Well, once again today homosexuality and the church is back in the news after the latest vote of the Episcopal leadership in Ohio. According to reports, a last ditch effort at maintaining unity was struck at the gathering of leaders, as they voted to recommend that church leaders "exercise restraint" when considering gay clergy for bishops. It is sad that the efforts for unity seem so futile. If the church is arguing about homosexual bishops, the fight seems to already be lost. This measure already assumes there are homosexual clergy and certainly homosexual lay leaders in congregations. It seems like an attempt to fight teenage pregnancy by teaching kids the rhythm method.
The church has to deal with this issue way before it is an issue about bishops in the church. Anywhere the church has opened it arms to the homosexual community in a way that has lessened Biblical sexual standards, the church has suffered greatly. The conversations I have been trying to have here in theblogosphere are much more ground level conversations. How can the church effectively share the gospel with the homosexual community without compromising on homosexuality as sin? But the Episcopal church seems to have left that conversation far behind, with little of hope of returning to this place in the immediate future.
What has the cost been to the Episcopal Church? If you were to survey Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist congregations around the world, I can guarantee you that the overwhelming majority of churches that are growing in these denominations are those that would fall on the more conservative end of this issue. I would be very interested in seeing the growth/decline statistics of those dioceses that are such great proponents of homosexual clergy.
But, that is not the only issue at play in this news. I must congratulate those in the Episcopacy who are striving so hard to keep from further splintering their church. I am sure that many feel that if they can just stay together, down the line this issue may resolve itself in a different way. But, at what price do we maintain unity? What issues are make or break issues for the church? Theologically, the Apostle's Creed is a good starting point for make or break issues, but what issues are we willing to live with each other about?
Can we maintain unity while disagreeing about the innerrancy of Scripture? Can we maintain unity and disagree about the role of women as clergy? Can we maintain unity and disagree about sacraments? Is homosexuality an issue as large as these or even bigger? I would love to hear any insights you might have as I chew on my pastoral call to the homosexual community. My heart breaks as I think about those outside of the church who hunger and thirst to know God, but don't or can't because of their lifestyle. My heart breaks even more when I see the body of Christ divided because of this issue. How can we maintain unity and love our neighbor?
June 26, 2006 at 11:39 am
Nice post and a good way to come back to the game with.
I’ve always thought, and maybe I am wrong, that breaking away or spliting from a denomination is the worst thing that can be done in serving the mission of God. At that point, it becomes more about our own wants, needs, and desires than it does about how the church is actively responding to God’s call. Everytime I hear about churches and the gay issue this is what I think about because it seems as though if one side doesn’t get what they want they talk about breaking away. Look at the Methodist Church just at the last General Conference where the buzzword was actually used.
We have to minister to the homosexual community before it gets to this stage, that you mentioned here. I don’t know how that looks. I wish I did. It takes a lot of prayerful consideration and a lot of looking within our ownselves as to how it looks in our churches. It can’t be in a condeming way. It has to be grace led.
June 26, 2006 at 3:19 pm
I remember Popeye cartoons growing up. They actually made me try spinach for the first time even though I hated most green vegetables. But Popeye also taught me a very important line: That’s all I can stanz, I can’t stanz no more!
If I was an Episcopal minister, I would have left a long time ago and I will not be able to sympathize with those who stay. The leadership of the Episcopal church intentionally voted for a head bishop who is an vocal supporter of more gay bishops and clergy. She also believes there is nothing immoral about abortion. The entire American denomination is emphasizing its independence from the Anglican Communion showing its lack of desire to submit to their global brothers and sisters.
Having worked for and attended an Episcopal church throughout college, it is terrible to say, but it must be said: ICHABOD!
God has (sadly) left the building…
June 26, 2006 at 4:41 pm
I realize that I didn’t answer the actual question in my last response, so I thought I would give one thought on the appropriate subject.
One of the strategies that my church has in dealing with this issue is to partner with a credible parachurch organization in town that deals with different areas of sexual brokeness. Their slogan is: “100% grace, 100% truth, no compromise.” By associating with those with similar views it helps deflect particular attacks to our church. We get to find ourselves in the Christian collective that is looking for answers instead of battling by ourselves for grace and truth.
June 26, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Dave, my question to you is if you leave to go to another church, what does that solve as far as the problem within their church?
June 26, 2006 at 9:34 pm
There should be no unity within, or with, a church/denomination in which the leader makes references to “mother jesus” and supports homosexual clergy/bishops and so forth.
I like what Dave said above: “ICHABOD!”
Run…Don’t walk away from that church! They, long ago, left their first love.
I also like the slogan: “100% grace, 100% truth, no compromise.”
June 26, 2006 at 10:59 pm
“…if you leave to go to another church, what does that solve as far as the problem within their church?”
Shannon:
That is a difficult question. You see, I love the Church and believe that it is the only hope the world has. And if we tear it to shreds, the world becomes truly hopeless.
However, I don’t believe the followers of Christ who will and should leave the Episcopal church are the ones tearing that church to shreds. That is being done by the leadership and laity who are no longer orthodox in their beliefs and practices.
So in direct response to your question, the problem in that church is unsolvable from a human perspective. The orthodox leadership and laity have tried and tried to reconcile. Many of us have prayed for a change of heart and leadership for that church. But they have again and again moved in the opposite direction.
At this point, a change of heart would be through divine intervention, not human. No one should feel guilty for leaving the church behind. They should feel sad like the rest of us who see the hearts of the Episcopal church becoming hardened to the truth.
June 27, 2006 at 1:40 am
Put it that way, I see your point.
June 27, 2006 at 2:07 am
Got to agree with Dave on this one. The boat seems to have sailed on any reconciliation and transformation in the Episcopal church without God centered transformation of the leadership. I would be walking away myself right now. I could not follow a Bishop that seems to have such direct antagonism with historic orthodox Christianity. Wait, do we all actually agree on something for once? Can’t be the right answer then…
Peace-
G
June 27, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Greg just mark this day down in history. It shall be celebrated as the day that people on this blog all agreed. It shall be celebrated with Bud Lights and banana puddings.
July 4, 2006 at 1:02 pm
The Archbishop of Canteberry came up with another plan the other day. It would allow the Episcopal church to remain part of the Anglican Communion while taking a lesser role in a second tier of the church. The Nigerian Bishops called this plan “brilliant” as it would allow people to reject any Biblical teaching whatsoever and still be part of the church. (Way to use sarcasm effectively!) The whole thing is such a mess now. I think the Nigerian Bishops are right, it is time to cut the Cancer out of the church and just drop the whole Episcopal church from the Anglican Communion. Churches or dioceses that want to remain Anglican can go under another Bishop and the Episcopals can do their own thing without destroying the rest of the church.