Challenge 3 is having to continually face the uproar about what has become known as 'The Vote'. Now just in case you are not sure what 'The Vote' refers to, it is the social statement regarding sexuality and the statement regarding ordination of practicing homosexuals that were both voted on and passed at the ELCA church-wide assembly this past summer.
Now let me be clear about what is NOT part of the frustration or challenge for me. I am not frustrated if people have a different opinion than mine. I will say this much about my personal beliefs on the matter: if I were frustrated with or challenged by people around me having different opinions and beliefs than me on this issue (or a variety of others), I would have left the ELCA. I believe it is healthy and necessary to have many voices present. Can it be challenging to come together and be productive when there are differing opinions? Absolutely it is, but it is also the only way that all people will be included in the Lutheran body.
No, what I find vastly frustrating is how consuming this one, and I will upset a lot of people here, relatively unimportant issue has become.
It is challenging to hear so often about how wrong this is. It is frustrating to read a letter encouraging people to with-hold money from their congregation until 'the problem is fixed'. It is frustrating to have to put so much of my own energy and time into discussing an issue that is not furthering the ministry or mission of the church or even helping people with their own discipleship, and to watch all of the pastors I know do the same. It is frustrating to have one of the first questions asked of me by most of the people I talk to be, "So what do you think about this vote? What is your church going to do about it?' It is frustrating to think that this has been a consuming topic in ministry since before I went to Japan over seven years ago, and that I truly think it will be a consuming topic for the rest of my career. Mostly it is frustrating that it is taking the focus away from not only sharing the Gospel, but living the Gospel.
For me, the frustration can be pinpointed to the term, 'The Vote'. It is as if this was the most important thing to come out of this or any other Church-wide Assembly. There are many people who feel that the issue of human sexuality does hold a key in sharing and living the Gospel, and I suppose that it does. However, I truly think that anytime you focus on one thing, one issue, whatever it is, that you loose the fullness of the Gospel.
We are a people of God, not a people ruled by sexuality, or social statements. We are called to be DISCIPLES and to WITNESS to a world through our lives. That means our whole lives, not just one part of it.
There are no easy answers or solutions for this time in the ELCA. But after all that is part of being Lutheran. We as Lutherans are constantly caught in paradox. We believe in the sinner and saint, the justified while still being redeemed, and being freed from the law to be slaves of Christ.
I suppose the true challenge for me is to get used to having disruptions in the church like this, since I don't think the human desire to be 'the right one' will ever go away.
Very difficult matter--important, for sure, but not MOST important. Are people understanding how much God loves them and responding to that love with a reciprocal love? Are lives being transformed by and for Christ? That is what truly matters. No, I would not vote yes to anyone having extra-marital sexual relationships for ordination. I have the easy out as saying it is because they are not married, thus should not be having sexual relations with others. If homosexual marriage becomes legal, then I have a different, more difficult issue at hand.
ReplyDeleteWe are sexual creatures, but there are clear biblical boundaries around how we express that side of ourselves. So, we live within those boundaries.
It is a shame this has become the issue it has. I wish I could marry gay couples, but I cannot because of the way I read scripture, regardless of legality of gay marriage.
To keep a celibate single person who is faithful to the Bible out of a position of leadership is wrong, regardless of sexual orientation. I'm fat, and I'm allowed in a position of leadership. Is my gluttony a less-serious offense to God? Is it not imperative that we be good stewards of all of our gifts, to include our bodies, our finances, our brains, our sexuality, etc.?
Don't start messing with Christians' food intake...that'll get you in a heap of trouble! It is an acceptable sin...but still sin.