Special to United Methodist Insight
A few weeks back, I found myself in a debate with a well-meaning churchgoer who was growing less and less friendly. He was lamenting the changes our church has undergone to be more receptive to new members, yearning for the "good old days" when sanctuaries were packed and communities revolved around Sunday service, all while doing everything the same way we’ve always done them. Sound familiar? It's the seductive siren song of nostalgia that has lulled many churches into a dangerous slumber.
Atlas of the Heart book cover
UM Insight Screenshot
Recently I was reading Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown, and she shared the history of the term “nostalgia” I was surprised to learn it wasn't always the warm, fuzzy feeling we associate it with today. Originating from the Greek words "nostos" (homecoming) and "algos" (pain), nostalgia was initially a medical term coined in the 17th century for a severe form of homesickness. Soldiers, displaced from their homes and thrust into the horrors of war, would often succumb to this ailment. Symptoms ranged from anxiety and insomnia to irregular heartbeat and anorexia. In extreme cases, it could even be fatal.
While modern medicine no longer recognizes nostalgia as a distinct disease, it's worth noting that yearning for the past can still have detrimental effects on our mental and emotional well-being. It can trigger feelings of sadness, loss, and even depression. This is particularly alarming when you note that our memories are not always as reliable as we think – often nostalgia is a yearning for something that never really was. Instead, our hearts and minds fill in the blanks and misremember an idealized, fantastical version of the past. This is particularly relevant to the church, which seems to have fallen prey to a collective nostalgia epidemic. In her book Daring Greatly, Brené Brown wisely observes, "Nostalgia is also a dangerous form of comparison. Think about how often we compare our lives to a memory that nostalgia has so completely edited that it never really existed."
This rose-tinted view of the past blinds us to the Church's historical shortcomings. We forget the exclusion, the discrimination, and the rigid dogma that alienated countless souls. While reminiscing about packed pews, we overlook the empty hearts that sought solace elsewhere. While pining for organ anthems and archaic rituals, we turn our backs on a culture that has shifted away from it all to grow, adapt, and evolve. Nostalgia isn't just an emotional indulgence or a potential mental health hazard; it's a spiritual roadblock. It stifles innovation, resists change, and perpetuates a static model in a dynamic world. When we fixate on recreating a bygone era, especially if that era is fantasy to begin with, we miss the opportunity to forge a new path.
So, how do we break free from nostalgia's grip? It's not about erasing the past but confronting it with unflinching honesty. We must acknowledge the Church's flaws, learn from its mistakes, and embrace the messy, unpredictable journey of faith. Let's stop treating our churches like museums and start seeing them as vibrant ecosystems.
Within our churches are communities that are meant to evolve, adapt, and thrive in the present. It's time to trade in the comfort of nostalgia for the exhilarating challenge of creating communicating a faith in ways that speaks to the hearts and minds of today.
The Church is on the cusp of a renaissance. Let's shed the weight of crushing nostalgia and embrace the uncharted territory of the future. It's time to build a Church that's inclusive, authentic, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Even though it is fun to reminisce, it is also fun to dream big dreams. It’s time to give up our fantastical selective memories for the new visions of what’s to come in our local churches!
Kellen Roggenbuck
Licensed Local Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck serves Stoughton UMC in the Wisconsin Annual Conference and teaches Evangelism and Discipleship at the Iowa Conference Licensing School.