Repentance Means to Stop Judging and Bear Fruit

Here's the gospel from today's Roman Catholic lectionary (Luke 13:1-9)

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil? ’He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

Along with most of our nation, I've been following the presidential debates and listening to the decisive and cataclysmic rhetoric being employed by Mr. Trump. Many of his followers embrace his inflammatory style and resort to derogatory terminology toward women, toward Secretary Clinton, and toward people who can't support his messages of degradation, stereotype, and fear. Recent political discussions online made me think about the concept of fruit, and how scripture tells us we are to judge according to it.

Now the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5 is  "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." This seems to be the opposite of the fruit from Mr. Trump. He does not convey love, joy, peace or forbearance. He does not act kindly. His behaviors are hard to categorize as good. He has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of faithfulness. He is the opposite of gentle. And self-control is one of his weak points.

In light of the Galatians description, his fruit is small, bitter, and worm-riddled.

In today's gospel we see Jesus chastising those who clamor about the sinfulness of others, presumably claiming that a particular group of Galileans are so sinful that they deserved harsh forms of suffering. It reminds me of the claims of some fundamentalists who say that hurricanes are the result of homosexual behavior. It reminds me of the outlook of some of Trump's followers, proclaiming woe unto our nation and the dire destruction that is to follow if we don't change our ways.

How does Jesus respond? First, he tells them they are wrong about the premise. Then he tells them to repent. Then he describes what repentance looks like: the production of fruit.

Good fruit.

Today I pray that those producers of meager, bitter, rotten fruit listen to the call of Christ:

Repent. Stop assuming that the sins of others are greater than your own. Start producing the fruit of the Spirit.

And recognize the fruit of your chosen candidate.

Peter cooperates with God's demand that the scriptures be violated

Today's readings show us Peter, watching as a sheet descends before his eyes in order to instruct him to accept something that is very clearly denounced in scripture.

Christians today are faced with the same dilemma. God reveals his will through the faces and voices of gay brothers and sisters who come before these faithful souls, claiming that they, too can be followers of Christ. And the devout must make a choice; to believe Jesus's outlandish proclamation that all who believe in him will have everlasting life, or to deny him by clinging to the scriptures which contradict his words.

Peter believed what he saw despite his knowledge of the scriptures, because he knew who Jesus was.

We are called to do the same thing.

What makes traditional marriage traditional?

I've been thinking about the phrase "traditional marriage", and wondering how the concept of "traditional" is being applied. I concluded that it must be related to time; the length of a practice and its repetition renders something a tradition.

And so I decided to look at the "one man, one woman" argument, commonly known as "traditional marriage" from the perspective of time.

Turns out polygany (one man, more than one woman) was alive and well in Christianity until relatively recently.

• Paul counseled that church leaders have only one wife, which makes it pretty clear that it wasn't a requirement for regular Christians.
• Augustine and St. Basil of Caesarea both wrote about it in the 4th century. Socrates of Constantinople addressed it in the 5th century.
• Even Reformation hero Martin Luther thought it was permissible under some circumstances, saying:

"I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture. If a man wishes to marry more than one wife he should be asked whether he is satisfied in his conscience that he may do so in accordance with the word of God. In such a case the civil authority has nothing to do in the matter." 

• In simultaneous contrast, the Council of Trent took a firm stance on the issue however in 1563, finally declaring polygany and concubinage anathema.

So. Let's ignore the polygany that continues to occur in Mormon circles etc., and call 1563 the beginning of "one man, one woman." That means that what people are calling "traditional marriage" has been the standard for 452 years as of the date of this writing.

I think Abraham is the first biblical example of polygany, and he walked the earth around 2,000BCE. If I do the math, that means that for at least 3,563 years, marriage between one man and more than one woman was occurring among the faithful.

That's 3,563 years of polygany compared to 452 years of "one man, one woman".

Which, then, is more "traditional"?

