We've been on vacation since the afternoon of July 31, and this is the first time I've used a "real" keyboard since then (today is August 11), so I guess that's something. I did post on FaceBook that, while spending time "crashing" next to Lake Michigan, I was pondering St. Paul's purpose, mission, and vision, which is in the midst of a renewal process. So, I haven't been without "work," while we've been away. Brian Bauknight, one of my mentors and friends, noted on that same post that he found that he needed to take at least three weeks of vacation in a row before he could "exorcise" the church out of his head in time to enjoy a brief "unfettered" break. Honestly, while it is true that I really enjoy what I do as a pastor and preacher (and I DO), I am aware of the psychological and spiritual pitfalls which can result from taking no breaks.
We have actually had a wonderful holiday, as the Brits would say, celebrating our granddaughter's 4th birthday and spending some time with her family in Louisville, cruising on Lake Erie out to Kelley's Island and South Bass Island (Put-in-Bay), and then venturing here to Mackinac Island. We stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant (yes, we're suckers for their goofy shops; I go nuts over the "legacy" candy) in Maumee, Ohio. It was like stepping into a different world--a very diverse one, racially. Milling around the restaurant and waiting for their tables were large African American families, clearly coming from a morning of church, families from Indian and Asian heritage, and Muslim families as well! They were all friendly with each other, and upon overhearing some of the conversations, I would say many were resident neighbors. I think I would like to live in a community like that. I know I would like to have a church like that! As I pondered the purpose, mission, and vision of St. Paul's during those "restful" moments along the lake, two words kept "thought bombing" my consciousness: diversity and justice. Whatever our final, new vision looks like, I think it needs to address these, somehow. If we are happy with how our church looks now, we need a revival moment, friends. While we celebrate the good that the Spirit of God is doing in our midst, and through our mission and ministries, we would do well to develop a little "holy anxiety" about our lack of diversity. And while our church has some diversity in terms of politics and stands on social justice issues, there ARE many issues we could begin to address with action groups and community organizing: dismantling racism; working for equality and justice for LGBTQ individuals; new ways to fund education that don't create such disparity in school quality within a ten-mile radius of 1965 Ferguson Road; and climate justice. Does not the Good News of Jesus compel us to address those things that create social stratification with the extremes we see around us?
While I have not pondered "nuts and bolts" methodologies in my mental meandering while away, I do believe we have to start with a vector and some volition. Please join me in pondering and praying about how our congregation can begin to actively address these (and I'm sure, other) issues that face our communities and our churches. If St. Paul's is to be a leading church in our connection, it is time to begin leading.
I'm writing this while sitting on the porch of The Harbourview Inn "cottage," along Main Street, Mackinac. It's a restful place, if you want it to be, and a bustling place, if you walk up into the middle of town. It is not a diverse place. They have no compulsion to be, but the church does! I can't help but wonder what Mackinac would be like if it looked more like Maumee, Ohio?
See you all soon, back in "The 'Burgh." Grace and peace...
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Monday, July 18, 2016
Conversations and Intersections...
I don't know if I will ever learn to stop responding to most "arguments" on FaceBook! I guess it's the debater in me that wants to answer shoot-from-the-hip posts by people (usually about some theological or biblical issue) with a well-structured and carefully reasoned counterpoint. After painstakingly pouring over my response--often on my iPhone or iPad, without the benefit of an actual keyboard, the individual responds back with an even more terse narrative that amounts to what we used to do when we were kids: "Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, NYAH, nyah!" It's then I realize that no post of mine, no matter how well reasoned, no matter that it draws on seven years of formal theological education and 31-plus years of ministry experience, will change the other's mind, nor will even get them to doubt their intrenched position.
That's the problem with FaceBook, or any other electronic/social medium: it isn't at all the same as face-to-face conversation. Are we in danger of losing that art? I miss those times of sitting around the refectory tables in seminary when we could debate biblical interpretation, theological concepts, and how these affect our lives and the world. Rarely did we "agree," but the conversation expanded our understanding and served to "soften" our individual positions, making it harder and harder to put down an anchor and become permanently intrenched. Maybe this is at the root of the gross polarization we are seeing in the church, in the political realm, and in the world, in general? And even when we DO talk, it is often on a smart phone, when we resist the urge to just text the other. Talking through an artificial channel such as this strips conversation of all of its non-verbal cues, which some say are responsible for 85 percent of all communication! Are we really getting ourselves into so much philosophical trouble because we're only utilizing 15 percent of our human communication skills? And writing posts on FaceBook or "tweeting" on Twitter takes away the verbal cues as well!
