Why “3rd millennium pilgrim”?

I had lunch with a good friend the other day who asked me why I chose this title for my blog.  Especially considering the fact that many people (including me, by the way) have trouble spelling “millennium” (How many “n”‘s and “l”‘s again?).

Putting aside for the moment my almost complete ignorance of the “do’s and don’ts” of the blogosphere – part of the reason I’m blogging is to help me figure all of that out – I chose that title because of the way I view the development of the Christian Church.  If you were writing a play in three acts on the history of the Church it would look something like this:

First Millennium (Act I) – the rise of “Christendom”.

Second Millennium (Act II) – The fall of “Christendom”.

Third Millennium (Act III) – ?????????

Well here we all are in that third millennium, all pilgrims, at least in the view of the Vatican II Council. We’re journeying ever closer towards God, manifesting along the way as a Church a “real though imperfect holiness.” We’ve learned what we are NOT – an earthly kingdom that can be even remotely judged by wordly standards of success or failure. (Of course, Jesus said that two thousand years ago – takes us awhile to catch on.)

But what are we?  When the history of the third millennium of the Church is written (assuming, of course, we haven’t managed to bomb ourselves into the Stone Age – or worse!) what will those historians say?  Even more important, what will be the images of Church most treasured in the hearts and minds and souls of believers.  How will we even understand the concepts of “believer” and “Church”?

Any thoughts?

Jim Philipps (3rd millennium pilgrim)

P.S. I was just surfing a bit and came across the following analysis of the question: Was Jesus married? It’s the best study of the question I’ve read: http://blog.beliefnet.com/markdroberts/pages/series/was-jesus-married.html