Freedom of Conscience and Matters of Justice

We have mostly welcomed "freedom of conscience" ... even when that may have lead a pastor/session to "refrain" from just behavior, though firm lines were drawn leading up to the Civil War on slavery, and in the early 1970s, with regard to the ordination of women. On both of these matters, it was believed that a "house divided" could not serve the LORD or bear a faithful witness to the world.

With regard to the ordination of LGBTQ persons, it was saddening to me to note the numerous charges filed against pastors/sessions who, for reasons of conscience and Scripture, "violated" the "no ordination" ban for LGBTQ persons - those opposed to LGBTQ ordination were not willing to grant merit to "conscience," though now, at least on the matter or ordination, now allowed for LGBTQ persons, we grant "conscience" allowances - since ordination to local office is a matter of the local church, it's highly unlikely that any charges would be brought for not electing and ordaining an openly gay person. It will be interesting to see what would happen if a congregation nominates and elects a gay person, contrary to the wishes of the pastor. Would the pastor relent, or would the pastor invite in a neighboring pastor to preside for the ordination?

Should marriage equality become the law of the church, no pastor would be compelled to officiate at a same-gender marriage (in spite of the fears raised up on this matter by those opposed).

As you rightly note, it is a justice issue, though the opposed see it as a "biblical/tradition/theological/faith" issue. Because of the seriousness of their resistance, there's no need for them to be compelled to ordain an LGBTQ person, and if marriage equality prevails, there will be no mandate to officiate at same-gender marriage ceremonies.

I think time will take care of this, though not entirely eliminate it. After all, we still have pastors who resist the ordination of women, would not allow the knowing ordination of a gay person, and we have still church that continue to practice an institutional segregation. 

Those who cannot abide by such things have options, of course. Folks/churches can always leave. Many a pastor, lots of members, and some churches, left for the UCC to find freedom of faith and life. Others left for the PCA and EPC to find theological safety and congruence. And now, on the conservative side of things, ECO offers refuge for those opposed to the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the life of the church.

In the matters of local ordination, and in the matter of marriage equality (should that come to pass), "freedom of conscience" is operative, in spite of the fact that those who favor ordination and marriage equality see it as a matter of justice. And why? It's a matter of kindness, recognizing that the "purity" of the church is hard to define, but the "unity" of the church isn't.

New Days for the PCUSA

Pondering, pondering, pondering ... I do that a lot in the early morning hours, and it was earlier than usual this morning because of the storm, that came like a freight train, roaring winds and pounding rain.

So, here I am ... the storm has settled down into a steady rain ... and I'm still pondering ... encourage by the latest Presbyterians Today Magazine and a few stories about renewal, recovery and hope.

Looking back over my years of ministry, I think the #PCUSA spent a lot of time apologizing to the world (nothing entirely wrong with that), but much of it, I fear, was driven by the evangelical onslaught constantly throwing into our face "our many failures" ...

Membership loss, a sign of apostasy.
Preaching that doesn't save souls.
Confusion about Scripture.
Uncertainty about Jesus Christ.
Failure to support international mission.
Disregarding Scripture, first with women, and then homosexuality.
A left-wing social gospel prompted more by Marx than Mark.
Secular humanism.
And,
A general abandonment of all things godly.

We can learn from our critics, and there are things here to ponder.

But this I know, we were knocked for a loop, and we felt bad. We felt bad about our losses, our confusion and our many sins. We hung our heads and moped around. We read books about "evangelical success" and wondered where we all went wrong.

The evangelicals were relentless in their criticism, and with each decade, some found one more reason to leave the PCUSA, to affiliate with a more conservative group or to start a new denomination. And we hung our heads and moped around, wondering what was wrong with us.

These days, though, I think we're pretty much done hanging our heads and moping around. For a lot of reasons, we've taken a deep breath and are finding ourselves again ... and learning that we can't be all things to all people. We can't ordain women and not ordain women. We can't ordain gays and lesbians and not ordain them. We can't be interfaith and reject other faiths. We can't welcome the latest in biblical scholarship and reject biblical scholarship. We can't read Genesis 1 and 2 literally and metaphorically. All of these are mutual polar opposites. After the last 50 years, we're learning that our "sins" weren't so sinful after all, and as much as some would love to see the "uneasy coalition" of interests and purpose remain intact, the settling out of the PCUSA is healthy and good.

There comes a time when some have to go this way and others that way.

It's all right.

In the PCUSA air I breath these days, heads are held higher and hearts beat with fresh hope. Yes, we have our issues, and that'll always be the case. But fresh winds are blowing, the sky is clearing, and the storms have passed.

It's a new day for the PCUSA ... and I affirm these essentials:

At our best, we are a tradition that:

Affirms and welcomes biblical scholarship ...
Resists fear and despondency ...
Affirms and welcomes everyone ...
Supports marriage equality and civil rights ...
Rejects the harsh rules and values of consumer capitalism ...
Affirms the role of government in the welfare of the people ...
Stands in solidarity with other faiths and celebrates the goodness of Jesus the Christ ...
Sings hymns, psalms and praise choruses ...
Welcomes missional, emergent, traditional and progressive insights ...
Works all around the world with faith, hope and love ... not afraid of the world, finding more friends than enemies, never threatened by other traditions and philosophies, eager to learn from all and eager to share what God has kindly given to us.