Common ground. There, I said it. This is a term that has largely been exorcized from our lexicon today. There once was a time when we could find "common ground" with the other through conversation, looking for points of intersection between our divergent philosophies, interpretations, and opinions. Now, we just want to "win." I'm tempted to call that the "Trump" effect, but the phenomenon pre-dates the Trump candidacy. In fact, it may be this very societal polarization that made the Trump candidacy possible!
I could cite numerous examples of the kinds of things that should be fed by more and meaningful, face-to-face conversation, such as the current church debate over LGBTQ inclusion, the political debate over economic or foreign policies, or the merits and misgivings of universal healthcare, but the current poor (or non-existent?) state of real conversation over these has resulted in mostly just "yes" or "no" answers over each. How sad, for these are highly complex problems requiring highly complex and most often compromising solutions.
Early today, on the day I am writing this, Space-X successfully launched a Dragon space vehicle along with a specialized docking adapter and supplies to the International Space Station. The booster rocket successfully landed itself back at Cape Canaveral for later reuse. A few months back, this same mission ended in disaster when the rocket exploded shortly after launch. If the engineers at Space-X had applied the same logic and dysfunctional rhetoric to solving that problem as is currently being used in public discourse, they would have concluded after that failed launch: "Aw hell, let's just shoot another one off! It'll probably work..."
Now, let me dial this way down to a much less volatile subject: the notes that come across a pastor's desk. Often, these notes are prayer requests, or persons wanting to make sure that we know that so-in-so is in the hospital, for which we are indeed grateful. (Modern HIPAA laws restrict what information hospitals can provide, even to interested caregivers such as pastors, but most hospital admissions software still has the questions about "church affiliation" and "Do you want your clergy person informed?" Even if the answer to this out-dated query is "yes," no hospital informs us, due to HIPAA.) However, sometimes these notes have suggestions, and they can be many and varied. For example, I recently received a note suggesting that we not do the "greet one another," or "pass the peace" during worship, as people tend to only greet the people they know, ignoring first-timers. (Studies actually support this note writer's conclusions, by the way.) However, this week, another note came across my desk, suggesting that we should do the "passing of the peace" or "greeting time," if we fashion ourselves as a "welcoming" church. Obviously, taking either of these two positions will not make everyone "happy." There is some possible compromise by having the greeting time on an occasional basis, which is what we have been doing at St. Paul's during our larger 10:30AM service. We always have the "passing of the peace" at our 8:30AM Communion service, and actually have a five-minute "fellowship break" during our Saturday evening service. Since both notes I received were unsigned, I am not able to have conversation with those making the suggestions, or I might suggest that a better response to welcome new people would be for our "veteran" church members to look around during the gathering time and intentionally greet persons they don't know, rather than "force" an awkward greeting for 30 seconds during the service. (Remember, the introverts among us don't like to be "blitzed" or surprised by personal attention.) This rather benign illustration shows, however, that even among well-meaning and "allied" individuals, very different opinions may arise. And I'm sure that both of these individuals feels strongly about their position. Conversation might help each see that not everybody benefits from their suggestion or philosophy about church greeting. Conversation might provide a chance for friendships to develop.
If there is one thing I have come to believe in my ministry experience (and in life, in general), if we err, we should err on the side of including, loving, and respecting persons. Years ago, someone popularized the question, "What would Jesus do?" In the Bible, we have a clear answer--he loved people, especially those marginalized by his society and the religious base of his day. Either everyone is a child of God or they are not. I believe they are. If yo do not, good luck sorting that out. Grace and peace, my friends!
That's the problem with FaceBook, or any other electronic/social medium: it isn't at all the same as face-to-face conversation. Are we in danger of losing that art? I miss those times of sitting around the refectory tables in seminary when we could debate biblical interpretation, theological concepts, and how these affect our lives and the world. Rarely did we "agree," but the conversation expanded our understanding and served to "soften" our individual positions, making it harder and harder to put down an anchor and become permanently intrenched. Maybe this is at the root of the gross polarization we are seeing in the church, in the political realm, and in the world, in general? And even when we DO talk, it is often on a smart phone, when we resist the urge to just text the other. Talking through an artificial channel such as this strips conversation of all of its non-verbal cues, which some say are responsible for 85 percent of all communication! Are we really getting ourselves into so much philosophical trouble because we're only utilizing 15 percent of our human communication skills? And writing posts on FaceBook or "tweeting" on Twitter takes away the verbal cues as well!
