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bible, conservatives, ECLA, exegesis, gay rights, progressives, scripture, The Episcopal Church, The Lutheran Church, theology
As some of you no doubt know, the ECLA has just voted to allow committed practicing homosexuals into ministry. They join a growing list of mainline Protestant churches who have done the same, including my own, the Episcopal Church. I believe the Quakers beat us all by decades, much to their credit.
The ECLA is now, or will soon begin to learn of the cost it incurs by this move. An interesting article in the Chicago Tribune acknowledges that the decision is being met with quite different responses, church by church within the Lutheran community.
We in TEC have been through this recently ourselves, as I alluded to. In reality, we didn’t craft a new provision, but simply returned to the original rule that places no impediment on anyone seeking ministry discernment. Each parish and diocese has handled the “discussion” as it sees fit.
One of the points made in the Tribune piece, is that perhaps God will more judge us not on the correctness of our decisions in this matter, but rather how we deal with the opposition without our congregations. And I think that may be key here. Church, representing Christian principles and what we hope are moral precepts, can and should stand as a banner as to how to remain in unity even when we are theologically divided.
So far we haven’t done a particularly good job of that. Many people within TEC have left, forming splinter churches who then try to align with Anglican churches in Africa, which have been missionaried in a more conservative mode from the beginning.
We, at my church, have been discussing the issue through a forum on the convention over several weeks. Same-sex issues were reviewed along with the church’s legislative work on health care, war, evangelizing, women’s issues, and a whole host of concerns. We too expressed our desire to approach those who think differently with care and gentleness.
We like to think of ourselves as a big tent, and indeed so do most mainline Protestant groups. We like to think we can accommodate different voices within our congregations while still adhering to the basic principles of Christian teaching. So far, we don’t seem to be doing so well.
Some see this as a general realignment of “progressive” forces and “conservative” forces, and that perhaps the future holds in store a loose agreement across denominational lines. I think that a distinct possibility.
We, in talking, referred to some of the things that we have heard about our church since the Convention. I of course could go on at length at all the really nasty remarks sent my way by ultra conservative Catholics who are ex-Episcopalians. I’ve been called evil, and blasphemous, a heretic, and well, you get the picture. One person said our church was referred to as the “gay church.” She shot back, “And you think yours is straight?”
The level of rancor is admittedly high, and that is most sad. What is more sad, to me at least, is that all is said in the name of “Jesus.” The conservatives argue that we, by our stance, prove we have no love or allegiance to Jesus or the Gospel. We of course believe with all our hearts that we do.
This points up an equally sad thing. While reading and studying the bible is a fine thing, and to be encouraged, it is sufficiently broad and obtuse overall, that virtually any position can be vindicated by some verse or another. Worse, it of course has been. The bible has been used to justify slavery, polygamy, suffering at the hands of oppressive regimes, subjugation of women, war, the death penalty,and the list goes on and on.
All this and more can be justified or not in the hands of skillful manipulators or just by the innocent but untrained reader. There was and is something to be said for the reluctance, historically, of the Roman Catholic Church in giving the average person access to so powerful and dangerous a book.
But, as I said, I’m not here to claim that the bible shouldn’t be read. But I am here to proclaim that serious attention must be paid to experts in the field, those who are linguistic experts, who have studied the anthropological, archaeological, and historical records in defining and determining what the texts actually mean, who did or didn’t write them, and so forth.
The ECLA claims they spent eight years of study in making the recommendation that same-sex restrictions be lifted. No doubt a good part of that was a thorough study of scripture. There are dozens of excellently done books on the subject, done by scholars who spend a lifetime acquiring the skills to do proper, unbiased exegetical work.
Those of us who have read this material, in quantity, find that the majority are in agreement that there is no barrier biblically to same-sex inclusion in our various religious practices, any more than there is a biblical barrier to womens’ inclusion.