On Romans 1 and 2

Someone in an online discussion about same sex marriage asked me how I filtered Romans 1 and 2 through the lens of Christ.

First let's do what Jesus does and consider the individual person and situation. Just as each of the gospels is written by a different individual having different gifts and backgrounds and speaking to different audiences, so do the epistles. In this case we are talking about Paul. A Pharisee, someone who never spent time with Jesus or observed him in action. Called by God to make use of his education, skill, and passion to make up for the persecution of those who walked in The Way.

The audience is the nascent church in Rome. The gentile population in Rome was exposed to the worship of multiple gods. (I've stood within the Pantheon that is still located there which points out that reality.) Paul speaks to the young Christians and acknowledges that even the pagans had an understanding of "God" in their hearts, despite not having grown up with the Jewish understanding. And he warns this group to be careful that now that they have been informed about Jesus, they should not mingle their theology with the old ways. He mentions making idols that look like birds and animals etc. And those old ways of worshiping lower case gods were characterized by many negative characteristics, including debased sexual practices.

Paul pulls out his extensive understanding of scripture to try to convince the population that bad things will happen if they try to mix gods and God. Just as it was bad for the band that had been freed from Egypt.

He talks about lusts. Lusting is bad. It's often coupled with coveting, fornication, and adultery. And that goes for all humans, regardless of orientation. In verse 24 he talks about dishonering of their bodies, perhaps in reference to masturbation (an action clearly not limited to homosexuals.) In verse 27 he talks about being "consumed with passion". God does not want us to be consumed with anything but him. He wants all of our being to focus on him, and our sexuality to be channeled through that relationship.

But it is interesting that there is such a focus on just the sexual statements, when the list of bad stuff is long. And many of those bad behaviors run just as rampant in Christian circles as in pagan.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ... 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

I wish that I could say this list of crappy behaviors is not found among Christians. But sadly that would be a lie. In recent online discussions about the same sex marriage ruling by the Supreme Court, I have seen countless examples of Christian malice, slander, insolence, haughtiness, boastfulness, and heartlessness. The passage above says that the wrath of God is against ALL the ungodliness and unrighteousness included in that list. But unlike those very Christians who act in these ways, I will not proclaim, as if carrying God's holy hammer of justice, that they will burn in hell.

For God himself knows more than all of us. And he sent Jesus Christ so that we could be saved by grace, through faith. And Romans warns us that reliance on law makes us subject to the law.

As for me, I accept Jesus' offer which Paul describes. I return to the covenant of Abraham; a relationship that took place prior to Moses and his thousands of rules.

Our bigender God

My wife and I have been thinking a lot about gender lately.

An article my daughter posted pointed out the layers of complexity of the issue which Caitlyn Jenner brought to America's door step. Women have been working for generations to not be labeled as simply soft, vulnerable, lipstick-slathered corset wearers. For over a century we've been trying to get society to accept that having the equipment necessary to grow babies doesn't mean women should be prevented from voting, or get paid less, or be kept out of scientific circles because of our emotional mushiness and our distracting sexiness.

Meanwhile, here comes Caitlyn, posing in undergarments and talking about being glad she can wear fingernail polish long enough for it to chip. Bruce fought for the chance to transform into Caitlyn and now talks about the relief of being able to chat with a group of women about what dress to wear to dinner. The excitement about her new ability to "act like a girl" is palpable.

It's all very confusing.

But reading through some of Caitlyn's interviews raised an interesting point. She mentions having been given the soul of a woman.

Here's what the scriptures say about the creation of humans.

Gen. 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

I'd not really thought about the fullness of what this means until recently. I'd always focused on the binary statement of what He made: male OR female. But what this statement says is so much more profound than that, because it speaks not only about us as human beings, but about who God is. And that's a biggie.

Apparently the image of God is male AND female. (Not neither male nor female. BOTH male and female.)

I've always believed in traditional concepts of femininity and masculinity (vive la différence!), and have associated each with particular body types. I've also believed that this gender assignment remains beyond those bodies, traveling with us into eternity.

