My church, my family
I'm a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I'm still figuring out what it means to be a member of a denomination. I confess each Sunday and believe in the universal catholic church. But I also think there is something important about being committed to the people of your church body that is part of the Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 discussions of the Christian body. There's a specificity to the people in my church. It's not some generic, super-spiritual commitment to an abstract idea, but rather a real on the ground earthy commitment to flesh and blood people. This church is my family, and family is a mixed bag at best.
I'm thinking along these lines because I recently watch my church debate the issues surrounding homosexuality. Especially we were asking whether we were permitted to bless same sex unions and ordain or roster people in such unions. Personally I think scripture is clear on both issues that marriage is only permitted between one mand and one woman and should be a lifelong commitment. I think homosexual person should be allowed to be ordained, if God calls them to the ministry, but they should remain celibate. Either way, it was fascinating and rather moving to watch my church debate the issues. It made me think long and hard about what it means to be a member of this church.
I had to listen. That's what it came down to for me. As members got up to microphones and expressed views, even ones that I found terribly misguided, I was called by God to listen to them. They are members of my family, they are Christian persons, baptized believers and I couldn't refuse that they belong to me and I to them. You can't go away unchanged when you sit and listen to a fellow Christian. My opinions on the matter remain firm, but my heart is softer, and my understanding of Church is broader.
Thankfully my church decided to maintain the ban on the blessing of same-sex unions and refused to allow exceptions to our rule banning non-celibate homosexuals from the ministry. I'm very pleased with the results of the debate.
The Spirit has worked a change in me. The Spirit opened my eyes to see all the people who are part of me, who are also joined to the Body of Christ and are church with me. It's not pretty, the church has never been ideal. It's always been messy, and on the edge of fidelity. But in the end it's about the Spirit of God moving to keep God's people faithful to God. All through scripture it's the people of God messing up and going astray and God refusing to give up on them. God raises up new leaders, leads them out of slavery, gives them a land, frees them from captivity, provides for them missionaries and scripture. God will accomplish His purpose. I pray simply to be a part, however small, of His work in this church, in the universal catholic church and in the world.
I'm thinking along these lines because I recently watch my church debate the issues surrounding homosexuality. Especially we were asking whether we were permitted to bless same sex unions and ordain or roster people in such unions. Personally I think scripture is clear on both issues that marriage is only permitted between one mand and one woman and should be a lifelong commitment. I think homosexual person should be allowed to be ordained, if God calls them to the ministry, but they should remain celibate. Either way, it was fascinating and rather moving to watch my church debate the issues. It made me think long and hard about what it means to be a member of this church.
I had to listen. That's what it came down to for me. As members got up to microphones and expressed views, even ones that I found terribly misguided, I was called by God to listen to them. They are members of my family, they are Christian persons, baptized believers and I couldn't refuse that they belong to me and I to them. You can't go away unchanged when you sit and listen to a fellow Christian. My opinions on the matter remain firm, but my heart is softer, and my understanding of Church is broader.
Thankfully my church decided to maintain the ban on the blessing of same-sex unions and refused to allow exceptions to our rule banning non-celibate homosexuals from the ministry. I'm very pleased with the results of the debate.
The Spirit has worked a change in me. The Spirit opened my eyes to see all the people who are part of me, who are also joined to the Body of Christ and are church with me. It's not pretty, the church has never been ideal. It's always been messy, and on the edge of fidelity. But in the end it's about the Spirit of God moving to keep God's people faithful to God. All through scripture it's the people of God messing up and going astray and God refusing to give up on them. God raises up new leaders, leads them out of slavery, gives them a land, frees them from captivity, provides for them missionaries and scripture. God will accomplish His purpose. I pray simply to be a part, however small, of His work in this church, in the universal catholic church and in the world.
posted by Travis at 8:44 PM
1 Comments:
I happen to take an opposite view in regards to gay marriage etc. , however; I couldn’t agree more with what you said about having to listen to what others in “our family” have to say. I have not found outside of the church a place where people of such different views can listen to one another and be changed by what is heard. Rancor, doubt, fear, and anger occur in the church just as much as other places but we are called to be catholic (little c). And hopefully with the help of the Spirit we can be. I enjoyed you entry good luck with the blogging.
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