Unity… or righteousness?

One of the most difficult questions for me in the last five or so years has been what to do with the issue of women in ministry.  On the one hand, I’ve been an enthusiastic participant in the broader evangelical community, and I’ve felt frustrated toward the polarizing exchange of monologues that sometimes seems to occur between the self-identified “egalitarian” and “complementarian” camps.  On the other hand, I have felt frustrated with the silence of my more local Christian communities regarding this issue.  For the sake of interdenominationality or keeping the peace they have kept quiet.  Much good has resulted, but perhaps also some harm.

Last weekend, my seminary sponsored a screening of the film For the Bible Tells Me So, tracking the stories of several families as teenage and adult children came out as LGBT.  The most famous story was that of Gene Robinson, the gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, the first ever in the Anglican Communion.  After coming home, I was doing a little more research on Gene and came across a video with this quote:

“We will stand up and say, this is who we mean to be, because together we have discerned this is who God is calling us to be.  And then the communion will have to deal with us.  But we are not going to sacrifice LGBT people anymore on the altar of unity.”

While I have not figured out what precisely to think of the many issues surrounding homosexuality and the church (though I will say that I’ve finally come to a point that I feel I must support civil unions without significant reservations), I really respect what Gene is saying here, an echo of how I often feel about women’s issues.

Unity is important.  So important.  I don’t want to de-emphasize that at all.  I’m not looking to demonize other Christians or pretend we can get along without each other or without dialogue.

On the other hand, I agree with Gene that when/if we finally come to feel convicted that a certain way is for-certain where God is leading us, why should we hold back?  I think of the evangelical response to slavery in the South.  While I wouldn’t encourage any abolitionist church to cut all ties with apathetic or pro-slavery churches, I would encourage them to take a strong stand for what they believed was right, not to leave it forever nebulous.  Timing and attitude matter so much in such a response, but I do think we can’t always just say, “You believe X, I believe Y, but things are fine between us, let’s focus on unity.”  I think sometimes it’s legitimate to say, “You believe X, I believe Y, and while I still want to be friends, I do think this is a serious issue with only one right answer.  And we obviously disagree about that that is.  But I have to move forward in pursuing what I think God is calling me to pursue.”

When we should move from open discussion and attempts to avoid alientation (say, within a denomination or other community) into the bulk of the leaders/people taking a stand is pretty fuzzy.

But at some point, I do think that those that believe in women in ministry have to just say it.  (Something InterVarsity, for example, is somewhat hesitant to do.)

And at some point, I think those that believe in LGBT ordination also have to take a stand.  To do nothing less, I think, is exactly what Gene says: sacrificing (your perception of) righteousness before a marginalized people and before God to appease others.

And I don’t think compromise was ever what Christian unity was supposed to be about.

(But this tension–between unity and advocacy–is not an easy one to manage with love and humility!)

Keeping the feast

Today I visited a local Episcopal church, and I realized (for the upteenth time) how much I love liturgy.  I love its diligence and its intentionality, its emphases and its consistency in encouraging openness toward God, regardless of my present feelings toward him.

This is particularly relevant to me right now, as I have a lot of not-so-hot feelings toward God.  I have lots of more academic questions, as many of you know.  Even more significantly, I have lots of very personal questions right now regarding God’s character.  As I’m visiting churches, I’m quite concerned that I end up in a place where I feel drawn into worship.  Quite frankly, many days, I don’t feel like talking to God.  I don’t know if I trust him or if I want to be with him.  But I’m certainly not ready to say good-bye, and I think that with more time, thought, and tears, many of our (my/God’s) issues will be resolved.  In the meantime, I want to be sure the community I’m a part of encourages me toward openness rather than closed-off-ness, as I know I might be tempted to move toward.  Liturgy does that.

Some of my favorite portions of the service:

S-280- Right after the opening acclamation we sing this fabulous song, with absolutely no pattern to the notes (or so it seems) that to me seems almost like an elaboration on the Jewish Shema.  It concludes with “For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.”  Before that we praise God, call him king, declare Jesus the Lamb that removes sin, and ask for mercy and his attention to our prayer.  It’s really a simple, humble declaration of worship and the supremacy of this God in three persons.

Scripture Readings- In some ways, I regret that the Torah, Prophets, and Writings are not all represented… but we read from the Old Testament, a Psalm, the New Testament, and a Gospel (of course, for OT and NT readings, we don’t use Psalms or the Gospels since they get their own special time).  We don’t choose what to read but it has been chosen ahead of time what all the churches should read when.  We therefore enter into Scripture with the larger communion of saints and are forced to read things, sometimes, that we don’t particularly like.  I especially appreciate the simple fact that we read Scripture in church.  Unlike many evangelical Protestant churches that say a lot about the Bible but only incorporate a short passage or a few verses into the pastor’s sermon, Episcopalians say less about Scripture… but then read it.  I like acting out out reverence in this way.

The sermon itself- It’s not the main thing.  It’s a thing.  Scripture and the homily, in my view have a similar significance in the first half of the service (perhaps the homily is slightly more significant; it certainly takes longer… but compared with many other sermons, it is not so long), but the Eucharist has even greater significance that the first half.  And Episcopalians have this certain way of preaching.  I like black preachers.  But I also like white Episcopalian priests.  No idea.  They just sound smooth, intelligent, and caring.  They are good at weaving ideas together.

The creed- If I had it my way, every church would recite the Apostle’s or Nicene Creed at every main service.  I see no reason not to unless you don’t believe it.  I like taking the time to affirm–and affirm together–the essentials of the Christian faith as historically considered orthodox.

Prayers of the People- It brings me great joy to read this section of the Book of Common prayer.  The best prayer ever is for people that travel, which includes those in outer space.  I think that’s amazing.  These Anglicans think of everything!  I appreciate the breadth and thoughtfulness of these prayers.

The Eucharist- I like having this every week.  And I like all drinking from the same cup.  And that we don’t produce waste by using a billion little disposable everythings.  And I like making it explicit that people should be baptized first so that we actually encourage baptism as a coming-into-the-faith moment.  Because I know plenty of semi-Christian-ish people, and even evangelicals, that for whatever reason have been going about life unbaptized.  It was this no-communion rule that encouraged my college roomie (who grew up in the church and even went ot a Christian school) to finally get baptized.

“Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”- a beautiful, simple proclamation made during the communion part of the service.

The Lord’s Prayer- also should be said in more services.  It’s a good prayer, yo.

The Fraction- (At this pt, I realize I’m listing all major pts of the service…)  We either say “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us… Therefore let us keep the feast!” or sing a hymn that declares “My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed says the Lord.”  Both are really quite creepy and emphasize the eating of dead people.  And I like that.  Because Christianity is actually quite strange and communion is even stranger.  Let’s celebrate that.

The postcommunion prayer- I think my favorite part of this prayer is its confidence in God’s work.  “You have graciously accepted us and living members of your Son… and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.”  It’s very Ephesians 2-ish in that way.  Then reflecting on what God has done, we ask him to do and to help us do–we ask for his Spirit to commission and strengthen us as we go out into the world.  Which emphasizes a missional spirit.

I also love confession (on the Sundays that happens) because its rather neglected by most of us.

And I love the rules about Alleluia.  It’s a fun, magical, yet serious tradition, refusing to say Alleluia during Advent and Lent… and then truly rejoicing at Christmas and Easter.

With that, I will finally stop rambling.  What is your experience with liturgy or different styles to religious services?  What is meaningful to you and why?