By Sarah Calkins | Echo
When we think culture, it's usually defined by geography. The people of Brazil have a different civilization than England, which has a different culture than Zimbabwe.
But what about religion? Don't Presbyterians have a unique religious culture, as do people who attend nondenominational churches? Don't Lutherans have a religious culture that contrasts with that of Seventh Day Adventists? Some denominations have different holidays, different emphases, different songs-but what is often overlooked is that they are all Christian. Embracing the differences of these cultures allows us to step outside of our norms and see that the church truly is wide-ranging, diverse and beautiful. What happens, though, when these cultures collide within the same person? Where do you fit in? What happens when you're a third-culture kid within your own religion?
Growing up, I was full-on Roman Catholic. At week two, I was baptized. Second grade brought my First Communion and first Reconciliation. I attended CCD (Catholic Sunday School) until eighth grade-the year I got confirmed. When confirmation time arrived, I decided to leave the Catholic church and join the Methodist church with my mom. I continued to attend Methodist churches until I came to Taylor in 2012. For all those years between eighth grade and Taylor, I didn't consider myself a Catholic. I was 100 percent Evangelical Protestant (or so I thought).
When I came to Taylor, however, everything changed. J-term and spring semester of my freshman year were some of the hardest times of my life because, as I grew in my faith/theology and as a person, I started to realize just how "Catholic" I really was. I missed the absolutely beautiful traditions I grew up with. I found myself sneaking to Stations of the Cross services at Upland parishes during Lent. I missed the beauty of communion, the mindful cleansing of Holy Water and the sweet smell of incense.
I rode a fence between Methodism and Catholicism and I thought I had to choose a side. I then had to answer one of the most basic questions one can ask oneself: who am I?
Honestly, I was terrified. I felt like I didn't belong anywhere-a nomad. I felt like I was in purgatory (Catholic humor)-not Catholic and not Evangelical Protestant. I didn't fit in anymore with the Evangelical community I had chosen to be a part of since I joined the Methodist church. I chose to be a part of this community, didn't I? I didn't want to be Catholic anymore . . . right?
My torment came from a mindset that I couldn't be both. What I couldn't understand, and what I didn't understand for a long time, was that I was and could be both. I have Evangelical beliefs, but I have Catholic beliefs, too. I love worship in Chapel, but I also love the splendor and reverence of Mass. I can be and am both. I fit within Christianity-just nowadays, I happen to be more Catholic than anything else.
One of the tremendous beauties of the human race is how different we all are. Cultures adds to the masterpiece of mankind. The same thing goes for Christianity. I have come to embrace the fact that all of the different cultures within Christianity are okay, and they make our Christian family spectacular.
Whether you're religiously monocultural, a third-culture kid or a nomad in search of a home, go explore the diversity of Christianity. Embrace the beauty of other cultures within our faith. If you were raised nondenominational, then try out a Greek Orthodox service. If you were raised Lutheran, go to Kingdom Life one Sunday. Learning from other people's cultures will not only open your mind to the Body of Christ, but might also teach you about yourself.
