This is a follow up to last week’s Blog calling on churches to stop the discrimination and at times persecution of gays and lesbians. Because of some helpful responses I want to discuss the way many, if not most, progressive churches deal with this issue – by declaring themselves to be “Open and Affirming.”
I am opposed to this approach, not least because in my own tradition creeds are an anathema, and this declaration is about as creedal as it gets. I understand the rejoinder that it does not coerce anyone into being affirming, but only states publically the position of the church on this issue as a body, but what about the members who cannot make that statement? If the Open and Affirming decision was voted on, they simply got out voted (an alien way to function as a church, in my opinion). If, on the other hand, the process was consensus making, then the statement should have reflected only what all could affirm with the remainder of the declaration waiting for another day, a day I suspect would never come if churches are as diverse as they should be. Here is why I say that.
People often have conflicting views within themselves about a moral issue. One can believe racism is wrong, for example, and still not support busing. One can believe war is evil and still support the US involvement in WW II. One can believe poverty in this country is unacceptable, but also believes the welfare system locks people into it. Open and Affirming does not allow for this kind of moral ambiguity. It runs roughshod over it. Being Open accomplishes the same thing without doing that. Being genuinely Open means just that – that sexual orientation makes no difference when it come to being a church member. What is more, it means being open to other kinds of person – street people, other nationalities and even religions, people with Aids, people of different political persuasions. Open and Affirming singles out gays and lesbians. That is a problem that goes to the primary reason I don’t support it.
The issue facing churches today is not whether they are Open and Affirming of gays and lesbians. It is whether or not they want to be the church. Authentic church means no human being sets barriers between God and people, whether gay or straight, rich or poor, black or white, emotionally stable or unstable. Truly being the church means all are invited to the Table by God, not by us. It means the ground before the altar is holy because it is level. No one is privileged. It means we who make up the church understand that we are the vessel, not the message, that we are recipients of grace, not the purveyors of it.
Being the church is the most difficult challenge congregations face, for one primary reason. They are embedded in a stale and idolatrous institutionalism that has turned the body of Christ into an organization that functions as if the church has a mission instead of realizing it is the mission. Whether or not to make the changes necessary to free itself from institutionalism so it can be the church is a decision every congregation now confronts. We don’t have to be perfect to be better than we are. If a congregation can reach consensus on being Open to everyone, not some, but everyone, that will be a reliable sign that it is serious about the real goal of its life, which is, to be the church. At that point the only declaration it will ever need to make is, “We are the church, and we mean it.”
