07-23-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 23, 2024
It happens on a pretty regular basis. I receive an email from someone in the world who wants to school me on the Bible, often in regard to what they believe the Bible says about homosexuality. I received another one of those emails just yesterday. For a number of years, I responded to every single one of them, which often was the spark for many more emails. I am not the brightest tool in the shed (my grandfather mixed his analogues, so I do it for fun), as it took me some 200 exchanges that went nowhere before I decided it might not be the best use of my time. What has fascinated me with all these emails is how no one has ever said, “I know you went to school for this, but I disagree with you and would like to discuss this further.” Everyone of them has said something like, “You are allowing the devil into your church, and he is going to take you and everyone in your congregation to hell.” Again, I am not asking everyone to agree with me. That would not be a good Disciples of Christ approach, but I think it is fair to expect that most people should know how Christianity has never been monolithic. In fact, what has been considered orthodox Christianity throughout history has most often been determined by those with the biggest army… which ain’t very Christ-like. In all those email exchanges, I never called anyone a name or insinuated that they did not know what they were talking about. I have offered alternative ways of thinking about scripture, often presenting different historical opinions. And in almost every case, people have doubled down on expressing how I am clearly possessed by a demon. I share this as a way of encouraging you to be cautious when you disagree with someone. Name-calling, or suggesting one’s soul is owned by Beelzebub, is not a helpful tactic. In fact, those and other approaches tend to communicate that the one who is name-calling or implying demon possession does not have the capacity to engage in a civil conversation. I understand that for some of these people, they are concerned about saving souls, and if they don’t try to save my soul at whatever cost, their souls are in jeopardy… or at least that’s what they’ve been taught. If those of us who claim to follow Jesus cannot disagree with some semblance of civility, then how do we think that we will ever introduce the world to Jesus, the one who said, “They will know you are my disciples when you love one another” (John 13:35)?

The current approach ain’t getting us anywhere, O God of Grace and Goodness. Being ugly, shaming those who disagree with us, and name-calling are not very Jesus-like. Help us, Merciful One, as we seek another way, as we seek the way of Jesus. Amen.