Common ground. There, I said it. This is a term that has largely been exorcized from our lexicon today. There once was a time when we could find "common ground" with the other through conversation, looking for points of intersection between our divergent philosophies, interpretations, and opinions. Now, we just want to "win." I'm tempted to call that the "Trump" effect, but the phenomenon pre-dates the Trump candidacy. In fact, it may be this very societal polarization that made the Trump candidacy possible!
I could cite numerous examples of the kinds of things that should be fed by more and meaningful, face-to-face conversation, such as the current church debate over LGBTQ inclusion, the political debate over economic or foreign policies, or the merits and misgivings of universal healthcare, but the current poor (or non-existent?) state of real conversation over these has resulted in mostly just "yes" or "no" answers over each. How sad, for these are highly complex problems requiring highly complex and most often compromising solutions.
Early today, on the day I am writing this, Space-X successfully launched a Dragon space vehicle along with a specialized docking adapter and supplies to the International Space Station. The booster rocket successfully landed itself back at Cape Canaveral for later reuse. A few months back, this same mission ended in disaster when the rocket exploded shortly after launch. If the engineers at Space-X had applied the same logic and dysfunctional rhetoric to solving that problem as is currently being used in public discourse, they would have concluded after that failed launch: "Aw hell, let's just shoot another one off! It'll probably work..."
Now, let me dial this way down to a much less volatile subject: the notes that come across a pastor's desk. Often, these notes are prayer requests, or persons wanting to make sure that we know that so-in-so is in the hospital, for which we are indeed grateful. (Modern HIPAA laws restrict what information hospitals can provide, even to interested caregivers such as pastors, but most hospital admissions software still has the questions about "church affiliation" and "Do you want your clergy person informed?" Even if the answer to this out-dated query is "yes," no hospital informs us, due to HIPAA.) However, sometimes these notes have suggestions, and they can be many and varied. For example, I recently received a note suggesting that we not do the "greet one another," or "pass the peace" during worship, as people tend to only greet the people they know, ignoring first-timers. (Studies actually support this note writer's conclusions, by the way.) However, this week, another note came across my desk, suggesting that we should do the "passing of the peace" or "greeting time," if we fashion ourselves as a "welcoming" church. Obviously, taking either of these two positions will not make everyone "happy." There is some possible compromise by having the greeting time on an occasional basis, which is what we have been doing at St. Paul's during our larger 10:30AM service. We always have the "passing of the peace" at our 8:30AM Communion service, and actually have a five-minute "fellowship break" during our Saturday evening service. Since both notes I received were unsigned, I am not able to have conversation with those making the suggestions, or I might suggest that a better response to welcome new people would be for our "veteran" church members to look around during the gathering time and intentionally greet persons they don't know, rather than "force" an awkward greeting for 30 seconds during the service. (Remember, the introverts among us don't like to be "blitzed" or surprised by personal attention.) This rather benign illustration shows, however, that even among well-meaning and "allied" individuals, very different opinions may arise. And I'm sure that both of these individuals feels strongly about their position. Conversation might help each see that not everybody benefits from their suggestion or philosophy about church greeting. Conversation might provide a chance for friendships to develop.
If there is one thing I have come to believe in my ministry experience (and in life, in general), if we err, we should err on the side of including, loving, and respecting persons. Years ago, someone popularized the question, "What would Jesus do?" In the Bible, we have a clear answer--he loved people, especially those marginalized by his society and the religious base of his day. Either everyone is a child of God or they are not. I believe they are. If yo do not, good luck sorting that out. Grace and peace, my friends!
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Prayers and Sympathy...
How sad it was to hear of the horrible terrorist attacks against Muslim people during the last days of Ramadan, a high holy month for people of this faith. Hundreds died, hundreds were injured. Who did this? The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS, or Daesh, as they hate to be called), claimed full credit. If any person doubted that terrorism and the true faith of Islam should NOT be seen as compatible, these horrific attacks should end all debate. Our prayers and sympathy are with the families of all of the innocent victims and the injured. I call upon all Christians and Jews to pray for them. This is what our faiths teach us, even as Islam teaches compassion for those victimized by hatred.
President Obama's "critics" slander him for not using the term, "Islamic terrorists" to describe these fiends. He does not, and neither should anyone else, for it is not accurate. Why brand peace-loving people of faith with such a title? How would Christians have felt if the activities of the Ku Klux Klan were described by the media--or a sitting President--as "The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan lynched three more victims tonight..." There would have been a HUGE public outcry from "true Christians," nationwide. No one should use the term "Islamic terrorist." These people are just terrorists, and they no more represent the faith of Islam than the man in the moon.