But lately I've been thinking more deeply about this question. When we are no longer equipped with genitalia, Adam's apples, or bone structure, what will our gender resemble? Will our presences in the mystical state known as heaven be intensified versions of binary genders, or will our spirits broaden to be even more like God. More fully both, just as He is?

Paul seems to think it's the latter:

Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And since this is the case, aren't people who are gender fluid actually more God-like than those of us who binarily gender identify?

In reading these scriptures, I think the answer has to be yes.

If the scriptures are unchanging then they are dead

Hebrews 4:12

Evangelical Christians often proclaim that the scriptures are alive and yet unchanging and unchangeable. But let's look at what it means to have life. Here's a definition from www.dictionary.com.

 LIFE: The condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally. 

If the scriptures are alive, then they can't be unchanging. The only things that don't change are those that are already dead, or those that never contained life in the first place.

The act of living is a process of transformation and change on all sorts of levels. In the case of a plant, water permeates a seed and swells the cells until they burst forth as a shoot and push out into the air. Then air and water and light are transformed into energy and growth occurs. Eventually flowers come and more seeds are produced and then the plant dies and decomposes and the process of change moves on to some other life form.

The process is similar for pretty much all life forms: insemination, birth, growth, response to stimuli, death.

So listen up, conservative Evangelical Christians. You have to choose:

Either the scriptures are unchanging, and therefore dead. Or they are living, and therefore equipped for change and adaptation.

Forgive me, my sweet, atheistic prophet

After reading Jesus' excoriation of the pharisees in Matthew chapter 23, I've been thinking about the prophets. Here's why:

³³ “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

The passage came up while I was writing this post: Jesus was talking to us when He spoke back then. Except for this one part. I've been thinking about it ever since, and contemplating what it means to be a prophet.

The traditional Christian view of prophets comes from the Hebrew scriptures, with John the Baptist bringing up the tail end. (I've even heard him called the last of the prophets.) This crowd of greats preached repentance and a turning away from other gods: "Turn back, oh man, or be consumed by fires and floods and pestilence."

But here we have Jesus telling us that He will send prophets, sages, and teachers. So who are these modern day speakers of God's truths to the religious who refuse to listen?

Turns out my daughter was one. For years she tried to open my Pharisaical heart to truths that I could not allow myself to embrace. She tried to explain that my views on gender were narrow minded and culturally inflicted. She told me stories of the good people she knew who were transgender. She debated with me about the causes and social ramifications of homosexuality. And she did all this gently, and for the most part, very patiently. She knew I was like those Pharisees that Jesus disdains, and I think she also knew that she would not be able to persuade me of the truth of her words.

And so I say now, on the record and officially, that I'm sorry, my brilliant and beautiful atheist. You were right. I couldn't hear it, and I was like the pre-Paul Saul, on fire with my own inaccurate idea of who God was.

I hope I can be as brave and truthful a prophet as you some day.

Jesus was talking to us when He spoke back then. Except for this one part.

A week or so ago I was called "a special kind of stupid" for sharing this in response to a conservative evangelical Christian's post about the Caitlyn Jenner hype:

In the same thread, another person said I was preaching "the Gospel according to Suzanne" because I suggested that when the Bible doesn't speak of an issue (in this case, transgender individuals), we must always approach it with love.

Over the same timeframe, my children's picture book, Rumplepimple was launched. This tore open the wound my relationship with my wife Diane has created with her beloved sister. Rumplepimple is a dog who's family structure mirrors ours; he has a sister cat and two moms. Diane's heart has been sick over her sister's unwillingness to engage in conversation about God's view of same sex relationships. Having come from the same background, she understands the conservative evangelical view because she held it. Given my Catholic background, I also get it. But our attempts to explore the scriptures about the issue with her sister have been met with slammed conversational doors at best, and claims of religious persecution at worst.

