The Problem with Saints

On All Saints' Sunday Clay Nelson focused on the challenge of understanding the idea of saints when the idea of an external personal God in heaven no longer makes sense. He concludes with a position description for saints that could make sense to progressive Christians. "Ultimately my problem with saints is that they perpetuate the idea that the church is a club. The concept of sainthood feeds our inclination to be exclusive. Who are named saints says a lot about who is a member. I might change my mind if Gene Robinson is ever given a feast day in our lectionary, but until that day I will maintain my position that venerating people as saints is divisive." Read entire text at http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=327&id=781