Again, I suggest that if you are a person who still harbors ill against "Muslims" because of these awful crimes against humanity, please go visit a mosque (which are often called Muslim Community Centers here in America). Get to know practicing Muslim individuals in your company, organization, or community. You will find devoted, patriotic people--persons who are grateful for their families, their country, their careers, and the opportunities they earned, just like anyone else. You might just find what many of us from St. Paul's UMC have found among our growing group of Muslim siblings: incredible hospitality and a shared love of peaceful fellowship and cooperation!
Visit the website of the Muslim Association of Pittsburgh (mapitt.org) to learn more about Islam and what it has in common with the other two major biblical religions, Christianity and Judaism.
President Obama's "critics" slander him for not using the term, "Islamic terrorists" to describe these fiends. He does not, and neither should anyone else, for it is not accurate. Why brand peace-loving people of faith with such a title? How would Christians have felt if the activities of the Ku Klux Klan were described by the media--or a sitting President--as "The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan lynched three more victims tonight..." There would have been a HUGE public outcry from "true Christians," nationwide. No one should use the term "Islamic terrorist." These people are just terrorists, and they no more represent the faith of Islam than the man in the moon.
Again, I suggest that if you are a person who still harbors ill against "Muslims" because of these awful crimes against humanity, please go visit a mosque (which are often called Muslim Community Centers here in America). Get to know practicing Muslim individuals in your company, organization, or community. You will find devoted, patriotic people--persons who are grateful for their families, their country, their careers, and the opportunities they earned, just like anyone else. You might just find what many of us from St. Paul's UMC have found among our growing group of Muslim siblings: incredible hospitality and a shared love of peaceful fellowship and cooperation!
Visit the website of the Muslim Association of Pittsburgh (mapitt.org) to learn more about Islam and what it has in common with the other two major biblical religions, Christianity and Judaism.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Good News...
As I look back over my recent blogs, I realize that most of them have been dealing with difficult and controversial topics. I defend that, in that part of the role of ministry is striving for a "prophetic" voice, and calling out injustice wherever we see it. Last Sunday, I preached a sermon based on the "deliverance" of the Geresene demoniac story from Luke 8. In the CEB rendering of that text, it is said that after Jesus heals the man, he is found "completely sane." My message questioned what that would mean in today's cultural malaise. Specifically, I urged the congregation to write their legislators, encouraging them to act on an assault weapons ban and fair gun safety laws that allow for Second Amendment freedoms, but apply some common sense. I'm sure not everybody was happy with my specific call toward "complete sanity."
Here is some good news. A few weeks ago, St. Paul's bestowed the Rita Berg Peace Award upon two of our members. Freda Copper has served St. Paul's in myriad capacities over the years, but most especially in ministries that help those less fortunate or those in extreme need. So much of what Freda does is "behind the scenes," but those who nominated her felt she was due a little recognition, and since her efforts were about restoring health to persons and the community, she received the Rita Berg award. The second recipient was one of our young adults. Natalie Geer, who recently graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, received the Rita Berg Peace Award for her dedicated fundraising and "in the field" mission work on behalf of a clinic in Zimbabwe. She and a good friend raised over $30,000 for the clinic two Summers ago, and Natalie has spent considerable time on site, working with the people there. Congratulations to both of these extremely deserving disciples of Jesus Christ!
As I write this, over 40 of our senior high youth and adult leaders are working with Next Step ministries in Lexington, South Carolina. They are building sheds, installing new roofs, and doing some landscaping. After they return, our mid-high youth will be embarking on work with The Pittsburgh Project. Tami Weisner, our Director of Youth Ministries, has developed a youth program here at St. Paul's that helps make disciples of Jesus Christ out of these kids. While they have great fun and fellowship in our youth programs, first and foremost is advancing our youth in their faith development and Christian service.
Also going on this week at St. Paul's is our Creative Arts Camp for elementary children. They are painting, making gingerbread houses, "camping" in the woods behind the church, working on a musical for presentation on Friday evening, and today (Wednesday), some are even going on a field trip. And then, after a break for the holiday, St. Paul's Vacation Bible School will kick off for over 200 kids! Kudos to Erin Soza, our Director of Children's Ministries, and her adult staff of volunteers! Again, the emphasis is on faith development in all of these programs, not just "babysitting."
The organizational skills of Tami and Erin are amazing. Most of us just watch in amazement. We are so blessed to have their gifts and leadership here.
