I found Bishop Parsley’s post-convention meditation very helpful. Apparently he went from Anaheim to the Grand Canyon, and gained some needed perspective after two weeks of little sleep, and lots and lots of resolutions. To see such beauty, carved into the good earth over millions and millions of years, allows us to see things in terms of “deep time.” That’s a perspective that is needed even more in our 24/7 cycle of news. “The lesson worth learning is that we need to live by God’s time, rather than by the tyranny of the urgent,” Bp. Parsley writes.
The secular news media, desperate for “news,” largely concluded that General Convention had thrown the doors open to the election of a partnered gay or lesbian as a bishop, and the church blessing of same-sex unions. Neither headline is accurate. On the first issue, GC reiterated that according to our constitution and canons, the discernment process for bishops, priests and deacons is open to all Episcopalians regardless of sexual orientation. But as someone who only recently finished jumping through a lot of hoops on the way to his ordination, I assure you that saying the process is open to all is no guarantee of reaching the finish line. As to the second issue, it was decided to begin the process of considering a possible liturgy for the blessing of same-sex unions at the next GC in 2012. Consideration is not the same as adoption.
With all that said, I suspect that at some point, some dioceses will probably do both. That will not happen in the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Bp. Parsley is clear about that. But a few dioceses will enter a time of “testing.”
“Do not stifle inspiration or despise prophetic utterances,” Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “but test them all; keep hold of what is good and avoid all forms of evil” (1 Thess. 5:19-22). People whose sexual orientation is toward persons of the same gender are in every denomination. They are faithful Christians who did not ask to be homosexual. Every Church needs to discern how to care them in a way that is pastoral, not condemning. On the other hand, we have a moral tradition of lifelong marriage between a man and woman as the normative expression of God’s gift of sexuality.
Many Episcopalians believe that monogamous homosexual relationships should be treated no differently than monogamous heterosexual relationships. Many others believe that sexuality is ordained by God to be the means by which men and women become the “one flesh” that, according to Genesis, they once were. It appears that in this time of testing, we shall see some dioceses test the first proposition. What will be the outcome of their inspired experiment? In God’s deep time, we shall see.
In the meantime, all we Episcopalians will continue to worship every Sunday from the same Book of Common Prayer, and say the same Creed, professing our belief in those few doctrines that are truly essential to what defines us as Christian: One God in the person of the Father; One God in the person of Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified and risen; One God in the person of the Holy Spirit; One church; and the Resurrection of all. That has been the essence of our faith for nearly 2,000 years. Trust in God’s deep time and let the test take care of itself.
2 comments:
I believe the statement Christ Church Savannah made when discussing the national church sums it all up very well. The national church has lost it's way. Some people in the parish are unwilling to discuss what is happening, some just want to keep their head buried in the sand, others say "it doesn't affect us -- it's the national church", others are very upset, but don't want to be seen as divisive. We had a very bitter, upsetting split just over the homosexual issue. No one wants to go thru this again. If we were aware of all the controversial statements made by the Presiding Bishop, I think many more people would question our leadership. More attention should be paid to the teachings and guidance of NT Wright and Alistar McGrath, unfortunately we listen to those who lead us in the wrong direction
Thank you very much, David, for your heartfelt comment. I have brothers and sisters on both sides of the debate over this issue, and whenever I think about this issue, they all are on my heart and mind. It was with an open heart and mind that I wrote my post. And with an open heart and mind, I’m doing my best to hear you, respect you, and respond to you.
I appreciate your mention of N.T. Wright. He is the Bishop of Durham, in England, and the leading Anglican Biblical scholar in the world. His book, “The Last Word,” was a major influence on my summer Bible study. He has written an excellent series called “The New Testament For Everyone,” which also influenced my meditations on Acts. It’s true that his view of General Convention has been pretty negative. Our Bishop Parsley has signed the “Anaheim Statement,” in which he and about 30 other bishops restate their continued opposition to the ordination of a partnered gay bishop, and the public blessing of same-sex unions. So, I don’t see much disagreement between Wright and Parsley (You can read the Statement at http://bit.ly/4FezTk).
There was a time when every bishop publicly held that Jesus Christ was not of one being with God the Father, save for Saint Athanasius, in the 4th century. There is no teaching more central to our identity as Christians than the Incarnation of God in Jesus of Nazareth. And in God’s deep time, that truth was maintained and eventually vindicated in the whole Church. As for the hot issue of today, I trust, as did Rabbi Gamaliel, that “if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail” (Acts 5:38).
What comments of the Presiding Bishop are you concerned about? My general impression is that those who want to believe the worst about her read their fear into her words. And of course, she isn’t our Pope. In six years, she’ll be gone, and we’ll have someone else to complain about. Thank you again, David, for your willingness to speak what is on your heart and mind.
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