Charles Handy thought for the day on the compost theory of the church, that is, how people tend to notice the church and its people in a collective heap, but not when it's spread out, doing good in the world. Handy begins the thought discussing how a friend introduced him to the compost theory of the Church and how it operates in the world. He proceeds to argue that the problem with the Church originates in the fact that most people only come across the Church when it is in the compost heap, not when it is at work in the world, but comments that if the compost theory really worked, then the millions of church goers would be enough to reinvigorate a nation. Handy goes on to state that there are others ways to fuel one's energies for the good outside of Church, and provides his own example of a viewing of a Christ painting by Piero, della Francesca and the impact it had on his life.
Handy, Charles B Sansepolcro (Italy) Church of England Piero, della Francesca, 1416?-1492 Umbria (Italy) Sansepolcro (Italy). Civic Museum Bishop of Durham
Source
Charles Handy thought for the day on the compost theory of the church, that is, how people tend to notice the church and its people in a collective heap, but not when it's spread out, doing good in the world, December 15, 1993; Charles Handy Papers; Box 18, Folder 9; 1 page
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