Hats off, too, to Rich McClure and our custodial staff. One look into the New Horizons room, where CAT campers are constructing gingerbread houses with "live" icing, sprinkles, and other sticky stuff, would bring the average person to tears. But these people just do what is always done around St. Paul's--just kick in and scrub carpets, clean, and turn around rooms ASAP, as no space here sits idle for too long. In the Summers, when most churches have "down time," and the custodians can perform "exceptional" cleaning of carpets, sanctuaries, and meeting spaces, St. Paul's is going full-tilt.
Hey, on this second full day of Summer, 2016, enjoy the day, and be blessed, friends. Shalom!
Here is some good news. A few weeks ago, St. Paul's bestowed the Rita Berg Peace Award upon two of our members. Freda Copper has served St. Paul's in myriad capacities over the years, but most especially in ministries that help those less fortunate or those in extreme need. So much of what Freda does is "behind the scenes," but those who nominated her felt she was due a little recognition, and since her efforts were about restoring health to persons and the community, she received the Rita Berg award. The second recipient was one of our young adults. Natalie Geer, who recently graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, received the Rita Berg Peace Award for her dedicated fundraising and "in the field" mission work on behalf of a clinic in Zimbabwe. She and a good friend raised over $30,000 for the clinic two Summers ago, and Natalie has spent considerable time on site, working with the people there. Congratulations to both of these extremely deserving disciples of Jesus Christ!
As I write this, over 40 of our senior high youth and adult leaders are working with Next Step ministries in Lexington, South Carolina. They are building sheds, installing new roofs, and doing some landscaping. After they return, our mid-high youth will be embarking on work with The Pittsburgh Project. Tami Weisner, our Director of Youth Ministries, has developed a youth program here at St. Paul's that helps make disciples of Jesus Christ out of these kids. While they have great fun and fellowship in our youth programs, first and foremost is advancing our youth in their faith development and Christian service.
Also going on this week at St. Paul's is our Creative Arts Camp for elementary children. They are painting, making gingerbread houses, "camping" in the woods behind the church, working on a musical for presentation on Friday evening, and today (Wednesday), some are even going on a field trip. And then, after a break for the holiday, St. Paul's Vacation Bible School will kick off for over 200 kids! Kudos to Erin Soza, our Director of Children's Ministries, and her adult staff of volunteers! Again, the emphasis is on faith development in all of these programs, not just "babysitting."
The organizational skills of Tami and Erin are amazing. Most of us just watch in amazement. We are so blessed to have their gifts and leadership here.
Hats off, too, to Rich McClure and our custodial staff. One look into the New Horizons room, where CAT campers are constructing gingerbread houses with "live" icing, sprinkles, and other sticky stuff, would bring the average person to tears. But these people just do what is always done around St. Paul's--just kick in and scrub carpets, clean, and turn around rooms ASAP, as no space here sits idle for too long. In the Summers, when most churches have "down time," and the custodians can perform "exceptional" cleaning of carpets, sanctuaries, and meeting spaces, St. Paul's is going full-tilt.
Hey, on this second full day of Summer, 2016, enjoy the day, and be blessed, friends. Shalom!
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
More on Orlando...
In the short time I have been writing blogs on this site since being appointed to St. Paul's, I have had to address the question of mass shootings several times! How sad that, here we are again, in the aftermath of a horrible act of violence that has claimed at least 49 innocent lives, with more than that number injured, and several still critical. This is a time for appealing to God for comfort and grace for the victims, their families, and friends. Prayer is our first order of business. The gut-punch America received upon hearing word of yet another slaughter will linger for a while, and should remind us to keep those prayers flowing until the hurt begins to subside. And pray that at least a little national healing can occur before the next gun-borne tragedy strikes.
What the news is telling us about the shooter is that he was "self-radicalized," and most likely had no formal contact with Daesh (ISIS). It appears he was a very sad man, violent in many venues, and consumed by hate. He also most likely suffered from some undiagnosed mental illness. We should pray for his family, as they seem as lost as to why he committed this unspeakable act as are the rest of us. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, Charleston to San Bernardino, and now to Orlando, this seems always to be the case. How awful it must be to hear that a loved one has done something like this and to not have had a clue that it could happen. Lord, in your mercy...
What we do know, without a doubt, is that this shooter targeted a specific community--our LGBTQ siblings. Reports say he was recently angered by seeing two men kiss. What is wrong with us? There was a time when, if we felt something was repulsive, or if it "angered" us, we would just turn and walk the other way. When did we become the kind of society that gave birth to such violent and deadly reactions? What is fueling this? And why are we picking on the LGBTQ community? Our own United Methodist denomination still discriminates against this population, so maybe we are feeding it a bit ourselves? I am so tempted to invoke the late Rodney King's question, "Why can't we all just get along?" Why, indeed.
