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| To me, this association of churches doesn't just represent a "Gesellschaft," an organization, but a "Gemeinschaft," a beloved community and spiritual family. |
In all my years, I've never witnessed an issue so divisive for churches everywhere, now that increasing numbers of gays and lesbians have openly formed such partnerships. I have advocated, without success so far, for our taking as much time as necessary listening to each other and praying and discerning together, to reach some kind of consensus that could hold us together.
We are all prone to cherry-pick Bible texts that support our positions, but here are a few of my favorite ones on the issue of maintaining unity among God's people:
"How very good and pleasant it is when we live together in unity!"
- Psalm 133:1, a song of ascent
“I pray that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may
be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
“May your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.”
- Jesus Christ
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you
(all) have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other,
making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep
yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body
and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.”
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors
and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do God’s work and build up the
church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and
knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and
complete standard of Christ.”
-the apostle Paul
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
May one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians
By our love.
-Peter Sholtes
Good column. Thanks for reminding us of those verses. I think there are more strong reasons to stay together than to disassemble. Differences we have can be better addressed in the context of a supportive community, than by spliting. It seems unwise and egotistical for me to tell someone else they can't worship with, or be a part of my faith community unless their beliefs are the same as mine. Hasn't this happened numerous times before, and are we a better church because we split up when we differ instead of loving each other in spite of our disagreements. There will never be a time when we all agree, so we should learn to celebrate the fact that we are all different and no two are alike.
ReplyDeleteWell said Harvey!
ReplyDeleteIt is so much easier to criticize than to lament and look within.
ReplyDeleteThe strain is over more than some congregations' willingness to recognize monogamous same-sex marriages.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I am a bit shocked that the previous commenters here did not allow us to know who they are. -Kathleen Temple (Rockingham County, Virginia)
ReplyDeleteSecond, I have an HYPOTHESIS regarding the divisiveness of the issue at hand. I wonder whether it might be as divisive as it is because it demonstrates the deep differences between people's very most basic assumptions about reality. Some of the possible illustrations:
ReplyDelete1. Is life basically free & abundant or basically scarce & scary?
2. Do humans need freedom & dignity or control?
3. Will human society go berserk if human hierarchies are neglected?
4. Is God more on the loving side or more on the judging side?
5. Does "salvation" ensue via healing or via punishment?
6. Is it okay for older person to be led by younger ones?
7. Is violence sometimes necessary?
There are probably many more ways to explore the issues.
For love IN ALL ITS VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS, Kathleen Temple
p.s. Virginia Mennonite Conference stripped me of my ministerial ordination back in the day because I did not believe the "correct" things about sexual/gender identity/partnerships. The Conference has yet to make things right for persons who do not "toe the line" in their intimate love partnerships. I believe that a person who disrespects another's care-full choices in love puts their own soul in jeopardy. The stories about Jesus inspire more than anything else that I can think of.
Thanks Harvey. I echo concern of people not standing behind their words. That, to me, exacerbates hard conversations.
ReplyDeleteJesus taught us to love one another as He has loved us. I don’t remember Him attaching conditions. You may not agree with “legitimizing” same-sex relationships, but you are not called to be God. You are called to be an agent of God’s (Christ’s) love. Jesus dealt with those he encountered with love. Go thou and do likewise.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Harvey. I find it painful and I grieve the loss of brothers and sisters through these divisions. The New Testament, and Jesus himself, has much more to say about unity than about separating from those we disagree with. I would like to see our commitments to church membership include a commitment to walk together in times of differences. "By this they will know you are my disciples, if you have love for each other." - Jesus
ReplyDeleteAs someone who seeks to be a lifelong learner, I appreciate all of your responses, including those who disagree with me. I do hope all of us will agree, however, that without a consistent demonstration of I Corinthians 13 agape, (sometimes in the form of "tough love") we are nothing. The very first description of it Paul gives is "Love is patient..." That means not just putting up with things, but persevering, not giving up on each other.
ReplyDeleteI have wondered, and sometimes been appalled, at our government and churches are so preoccupied with sex (abortion, LGBTQ) that distaste and even hate tend to dominate dominate. I also wonder if those that make all the fuss really know or have known someone struggling in either of those areas. I agree that LOVE, (and of course, a little more education) would be healing for the hurts so that we could learn to respect each other as individual humans.
ReplyDeleteJanelle, As an aged white male myself, it may be all to easy for us to be most vocal about sins we will never be guilty of and thus never have to repent of.
ReplyDelete