Our recognition that those who continue to tout the “literalist” interpretation of “it says what it means and it means what it says,” do so for reasons other than strict reason and rationality, will enable us to reach out to such people with loving gentleness and wisdom. We must help them to dismantle the emotional wall they have erected to protect themselves against a Gospel that is more inclusive and loving than they are prepared for. We must seek to uncover the needs and satisfy them in ways that no longer do violence to the teaching of Christ. Barring that, we must honor their right to think differently, bless them, and continue on our way, hopefully in unity.
If we cannot, then indeed, I would argue no one else can.
Existential Ennui 
Well-said, Sherry, as always. Your paragraphs concerning the use of the Bible are excellent!
Thanks Jeannelle. I was wondering whether your church was part of the ECLA or the Missouri Synod. I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned. This situtation obviously touches you first hand.
When all else fails I lean into what Jesus said in the 22nd chap of Matthew:
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ 37He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
Indeed Mompriest I agree. It’s sad how may desire to attach all kinds of amendments to this grand statement.
Sherry, the Catholic Church has never “Restricted access to the Bible” by “Average People”. Going back in History, the Very few Hand copied Bibles (Before the Catholic Gutenberg Printing Press) were eagerly stolen for Resale. More Importantly, Extremly few people could read until the Priniting Press made Reading more available. That is why the Very bibles in existence were kept from “Average People”.
I feel uncomfortable, as Loving the Lord in the Catholic Church, and All Faiths, commenting on the New Men’s Ideas of Established Churches. These are Mens ideas, Not God’s. I appreciate God’s ideas more than “average Peoples”, although they are Very most important also.
It’s just Who to follow. I’ll follow God, not men’s ideas in Morality. But I fully Appreciate, Respect Every Human.
And I believe in using “Liberal”, “Conservative” only in Politics, Not Theology, Religion.
And I Will write a Magazine Article Describing the Reagan, George W Administrations as the Most Far out “Liberal”, insanelly so, bankrupting the USA so “Flood Up to the Wealthiest” (no trickle down) Economic agenda of Redirecting Federal Spending to the Richest, and exporting American jobs.
I’ve joked about Reagan Policies Reversing the USA from “Manufacturing to Service Economy” (His Words!) Looks like the USA has been “Serviced” by Reaganomics, and G W Bushonomics. The GAO Status of USA Finances May 2008 revealed the USA Bankrupt! That includes the USA selling your car, home! Record Surpluses under Clinton ($28 Billion FY 2001 GW Immediatelly Reversed by major Tax cuts on Wealthy).
Like variety in postings? (I have a way of pleasing, displeasing Everyone 🙂 )
Anthony your comments are always welcome. But I do disagree. I do think the RCC did actively dissuade its congregants from reading the bible, but that was of course centuries ago.
Very Very few Bibles existed before Catholic Gutenberg. The few Bibles existing all were Page by Page hand copied, veery scrolled, decorated. Irish Monks in fact Saved European civilization, culture during the Dark Ages.
Extremly few Bibles Existed. Educators, researchers of course were allowed to view the few.
New 3rd idea: important. What if a group of Very Wealthy people Establish their own Church, and majority decide that Slavery is Ok, with housing food? Would that justify slavery?
What if a Church or Denomnation decided that Free Sex, or Theft is Ok? Would popular opinion of the moment justify Men’s opinions ruling, Not God’s?
As a fellow Episcopalian, I’d like to thank you for the time and thought you put into this. Happily, in my own congregation we have a broad range of opinions, but it has never been a divisive issue, and we all “get along”.
BTW, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is ELCA, not ECLA. I would feel very superior if I didn’t make the same mistake myself all the time. I think we do it because we’re used to the EC in ECUSA – the Episcopal Church in the USA.
Thanks Bob, I see that I continue to invert the letters even in my comments! I’ll try to do better.
I think that my congregation deals with the subject well too, but mostly I think a few people have recognized and addressed the issue of making sure all voices are heard and more importantly validated. It does nothing to start the conversation as “what do I need to say to convince you to change your mind.”