The glorification of guns and the rise of an unyielding "front" against any sane gun safety regulations that hides behind the Second Amendment are culpable. Irrational slogans and Internet posts draw on every type of illogical propaganda, from the infamous "slippery slope" to "red herrings" and "straw men," to "support" opinions that can best be summed up in this selfish philosophy: "I want what I want when I want it," and "It is my right." (I have a real hard time with people who claim to be Christ-followers, and yet still put "my rights" above the greater good.)
Within the first three days of the Orlando tragedy, someone posted a placard on FaceBook that proclaimed:
What the news is telling us about the shooter is that he was "self-radicalized," and most likely had no formal contact with Daesh (ISIS). It appears he was a very sad man, violent in many venues, and consumed by hate. He also most likely suffered from some undiagnosed mental illness. We should pray for his family, as they seem as lost as to why he committed this unspeakable act as are the rest of us. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, Charleston to San Bernardino, and now to Orlando, this seems always to be the case. How awful it must be to hear that a loved one has done something like this and to not have had a clue that it could happen. Lord, in your mercy...
What we do know, without a doubt, is that this shooter targeted a specific community--our LGBTQ siblings. Reports say he was recently angered by seeing two men kiss. What is wrong with us? There was a time when, if we felt something was repulsive, or if it "angered" us, we would just turn and walk the other way. When did we become the kind of society that gave birth to such violent and deadly reactions? What is fueling this? And why are we picking on the LGBTQ community? Our own United Methodist denomination still discriminates against this population, so maybe we are feeding it a bit ourselves? I am so tempted to invoke the late Rodney King's question, "Why can't we all just get along?" Why, indeed.
The glorification of guns and the rise of an unyielding "front" against any sane gun safety regulations that hides behind the Second Amendment are culpable. Irrational slogans and Internet posts draw on every type of illogical propaganda, from the infamous "slippery slope" to "red herrings" and "straw men," to "support" opinions that can best be summed up in this selfish philosophy: "I want what I want when I want it," and "It is my right." (I have a real hard time with people who claim to be Christ-followers, and yet still put "my rights" above the greater good.)
Within the first three days of the Orlando tragedy, someone posted a placard on FaceBook that proclaimed:
"If a madman wants to kill innocent people
he will find a way.
Killers don't need guns to kill people.
Timothy McVeigh
used fertilizer.
9-11 terrorists used
box cutters & planes.
The Nazis used
cyanide gas...
Taking guns from
innocent people will not
protect innocent people.
The problem is not guns.
It is a Godless society."
This is the kind of ridiculous "logic" that sane gun safety regulation and banning military-style assault rifles is up against. I responded to this post by a gun-promoting acquaintance by inquiring: Have you tried to purchase ammonium nitrate in any quantity since the Oklahoma City bombing? You can't, because it is now highly regulated. Have you tried to take a box cutter onto a plane since 9-11? Oh, and we fought a World War and staged the Nuremberg Trials as a response to what the Nazis did. And yet, the AR-15 has been the weapon of choice in several mass shootings, and not ONE attempt has been made to regulate its purchase.
We are not a "Godless society." We are a society--of people of color and diversity, of a spectrum of sexual orientations, of differing socio-economic means, of many religious preferences, and political persuasions--and many believe in God. Many don't. Neither of these facts excuse us from acting in the best interests of all, and finding a way to "love our neighbors as ourselves," as someone has suggested. Every time another of these shootings happens, I pray that it will finally be the tipping point for us to demand that our lawmakers act to protect the true innocent. Children are dying because gun safety is so lax. Murder-suicides in domestic disputes are an almost daily occurrence. Over 30,000 people die in acts of gun violence each year in the United States. Having "God" won't fix this problem alone. (In fact, most of my FaceBook "friends" who advocate for gun rights claim to be practicing Christians!)
As a pastor, I am deeply grieved by the strange dichotomy between "God" and gun rights. If we are followers of Jesus, we are called to set aside our own rights when they may cause harm to others. If Jesus had followed the philosophy of the National Rifle Association, he would have turned the Earth into a cinder and walked away after his trial before Pilate. I am not against "law-abiding citizens" owning a gun for sport. And while I would never advocate that people of faith own a gun for "personal protection" (are you, as a Christ-follower, really ready to kill someone?), this is most likely allowed under the Second Amendment. But assault-style weapons? High-capacity ammunition clips? These things are designed to kill people, pure and simple. And they should be illegal to own.