So I've been pondering. And as part of these ponderings, I thought about Jesus who was harsh to only two groups: those who turned His father's house into a marketplace, and the pharisees, who blocked the way to the kingdom and bore their religiosity like a golden hammer.

Evangelical Christians tend toward a Bible-alone theology, and tend to believe that the scriptures are evergreen in their entirety. The approach generally seems to be that all the rules presented then still apply. (Except in the case of things like hair cuts, fabric composition, stonings, and dozens of others dismissively lumped into "Old Covenant". I've dealt with this inconsistency in previous posts, so I'm brushing over all of that now.) What struck me today was a new kind of hypocrisy.

It seems as if this particular brand of modern Christians dismisses the entirety of Matthew 23, apparently deeming it as merely historical. Perhaps snickering at those persnickety Pharisees, who counted cumin seeds and nagged about unclean creatures in the meager wine cups of the poor. These moderns seem to feel good about what they believe is a simpler relationship, based on faith alone, and if Jesus' woes apply to anyone, it's to the Roman Catholics.

But this is exactly the kind of viperish hypocrisy which Jesus condemned. Out of one side of the pulpit we hear that all of the scriptures continue to apply to Christians today: all the parables, all Paul's warnings about sin, and most especially those meager mentions of same sex relations.

But that same pulpit doesn't seem to think Jesus' woes should be viewed as a warning to God's people today. And that seems exceedingly odd, given the unprecedented harshness of Jesus' stance, and the sheer force of His derisive disapproval.

Jesus never speaks to anyone in the scriptures that way again. It's to this group of rule-wielding God defenders alone that He unleashes the full force of His verbal condemnation. And remember, conservative evangelicals, this warning is evergreen. He's still unleashing His disapproval on those of you who continue to do it today:

Matt 23:13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces." 35 "And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth"

Christian witness as a Holy Hammer

I decided to cut and paste some snippets from a discussion I recently had on the Manhattan Declaration Facebook page, in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling about same sex marriage. I'm posting them here so that I can respond with a link the next time someone tells me they don't understand why Christians get a bad rap when it comes to the issue.

Here's why.

Enjoy some examples of the condescension, judgement, and arrogance people like me face when attempting to discuss the scriptures.

