October 1, 2006

Clay Nelson

Pentecost 17     Mark 9:38-50

I'd like to ask a favour. If you are a fundamentalist who prides yourself on taking the Bible seriously, clap your hand, blink you eye and stomp your foot.

Oh, by the silence I'd guess I'm in the wrong church. Or am I?

Mark Twain once commented, “Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.”

Not me. I just preach on something else.

While today's Gospel can be credited with stirring the pot, it is something that happened this week that is my text for the day.

This week many of the Primates of the Global South met to consider their response to the American church's electing a woman as primate. Her gender isn't her only sin in their eyes. She supports the ordination of gays and lesbians to any office in the church just as if they were “real” Christians. Her election and the American's refusal to recant for having ordained a gay bishop earlier has brought them to call for drastic action. They have asked Canterbury to appoint a more acceptable bishop to represent those conservative American churches and dioceses who wish to disassociate themselves from The Episcopal Church, and of course, take their assets with them. This outrageous interference in the life of the American church is in effect a call for them to be thrown out of the Anglican Communion. By implication they are also calling for the ex-communication of anyone who doesn't exclude those they exclude. That would include Glynn and me, who support the direction of The Episcopal Church and any of you who agree with us.

Perhaps they are using today's Gospel as their justification. How does it feel to be an amputated foot or hand?

To date no word of rebuke has been heard from English, Canadian or New Zealand primates or bishops. The only voice of opposition to these primates is from one of their own. The South African primate has disassociated himself from the statement signed in Kigali, Nigeria. However, conservatives here and around the world are hailing their actions loudly.

While it seems only a matter of church politics, few in the world care about -- the popular press certainly hasn't mentioned it -- I face a difficult choice.

I don't know whether to be sad and angry or go dancing in the streets relieved.

I am saddened because their exclusive attitudes are magnified by the papal challenge to Islam, virtually calling for a new crusade. No matter how feeble his apology, he meant what he said. Different is wrong. Such attitudes are underlined bold in the recent story about the “Gays are cancerous” bumper stickers sent anonymously to New Zealand Presbyterians before they voted this week to prohibit those in same-sex relationships from being ministers or leaders. In less publicised words last week the Pope gave support to people like those who sent the bumper stickers. He told Ontario bishops Canada has excluded "God from the public sphere. In the name of tolerance your country has had to endure the folly of the redefinition of spouse, and in the name of freedom of choice it is confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children." Expect the same if he comes to New Zealand.

I'm angry because I'm tired. My whole ministry has been marked by listening to the voices of exclusion. I first heard their voices when they objected to letting the divorced come to communion. In America the next big issue was fighting those voices in opposition to integration, voting rights and fair housing. In the church it was those opposed to a more inclusive prayer book, girl acolytes, women priests, women bishops, ordaining gay ministers, ordaining gay ministers in committed relationships, ordaining gay bishops, and finally blessing of same-sex relationships.

After untold dialogue and debate the voices of exclusion in the church have not accepted one of those inclusive steps. You have to give them this: They are consistent.

New Zealand has a better record where inclusion is concerned. Perhaps it is because many of the people who came here were escaping the oppression of a class society. Perhaps it was their being welcomed by the Maori already here. Whatever it was it showed up early on in the Treaty's intent and later in being the first place in the world where women could vote. An inclusive attitude is reflected in our acceptance of civil unions, in the church's Three Tikanga constitution, electing the first woman bishop in the world and in issuing the most popular prayer book used in the United States. But the voices of exclusion are not silent here either. For months now clergy email inboxes have been inundated by a debate over the issues generated by the American church. Conservatives go on at length seeking to justify their exclusive tendencies by dredging up ancient church documents and early church practices to support their view of Scripture. They use disparaging names for those who value inclusiveness. They love to rant on about Glynn and places like St Matthew's, as if there is another place like St Matthew's. Frankly, they are boring. And they make it more than a little embarrassing to be an Anglican or a Christian for that matter.

Sad and angry? Yes. But I'm also delighted and relieved.

I'm dancing in the street because the global south primates would not be taking such steps if the Gospel wasn't in full bloom in some places on the globe. The back of homophobia has been broken in the US and Canada and I hope in New Zealand, the Presbyterians give me pause. Yes, there is still noisy resistance but it is more of a death rattle than a call to arms. The global south bishops and those who support them may succeed in cutting us off from their vision of the body of Christ but there will be little applause with only one hand clapping.

I'm relieved because I'm through debating. Last week Glynn gave us two models of the church, one of a house and one of a ship.

Exclusion is a house issue. Arguing about it endlessly keeps us from doing the Gospel work. Living the Gospel requires sailing with all hands aboard.

When Katharine Jefferts Schori was asked by a conservative evangelical after her election as Primate what third-world Anglican women would make of her views on homosexuality, she shot back: "I should think they would be more interested in issues of hunger, clean water supply and education for their children."

I grew up in the house. It was historic and beautiful in many ways. The solid foundation was comfortable and predictable, but house chores keep us from giving living water to the least amongst us. It keeps us from being the salt and fire the world desperately needs.

While we sweep out the house, polar ice caps melt at an alarming rate. While we dust, the people of Darfur face imminent genocide. While we take out the garbage, 30,000 children a day die of hunger and violence. While we tidy up, unimaginable numbers die of malaria and HIV/AIDS.

I'm relieved that we are being sent packing from the house. We're finally free to be who Jesus showed us we are. Now we can set sail on the good ship St Matthew's and ships like her where the captain's table is set for all, even for those offended by our very existence.

While their place is set, they will miss the boat. The lawn needs mowing. They will send their apologies, but for me, that's a relief. They have been party-poopers long enough and their manners are dreadful. Let's weigh anchor and set sail.