So, what are we going to do? Will we keep playing our sad violin songs until the next shooting? Or will we begin to use our First Amendment rights to speak up, write our lawmakers, and vote our conscience? If not, we'll meet again at the next post-tragedy blog. God help us.
Next up...
Dear friends, I implore you to join our hearts and voices in prayer for the victims of the Orlando shootings. Having just returned from United Methodist Annual Conference, I will be posting some thoughts about this latest killing spree in our country within the next few hours. For now, let us be in an attitude of prayer...and deep, deep grief for these victims and their families, and the entire LGBTQ community.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Thoughts on the United Methodist General Conference...
The United Methodist quadrennial General Conference met in Portland, Oregon for 10 days in May, and rushed through hundreds of pieces of legislation, celebrated dozens of worship services, and experienced several demonstrations from groups protesting this denomination's current disciplinary stand, that states: "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2012, para. 304.3) Almost 100 piece of legislation seeking to modify, strike, or strengthen this stand were submitted to the General Conference, including a piece written by me and perfected by the Northeast Jurisdictional Committee on Ministry, of which I am a part. Our goal was to have the prohibitive statement removed from the Discipline, along with penalties related to it in order to allow those pastors who felt called to minister inclusively to LGBTQI persons to do so without fear of jeopardizing her or his career. Our legislation would have left this decision up to the consciences of pastors, local churches, and conferences. In the end, none of the "human sexuality" legislation was addressed.
The reason was that, when asked to provide leadership on this highly volatile issue, our Council of Bishops put forth a proposal to declare a kind of moratorium for prayer, the formation of a study commission, and possibly a "mid-quadrennial" special session of the General Conference to deal specifically with this issue. Their suggestion was passed by the narrowest of margins, meaning that no legislation on sexuality would be enacted at this year's conference. Those with a conservative view celebrated that we didn't officially change our prohibitive position, and left all current penalties in place; those advocating the change were "comforted" by a statement in the bishops' proposal that, basically, stated they would try to find a way to proceed during this "ceasefire" without levying additional charges. So, that is where we are.
The prohibitive statement about the "practice of homosexuality" was added, as I understand it, at a very late hour in the 1972 General Conference, when this issue was being debated, and it appeared no cogent theological or doctrinal statement could be cobbled together in such short time. Bishop Jack Tuell, its author, expected that the church would deal with it with integrity at the 1976 General Conference, and when, instead, it was amplified, penalties added, and became the defect position of American Methodism, he was mortified.
Today, in a different era, when science, psychology, and human experience has enlightened us to understand that "homosexuality" (same-sex attraction) is just one element of a much more complicated "spectrum" of human sexual identity which we now know as LGBTQ, the language of our Discipline needs to be changed, at the very least. Because of what we now know about the realities of human sexuality, a growing number of scholars, pastors, and laity would like to see our position on this issue changed to include LGBTQ persons fully in the church, ministry, and even in covenantal unions (marriage). Others do not. Can both groups find a home under the "big tent" of Methodism? It remains to be seen.
"But, the Bible says..." is the argument most often used by those advocating for our continued prohibition of "the practice of homosexuality." However, throughout its history, the church has understood that biblical interpretation is far from an exact science. Even those who claim to take the Bible "literally," don't, otherwise there would be stonings happening all around us, and people would be put to death for adultery. People would be locked up for wearing blended fabrics. And those who are divorced? Not allowed to be church members or ministers. Even the "literalists" pick and choose what they will interpret literally and what they do not. What guides them? Feelings? Traditions? Prejudices? Fears? There others of us whose understanding of biblical interpretation fully respects the "authority" of scripture by interpreting it with the best tools of historical-critical scholarship, societal context, and under the illumination of human experience. This is our way to let the text "live" and speak to each generation. This allows us to partition the ancient Hebrew law codes and say they were for days-gone-by. We understand that, while a sad occurrence, divorce is not something that negates one's faith or ability to worship and serve God. When it comes to "homosexuality," we believe we need to go beyond the "clobber" passages to see what the larger witness of scripture says. Jennifer Wright Knust, in her book, Unprotected Texts: The Bible's Surprising Contradictions About Sex and Desire, makes a stirring attempt at this.