<START QUOTE>No listen I get it...you claim legitimacy for one person in the Bible while ascribing illegitimacy to the other people in the Bible. It's an obviously illogical tale that is as old as time. Not that deep intellectually. But to the childish and especially rebellious I can see how it holds a certain appeal. Regardless, yours is indeed a whole cloth cherry-picking of the Jesus traits you approve of and an adolescent dismissal of those you do not. Again, not really that deep. I'll forgo addressing the silliness of your last entry/vain attempt at changing the subject. However as to your second, I would point out the error in understanding that you, most other novices and manipulators of the Truth have regarding what can and cannot be 'judged'. The only thing I am prohibited from doing is pronouncing a final "condemnation" to hell against an individual who like me, still has access to God's grace and kindness. That obviously belongs to God and no Christian in their right mind would even desire that kind of responsibility. Nevertheless, all else belongs to man. I could of course post many supporting scriptures but I suspect you are aware of them (along with God's teaching regarding perverse sexual behavior) and simply ignore them as well when it is convenient for you to do so. wink emoticon
<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>Oh bless your heart. You're eager to learn. That is good. Once you've gotten a real understanding of the reality of the scriptures referencing perverse sexual behavior and their absolute legitimacy, sure! We can then discuss anything you'd like. But as the case may be, this whole discussion is based on perverse sexual behavior. Therefore let us begin there and then we can move on to actual legitimate matters. However, just to clear up a fundamental flaw in your perspective, Suzanne, Jesus is the Word of God. All of it. That is explained in the first chapter of John. Attempting to highlight only gospel narratives about Him while dismissing the entirety of the rest of the book (that is Him) is error. Its just the result of your being a common novice and lacking real understanding. You still need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk right now, not solid food. And we will have plenty of time for that. wink emoticon
<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>Interesting that you would perceive fear in order. And I apologize if you concluded my words were sarcastic. Forgive me, perhaps it is an instinctive and unrealized way that an expert speaks to an incorrect person. Let me assure you that I speak the Truth in agape love. I am glad you agree that Jesus is the entire Word of God. And that you and I as Christians are right to reference any part of the Word as Jesus Himself.<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>I see your attempt at translating Greek. That is cute. But the Greek word(s) are malakoi (soft individuals) followed immediately by Arsenokoitai (Sodomites). So if it is easier for you to fully comprehend, it is directly translated as effeminate homosexuals.<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>I did not reference this scripture. Nor the others you brought up. Therefore I shall not read nor address them here. I’m sorry you did so much work in typing them but try to stay focused on the task at hand. Let’s get your understanding of the scriptures that I actually referenced down first before we go on to risk you misunderstanding anymore, ok? For quick review, Romans declares that homosexual behavior is dishonorable, contrary, shameless and worthy of penalty. Titus explains the characteristics of individuals attempting to foster unrighteous doctrines and how those who follow Jesus are to respond. And Revelation makes clear that that no group of people in defilement or behaving abominably will be accepted. Again, all of these are being referenced in response to the subject of homosexual behavior. If you are prepared to acknowledge that homosexual behavior is in fact being addressed by these scriptures, we can then move on from these basics. smile emoticon<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>My response: Oh no, not more confusion on your part. Is English a primary language for you? Discussing things with you almost feels like when I call Verizon FiOs customer support and I get someone from the Philippines on the line. They never really seem to comprehend the problem at hand. That may well be the case with you too. Are you from Malaysia, or Pakistan or some other East Asian nation? Anyway, for my part I find prefabricated answers to questions not yet asked when the prefabricated answers were created to be of little to no use when having a real discussion. But you can feel free to quote the other things if you’d like. Just remember, try to keep it in the context of perverse homosexual behavior. Thanks! smile emoticon<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>Uh oh...now Suzanne, are we back to that mishigas? As I stated earlier I don't doubt you've slowly created an imaginary Jesus in your mind that you circumstantially adhere to when it suits you emotionally. But don't compound your errors in understanding by attempting to project them onto me. No hon, I am a true disciple. I believe, receive and humble myself to all of His word. I do not cherry-pick the parts that fit in with my vile & inordinate affections. smile emoticon<END QUOTE>

<START QUOTE>Oh Suzanne, in both pride & rebellion you insist on continuing in error, don't you (rhetorical)? That is unfortunate; however it is proper for you to say that you could never confuse me with 'your' idol.

Alas, it is now clear you're precisely the type of individual Titus spoke of. You're an inconsequential, unruly and empty deceiver, nothing more. Your mind and in many respects worse, conscience is defiled. You continue to insist that you have a relationship with God, but your behavior....perverse, abominable, homosexual behavior....provoked by vile and inordinate affections actually deny Him. As I stated at the beginning, your words and deeds are against Jesus Christ, the Lord, and they defy who He is. Your insolence towards God testifies against you; in haughty pride you parade your sin just like they did in Sodom; and you do not even attempt to hide it. That is how deceived you have become. Woe to and for you. You've willfully brought disaster upon yourself. But for those who honor, obey and love Jesus it will be well. We will enjoy the lasting fruit of our behavior....we understand that attempting to continue in sin while pretending Jesus will magically confer legitimacy on it is a doctrine of the devil. Therefore with heavy hearts we accept that you will (if you do not turn away from your sin) reap the eternal penalty prescribed for yours.

