So, do I practice religion? It’s an interesting question. I’m an Irish evangelical Christian, and this is an evangelistic blog. But most Irish evangelicals that I know balk at the word religion.
Maybe they associate religion with trying to get to heaven by being a member of a particular church or sect or by practicing some religious rituals. Or even just being in a religion for cultural purposes without really being believers. Most will say that it’s about a relationship with Jesus rather than religion; that is, a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You even see that focus on the heart and on your relationship with God in the Old Testament:
Psalm 51:16-17
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
And in the New Testament, the focus shifts from ritual to relationship too:
Col 2:16-17
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Of course, we will go along to church meetings to worship together and to encourage each other, but there’s no magic in churches or rituals. And because so many conflicts arose from tribal attitudes, where members of particular religions went to war with one another, people are uneasy with religion.
In the Republic of Ireland, I grew up hearing about Catholics murdering Protestants and Protestants murdering Catholics in Northern Ireland. I don’t imagine that such people had a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, though some, such as David “Packie” Hamilton did eventually come to a true and living faith. Many argue that the conflict wasn’t really about religion, which is a fair point, but nominal cultural attachment to religion can divide, which is probably why John Lennon sang “Imagine no religion” thinking the world would be a better place without it. But without religion, people might divide in other ways. People even fight over football teams.
So, religion is often seen in a negative light in modern Ireland. And of course, you also have loss of confidence in the Roman Catholic Church because of abuse scandals, the new atheism and what’s termed “wokeness”. People often say that they’re spiritual, but not religious. The Roman Catholic church teaches that knowingly and willingly missing Mass is a mortal sin. But Mass attendance is much lower than it was when I was growing up. In 2011, weekly Mass attendance in Dublin was reported at just 14%.
But then again, statistically, if you identify with a particular faith, it’s counted as a religion. Even in the New Testament, the word religion is sometimes used in a positive light even though most of the people who opposed Jesus were religious.
James 1:26
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
I suppose James is pointing out that people who are outwardly religious can be downright nasty, as we saw with the Scribes and Pharisees and with many religious people over the centuries. We should aim for love and personal holiness.
Growing up in Ireland, I found that even back in the 1970s, people were very reluctant to identify themselves as religious. If you did, you were considered a little odd. But people would go to Mass, get their babies baptised and go through the other church sacraments. I was much more impressed when I met evangelical Christians. None of them liked to use the term religious, but they were very happy to identify with Jesus, worship and learn together and to chat about the Bible etc. So, am I religious? In that sense, I suppose I am.
And whatever doctrinal disagreements exists between world religions, I would think that most religious people who believe from the heart aspire to love God, love others, and seek God’s mercy because they realize that they fall short. And I would believe that God shows mercy because Jesus died on the cross for us. It’s all summed up in the Irish hymn, There is a Green Hill Far Away.
1 There is a green hill far away,
outside a city wall,
where the dear Lord was crucified,
who died to save us all.
2 We may not know, we cannot tell
what pains He had to bear,
but we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.
3 He died that we might be forgiv'n,
He died to make us good,
that we might go at last to heav'n,
saved by His precious blood.
4 There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
of heav'n, and let us in.
5 O dearly, dearly has He loved,
and we must love Him too,
and trust in His redeeming blood,
and try His works to do.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Hibernia Gospel 