I believe this is a justice issue, frankly. I agree with modern knowledge that "homosexuality" is not a "practice" or a "behavior," but is part of that LGBTQ spectrum of sexual identity that is inherent to the human condition. We are all on that "spectrum," but between 2 and 3 percent of humans (last I read, anyway) find that their biological "identity" is in some way at odds with the heart and soul of how they see themselves. They aren't "practicing" anything, it is just who they are. And it is not a choice, unless they are forbidden to act on their sexuality, at which point it becomes a choice--someone else's.
This is where I--and many other "grassroots theologians" stand. However, at this point, I am not interested in being "right" about this, just to have my view respected and accepted, as I am willing to do for my colleagues and friends who disagree. At present, however, if I act on my position by performing a same-sex marriage or approving someone as a candidate for ministry, I can be charged. I hope that The United Methodist Church can find a way forward that moves this issue under the "big tent" that has housed our differing styles of worship, practices of biblical interpretation, and tastes in religious music since the birth of Methodism under John Wesley.
The reason was that, when asked to provide leadership on this highly volatile issue, our Council of Bishops put forth a proposal to declare a kind of moratorium for prayer, the formation of a study commission, and possibly a "mid-quadrennial" special session of the General Conference to deal specifically with this issue. Their suggestion was passed by the narrowest of margins, meaning that no legislation on sexuality would be enacted at this year's conference. Those with a conservative view celebrated that we didn't officially change our prohibitive position, and left all current penalties in place; those advocating the change were "comforted" by a statement in the bishops' proposal that, basically, stated they would try to find a way to proceed during this "ceasefire" without levying additional charges. So, that is where we are.
The prohibitive statement about the "practice of homosexuality" was added, as I understand it, at a very late hour in the 1972 General Conference, when this issue was being debated, and it appeared no cogent theological or doctrinal statement could be cobbled together in such short time. Bishop Jack Tuell, its author, expected that the church would deal with it with integrity at the 1976 General Conference, and when, instead, it was amplified, penalties added, and became the defect position of American Methodism, he was mortified.
Today, in a different era, when science, psychology, and human experience has enlightened us to understand that "homosexuality" (same-sex attraction) is just one element of a much more complicated "spectrum" of human sexual identity which we now know as LGBTQ, the language of our Discipline needs to be changed, at the very least. Because of what we now know about the realities of human sexuality, a growing number of scholars, pastors, and laity would like to see our position on this issue changed to include LGBTQ persons fully in the church, ministry, and even in covenantal unions (marriage). Others do not. Can both groups find a home under the "big tent" of Methodism? It remains to be seen.
"But, the Bible says..." is the argument most often used by those advocating for our continued prohibition of "the practice of homosexuality." However, throughout its history, the church has understood that biblical interpretation is far from an exact science. Even those who claim to take the Bible "literally," don't, otherwise there would be stonings happening all around us, and people would be put to death for adultery. People would be locked up for wearing blended fabrics. And those who are divorced? Not allowed to be church members or ministers. Even the "literalists" pick and choose what they will interpret literally and what they do not. What guides them? Feelings? Traditions? Prejudices? Fears? There others of us whose understanding of biblical interpretation fully respects the "authority" of scripture by interpreting it with the best tools of historical-critical scholarship, societal context, and under the illumination of human experience. This is our way to let the text "live" and speak to each generation. This allows us to partition the ancient Hebrew law codes and say they were for days-gone-by. We understand that, while a sad occurrence, divorce is not something that negates one's faith or ability to worship and serve God. When it comes to "homosexuality," we believe we need to go beyond the "clobber" passages to see what the larger witness of scripture says. Jennifer Wright Knust, in her book, Unprotected Texts: The Bible's Surprising Contradictions About Sex and Desire, makes a stirring attempt at this.
I believe this is a justice issue, frankly. I agree with modern knowledge that "homosexuality" is not a "practice" or a "behavior," but is part of that LGBTQ spectrum of sexual identity that is inherent to the human condition. We are all on that "spectrum," but between 2 and 3 percent of humans (last I read, anyway) find that their biological "identity" is in some way at odds with the heart and soul of how they see themselves. They aren't "practicing" anything, it is just who they are. And it is not a choice, unless they are forbidden to act on their sexuality, at which point it becomes a choice--someone else's.
This is where I--and many other "grassroots theologians" stand. However, at this point, I am not interested in being "right" about this, just to have my view respected and accepted, as I am willing to do for my colleagues and friends who disagree. At present, however, if I act on my position by performing a same-sex marriage or approving someone as a candidate for ministry, I can be charged. I hope that The United Methodist Church can find a way forward that moves this issue under the "big tent" that has housed our differing styles of worship, practices of biblical interpretation, and tastes in religious music since the birth of Methodism under John Wesley.
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