There's more to the story, I know ... and we'll discover more of ourselves as God shapes us for the remaining 21st Century ... learning by the love of Christ, to walk with heads held high enough to see the Christ lifted up, and to walk gladly in this world of ours, humbly because our sins are many and there's still so much more to learn, and gratefully, because God's grace is greater still.

The storm has passed, at least for now, and the rains are gentle. God's peace to the PCUSA, and in all things, "let our light shine before others, so they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven."

Presbyterian Layman - Murky Waters

Just surfaced after wading into the murky waters of the Presbyterian Layman's website ... wow, are they are the warpath - self-anointed righteous battle against the evil, fire-breathing, god-denying, Bible-rejecting, heretical and apostate, liberal, hell-bent-for-leather #PCUSA #love221, monster. 

They cheer the negative, ignore the positive, celebrate schism, deride those who walk on the PCUSA sunny side of the street, paint themselves as all good, and folks like me all evil. 

It'll be a long time before I dirty my feet in that swamp of hatred and arrogance. 

Sorry, if this language is a bit over the top, but I need some aspirin and a hot shower.

Wow!

O Happy Day and Some Tough Questions

Re: the decision today of the PCUSA General Assembly meeting in Detroit to allow pastors in states where Marriage Equality exists to freely choose to officiate at same-gender weddings without fear of ecclesiastical reprisal.

Adam Walker Cleveland, Designer

And sent to the Presbyteries an overture to amend the Book of Order by changing "man and woman" to "two people" in the marriage section.

Here's something I wrote a few moments ago and have posted in various news outlets:

I'm a PCUSA pastor (now retired), and I'm rejoicing ... I now that some sisters and brothers are lamenting right now. Well, I've lamented plenty over the years as our church failed, as I see it, on this matter. After many such failures, I believe we have made some vital mid-course corrections. Clergy in states where Marriage Equality is the law can no officiate at a same-gender marriage without fear of ecclesiastical reprisal. Over the years, I didn't leave even when my heart was heavy and I believed that the church was failing Christ. I have always practiced the Larger Loyalty that transcends the pain of the moment. Many of my conservative sisters and brothers exercise a loyalty to dogma that trumps loyalty to one another; in their hearts, they believe this is loyalty to Christ. But how can one love Christ and walk away, often with bitterness and denunciation, from one's sisters and brothers. Tough questions, for sure, required by difficult times when the pull-of-the-past is at war with the pull-of-the-future.

Voting for Amendment 10-A Today

I've prepared the following floor statement - don't know if I'll have the opportunity to speak, but if I do, this is what I'll read:

Sisters and Brothers, I voted for The Way Forward, not because I was happy with it, but because I trusted the Task Force that crafted it, and because I believed that it could give us some much-needed breathing room.

I will vote for Amendment 10-A for the same reason – it will give to all of us breathing room, though we have our preferences for the kind of air we breath.

We have a unique opportunity to show the world that we’re slightly different than the usual squabbling that characterizes so much of our contemporary discourse.

The world is not much interested in what any of us believe, but very interested in how we live. 

Our witness to the world is very much a matter of how we love one another. And to love only those who are in agreement with us hardly qualifies as love at all. Love suffers, because it suffers one another.

I don’t have all the answers, and none of us do. Though we’d all like to think otherwise. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus often keeps our eyes closed, and then, when the time is right, opens them up, and we see Jesus, but only for a moment. Then it’s up to us to leave the Table and run back to Jerusalem, as fast as our feet can carry us, to join hands with all the other disciples.

Today, we have a chance to break the logjam … clear the air … and return to the ordaining bodies the rights and responsibilities of ordination.

Will this solve all of our problems? Nothing ever does. But it will help us start moving again, however the Spirit should move us, and however moved we are, may it only be toward one another, with a greater respect for one another’s integrity, sense of mission, and how we do church.

With a final recognition, that we’re all in this together. While we may not see eye-to-eye, it’s Christ who links us together arm-in-arm.

I invite you to join with me in an affirmative vote for Amendment 10-A.

The Presbyterian Layman ...

From my Presbyterian Outlook blog, posted 11.1.10 ...

I'm in a good mood this morning, so I decided to pick up, with trembling hand, of course, the latest screed on the decline of all things PCUSA (The Layman) ... and, of course, the rising stars of the PCA and EPC, and all such related groups. 

Well, I'm still in good mood, doubly glad that I'm not in their camp. It has to be mighty difficult for them, living in a world threatened with PCUSA evils ... sort of like living in the Poltergeist 1 home.

What I don't understand is the lack of joy in The Layman ... just so much anger, bitterness ... and the constant drumbeat of PCUSA's sins ... and a bizarre gleefulness over every perceived "failure" or "fault" in the PCUSA. 

As I read the letters to the editors, I was impressed with the depths of hatred therein. I get the feeling that The Layman and the FOX Network are strolling along, hand-in-hand.

Amazing.

Whatever else this is, it's not healthy.

Of course, it's all defended in the name of Jesus, whom they're defending, or so they think, as if Jesus even needed our help. The Layman clearly illustrates the adage, "With friends like this, who needs enemies?"

There are times I wonder if it's worthwhile to say anything. But as long as The Layman continues to shout is blasphemies, I'll shout out the grace of God in Christ. As long as The Layman continues to claim to have the upper hand on God's truth, I'll protest. As long as the Layman claims to have the moral high ground on life, I'll point out how immoral their mindset it. 

Anyway, I'm delighted to be where I am, and who I am, and I thank God for the grace to be here.