A friend of mine sent me an inbox message, posing an interesting question. She was wondering how the national Church, and other churches who have voted similarly, reconcile homosexuality with the New Testament verses that speak against it. Now, it wasn't the question itself that was so interesting to me, although it certainly is a relevant, interesting, and very respectful question. What intrigued me so much about the way she posed the question was this: she did not reference any specific New Testament verses, leaving me to wonder which ones she actually meant.
At first, I wondered how to answer the question, feeling like I didn't have "all the information" needed to "solve the equation." (my math-geek roots are showing, I know.) Of course I could have answered her, asking for specifics. But as I pondered further, I realized that her way of asking the question was actually liberating! I was free to address the heart of the question - as I heard it - rather than being confined to talking about specific Scripture verses.
This morning in church, several things collided in my head (not literally - we don't throw stuff around in the sanctuary - well, at least not very often), the Gospel reading really sank in, the Spirit blew through my soul, and I started scribbling away. I'm sure I was a distraction to my pewmates, but they know me, so they understood what was going on.
So for what it's worth, here's my take on my friend's question. It is absolutely informed by my understanding of Lutheran theology, the traditions I come from, and my understanding of grace. That being said, it's also MY interpretation of these things and of Scripture - NOT an official position of the ELCA or any other church body. For that interpretation, please see elca.org for the recently-approved Social Statement on Human Sexuality and the task-force recommendations for Rostered Ministry changes.
So what do I think?
I think that Jesus always included those who were considered "outsiders" in his time and place in history. In fact, we KNOW he did - he called a tax collector as a disciple, he shared meals with those who were disgraced or considered "shameful," and he included women in his ministry from the very beginning. He dared to touch the unclean. Jesus saw through to the heart of people, not focusing on what was on the surface or on societal norms. This is not to say that "anything goes" with Jesus, only that he was more concerned with how we love God and treat each other than who is "in" and who is "out". This is Truth with a capital T - universal Truth that is relevant outside of any time or place.
On the other hand, the apostle Paul's letters, part of our accepted canon which address homosexuality among other topics, were written in and for a particular moment in history and to address specific situations within specific churches. Heaven knows we Lutherans love us some Paul, and his letters also contain much of this Truth, but in my opinion, neglecting to keep in mind the specificality of his letters does him a disservice. Interpreting Scripture in this way, to my mind, does not diminish the amazing message contained in Paul's letters. It does not lessen the impact of being "saved by grace" and his proclaiming Christ crucified.
What it does do, I think, is to remind us of who "has the words of eternal life." Today's Gospel lesson, from John 6, reminds us of that. JESUS has the words of eternal life, which come through him from the Father. Certainly Paul also gives us plenty of inspiration and explanation (boy! does he explain!), but Paul is not God. And Paul would be the first to say so.
So how does this relate? Paul's letters, in part, addressed relationships among people that we do not view the same way in this time and place in history - such as master and slave, the role of men versus women in the Church, and homosexual relationships. I have read research that poses the possibility that when addressing homosexuality, Paul was addressing unequal relationships between people (possibly men and young boys) which are not in the same realm as the loving and committed relationships of two adults who are acting on equal footing. This resonates with me. Additionally, in a society which (this is my speculation, but something that seems reasonable to me) was still concerned with survival to the next generation (although less so than in Old Testament times, I imagine), any relationship which did not bear heirs was probably a bit suspect, to say the least. There is much Truth in Paul's concept in these passages - but I don't think that interpreting the letter to have the same literal meaning today as it did in the early years of the Christian church gets to that Truth.
What I write here is incomplete, as my understanding of faith is incomplete, but it gets to the point of how I feel. But how does this relate to my worldview, specifically my view on homosexual relationships?
Well, let me go back a bit. When I was younger, I knew ABOUT gay people. That is, I knew what homosexuality was, I knew in theory what a homosexual relationship was, etc. But as I grew and moved through my own history, I began to meet and KNOW gay people. There's a big difference, a journey of experience, when you begin to know the heart of people and not just their labels. I learned this about many things in my life, and my understanding of gay people as "us" is something that I will admit I have rather drastically changed my position on over the years.
We all have labels. It's true. Some are fair, some are unfair. We can all be put into categories on a census sheet (many of us into many categories). I am Caucasian. That is a label. I am heterosexual. That is a label. I am Lutheran - another label! But to only evaluate a person by their label is short-sighted. To begin to make assumptions about a person based on their label doesn't go far enough. Some assumptions will undoubtedly be true, and right, and just, and even loving. For example, if a man is in the category of "homosexual," one can justly assume that this man will be in a relationship, if he is in one at all, with another man.
BUT - I believe we must go further to know people as individuals - to get deep within to the heart of people, as Jesus did and still does. Specifically to this topic, I believe some gay people are called to and fit for ordained ministry, some are not. More specifically, some gay people in non-celibate committed relationships are fit for this kind of leadership, some are not. Just as some heterosexual men and women are fit for ordained ministry, and some are not.
To exclude an entire group of men and women who have heard God's call based on their label is, I think, less than visionary. I believe we must allow for the Spirit to work, not stifle the prophetic voices that are among us. I believe that the changes in ministry policies, to allow for the possibility of ordaining men and women in committed same-sex relationships, is following in the footsteps of the Jesus we worship and proclaim as Lord.
Will this be messy? Yes. Will it take awhile before we, as a church, figure out how to do this? Yes. Are there logistical hurdles (such as how exactly to recognize and define a "committed non-celibate relationship" in a society that does not universally recognize gay marriage or even civil unions) to be overcome? Of course. Will this change cause hurt and discord? Sadly, yes. But growing is messy. Growing hurts. God knows this and will walk with us as we do our human best to figure this out.
Will some people leave the ELCA with broken hearts? Yes. And that in itself is heartbreaking, and I believe all of us are praying for peace and comfort as we move through this. But there are often legs on our faith journey that we cannot see to the end of. Those of us who are proud of and excited to be a part of this change are seeking to do God's will in this place. Faithful people who feel compelled to leave the ELCA due to the changes are, I believe, doing the same thing. They are seeking to find a place to do God's will as they discern it. I don't think one is good and one is bad - far from it! In fact, I pray for all of us as we seek to do God's will and reflect God's heart.
The ELCA National Assembly reflected this prayer in approving the first implementing recommendation - to journey forward faithfully, walking together, respecting the differences of opinion on this issue and the bound conscience of all of us. This may seem overly procedural and silly - we need to VOTE to respect each other?! But it's not - it publicly announces and intentionally shows our desire to follow Jesus - to love one another, to see each other deeply, and to go beyond the labels.
The Lutheran Church is reforming - again - just as it has done throughout all its history. I am profoundly grateful to be a part of this new reformation, and I hope and pray that we continue to bear witness to the love of God as we move forward.
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