Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God: Sexuality and the Church

I am pastor in the midst of an ecclesiastical quagmire.

As many of you know, I am a Presbyterian (PCUSA) pastor serving a Lutheran congregation (ELCA). While my denomination of origin remains unresolved as to how it will navigate the cultural, ethical and theological tensions raised by the questions of sexuality and the church, my denomination of call has made its decision.

It is a decision that is not surprising and yet controversial. It is a decision to agree to disagree, a decision to try and ignore the elephant in the room even though the elephant makes it impossible to know the way in or out.

Last week the elected representatives, both lay people and ordained pastors, from congregations throughout the United States gathered together in Minneapolis to pray and discern God’s will for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Here is a summary of what happened:

1. The assembly approved a social statement, which is a declaration of belief on human sexuality, including but by no means limited to homosexuality. Sexual harassment, commercial sexual exploitation and slavery and the AIDS pandemic were other issues also discussed in the statement. Here is a link to the social statement: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements-in-Process/JTF-Human-Sexuality.aspx

2. The assembly agreed: “that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered (a.k.a. ordained) leaders of this church.”

3. The assembly agreed: “that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships.”

4. The assembly agreed to “respect the bound consciences of all,” thus allowing those willing to agree to disagree to remain united under one organization.

5. Lastly, the assembly allowed for individual churches to be flexible in their implementation of the previous resolutions while directing formal changes that needed to be made to implement the previous agreements.

What does all this mean? In essence, the denomination I serve has implemented what might be called a “local option.” As a whole, the ELCA will not exclude anyone who is in a “life-long, monogamous” relationship from being called as a pastor—including gays and lesbians. However, individual congregations within the ELCA that believe that homosexuality is sin do not have to embrace same gender unions as well as calling pastors in such relationships.

With these changes the ELCA is seeking to allow the church to agree to disagree in our reading of Scripture as well as how to live out the Scriptures. This is an unrealistic expectation since our shared understanding of the Scriptures is the core basis of our affiliation as a denomination. Our theology is the basis of our identity and what holds us together as Lutherans or Presbyterians.

“Live and let live.” “Agree to disagree.” “To each his own.” These are proverbs of old that remain very contemporary. While these adages sound great in theory, they prove to be most difficult to put into practice. Pithy sayings do not a viable solution make. While they appear to offer wisdom and hope, they sacrifice the very building blocks of relationship and community: conflict, accountability and dialogue. It is analogous to a married couple that is having problems choosing to look the other way or to just not talk about the issues that keep them at odds.

Don’t get me wrong. We’ve been having this conflict over sexuality for a LONG time in the church. No one would love to move on from this issue more than I would. But moving on by not talking anymore, moving on by looking the other way, isn’t moving on at all. All we are doing, like that married couple having problems, is burying something—something toxic, something unstable, something that will eventually seep to the surface or worse, explode from within.

There is no reason to stop talking. At the end of the day, our situation as the church is not altogether bleak and hopeless. We can trust that God will create movements for renewal and reform, as he has always done in the past. We have his promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Ordinary people, sinners and saints both, like you and I, still have the gift of an extraordinary message. It is a message of the life, death and rising of Jesus and that all who believe in him share in the healing, the hope and the salvation of the Kingdom he brings.

It is because of that Gospel—that good news—that we cannot afford to agree to disagree. The stakes of life and death are too high. The riches of grace that is ours in Jesus is too costly to be converted into the tawdriness of tolerance. The unconditional love we have received in Christ is worth far more than conditional niceties of political correctness.

For the sake of the Kingdom, I take the risk of stating the following convictions:

I believe that the possibility for a full and healthy sexual relationship exists only within the confines of the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.

I believe that Scripture clearly defines homosexuality as a sin, contrary to God’s creative design and intent and thus are a reflection of our broken humanity.

I believe that those who are called to serve in leadership in the church are to aspire to live a life in obedience to Scripture, in accountability to the church body and repentant of any self-acknowledged practice defined as sin.

However, I believe homosexuality, like all sexual brokenness is but one of many manifestations of the tragic nature of our humanity. I do not elevate sexual sin above other sins and I affirm God’s forgiveness of all sins in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, I believe in the sanctity, dignity and defense of all human life, no matter what gender or sexual orientation. We have a responsibility to be good and proactive stewards of the peace, wellbeing, shelter, nurture and care of all persons—particularly those with whom we disagree.

For the sake of the Kingdom, I remain open to listening and talking with those who read the Scriptures differently. Let the dialogue continue...

Comments

Great to read your thoughts. This is definitely an elephant in the room for evangelical churches in NYC.

Posted by: Katie | December 11, 2009 at 11:15 AM

Well-said, and amen brother. Thank you for taking time to write these last few posts. Praying with you that the dialogue continues... and for grace along the way.

Posted by: Haley Ballast | August 31, 2009 at 08:13 PM