I read two articles recently which involved our church; one in the Post and the other in the Times. I’m a Wall Street Journal type, so these were OPP (other people’s papers). And I almost felt compelled to write the editors in each of them. But I’ll quench my compelling need to comment here, where I already am the editor, if that’s OK.
The first article was a review of the current debate in the Anglican Communion over human sexuality and its relation to appointing Bishops and offering liturgy for same sex unions. The other was about Elton John’s 60th birthday party at the Cathedral, despite his oft quoted comments against organized religion.Each article tried to break down complex issues into two simple camps; for and against. To me, that is both too easy and too wrong. What neither paper picked up on is, that in the US Episcopal Church, and certainly in this Cathedral, there is a wide spectrum of opinion on these and many other issues. No one could ever say we fall into one camp on anything. And that is how it should be.
For a fundamental part of our policy of radical inclusivity is to make sure people we disagree with feel welcome at the table. It is a fallacy, I think, that one can “solve” differences, like you can fix a leaking pipe. Well intentioned, smart people can look at the same set of facts, and come to completely different conclusions. Certainly, scripture falls into this category.
Why is it that we can live in a grey area where scriptural interpretation is never really locked down, but left fluid and open to revelation over time? And why are we happy to continue our financial support of many charitable programs in the Global South despite our differences, yet they feel compelled to refuse it because of our differences?
It isn’t that we interpret scripture differently than the global southern bishops do. It is that we refuse to set in stone any one interpretation at all. I don’t mind if we have members of our congregation, or even the vestry, who think that homosexuality is contrary to scripture as long as they are willing to sit down at a table with people who think the opposite, and that the two can work together to do the Lord’s work. We are not gatekeepers, and the very notion of an acid test for coming to our table is an anathema to us.
So if Elton John wants to question organized religion, no problem. I’ve probably questioned it a few times myself. (At a lunch line at a Warden’s Conference once, I heard someone quip we practice disorganized religion).
But seriously, at the very core of Welcoming, in my opinion, is to invite those who believe we are wrong in what we do. And to create a space in which we can agree to disagree, and still work together in Christ’s name. It is, after all, His life and ministry we are promoting, not our own.
This need to break every problem we have down to two opposing sides, where each is trying to win, is not what is happening here. Or at least, not with us.
Prior to The General Convention of 2003, our Congregation sent a letter (with over 200 signatures) to Bishop Sisk with our thoughts on the subject of the new Bishop-elect of New Hampshire. We wrote to Bishop Sisk our hope that the Convention would vote for or against Gene Robinson on his qualifications for Bishop, regardless of his sexual orientation. It was not a pro Gay agenda, but an inclusive and non-judgmental agenda which allowed all persons to participate.
I wish this subtlety would find it’s way into the press and the public debate on many issues. But certainly, I think this is critical to understanding the debate over the role of human sexuality and all its diversity, and the relation it has to membership and practice of a church.
If you build any institution around its power to divide, then division will be its permanent characteristic. The Global South doesn’t see this. If they succeed in throwing out everyone they disagree with, what will they have left? Their apparent unity will evaporate unless they find a new issue to divide over.
It seems to me a church built on its power to invite all persons to the table will always grow. And be a lot more in line with Christ’s life and ministry.
Chris Johnson , Warden
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