, churches we inherited from the British are located in most prominent locations of towns and cities, in the good tradition of what was in the west. The churches were perceived by people as social institutions to advance truth, morality and human relatedness. That is why, the society welcomed the initiatives of the churches to establish educational institutions, Hospitals, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, etc. They were governed fro m the time of their inception by the calling to promote truth, morality and fullness of life for all people.

I wonder whether these institutions and churches, which  are still prominently located geographically in villages, towns and cities are viewed by the society as beacons of our historic commitment to truth, morality and fullness of life for all ! The Church is not an edifice of brick and mortar, but a movement of people that exists to serve others - in this instance to highlight the seminal values of truth, morality and just ways of sharig our resources with each other.

Much before the Right to Education Act came into being, I know of schools and colleges, owned by christian managements, setting aside a quota for students from the economically weaker sections of society. In two schools that I know, some children who received this assistance have later become teachers in the same school   I am familiar with several initiatives to enhance the capacity of tribals and dalits at tremendous risk by living among them. A church is a called apart community self-giving followers of Jesus.

M.C.Mathew