My heart wants to assist you in reverse engineering your error to its more than likely emotional genesis but it is quite clear that you’re not in a position to be cooperative and completely transparent. So, I will defer. However, I take comfort in knowing that through highlighting your fairly basic errors, I have enabled you and others to begin to break free from the demonically provoked cognitive distortion that you're currently in bondage to. The Bible does say that His (unmolested) word does not return void but it accomplishes the things it is supposed to in the place where it was sent...hopefully I have not cast pearls before swine. wink emoticon

Other than the quintessential 2nd Timothy prayer asking God to grant you repentance to acknowledge the reality, I seek no further excuse to provoke you to repentance. I would however bid you good day…

…but the Bible actually tells me not to. So just dang. wink emoticon<END QUOTE>

So, all you Christians who claim not to understand, now maybe you've got an idea. And maybe part of your mission here on earth is to ask other Christians not to act like condescending jerks in God's name.

The Jesus I Saw Yesterday

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the first day of the most powerful and important week in the church year. In liturgical traditions, the service opens with joyful singing and the waving of palms, and progresses into a reading of the Passion.

Mark's account begins with a woman from Bethany lavishing Jesus with love and costly nard, but then takes an ugly turn to Judas' betrayal, the disciples falling asleep in the garden, Peter's denial, and finally humiliation, brutality, and death. The scenes are intense, and the reading of the narrative is tricky. In my old, conservative church, men on the rector's council were the only people participating in the reading, with Jesus played by the priest himself. The priest was a close friend, and a wonderful orator and teacher, but a horrible reader. His pacing was bad, and the emotion he attempted to introduce just didn't carry. His Australian accent sounded inexplicably cheerful throughout, which furthered listener confusion. Other participants had varying levels of success in executing their own parts, and the annual event ended up being torturous rather than powerful. But since the readers had body parts that matched the scriptural characters', all was theoretically right with the world.

In 2012 I attended my first service in which roles were played by women. Since then I've listened as women have read Peter, the high priest, and even Christ himself. I've grown accustomed to the practice, but I've never felt completely at peace with it.

Until yesterday, when my lovely bride was asked to read the part of Jesus.

She wasn't particularly comfortable with the role. She balked in fact, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stand up during the whole thing, and not wanting to draw attention. Feeling embarrassed about having to use a chair. Feeling awkward and uncomfortable at having to go forward on crutches.

But it was beautiful.

A Christian man castigated me online yesterday, calling me a "dirty, perverted, immoral sinner", and warning that unless I repent of my sins I will burn in a lake of fire. While he was off in his dark corner of the world, typing those words and many more, I watched Dolce sitting before the altar, reading the words of Jesus.

There she was, a woman. But not just a woman, a woman in a same sex marriage. A woman who's hip has dissolved to such a degree that she can't walk unaided. A woman who has been persecuted, and who was in extreme pain, and who felt unworthy, exposed, and vulnerable, sitting before the crowd and humbly undertaking the role of he who was persecuted, in pain, exposed, and humiliated.

Despite not looking anything like the smiling, bearded, postcard Jesus, Diane was the closest representative to that man on the cross that I've ever seen.

I can hardly wait to see what else this holiest of weeks will bring.

Sexual reaction rather than revolution

This article offers wonderful insight into the cultural context for the epistle commentary on sexuality. An excellent read.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/inebriateme/2015/02/the-sexual-reaction/

Jackhammers for Jesus

One of this week's readings includes a conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees:

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped."

This reminds me of the way that modern day Pharisees try to convince me that I can't be Christian. They use Jesus as a battling ram, as if they can "rescue" me by force, pushing me into the kingdom through the repetition of their claims. They apply the pneumatic hammer of scripture.

In this passage Jesus tells us that something new happened when John came. He points out that as Messiah, his mission was to fulfill the law; to make it complete. As he said on the cross "It is finished/culminated/consumated."  And so I pat myself on the back, and think about making up a bunch of tee shirts reading "Jackhammers for Jesus" to pass out to the gaggle of Pharisees who swarm near, waving their favorite, most damning passages of scripture.

But then verse 17 urges me to patience and mercy for these same people who drive me nearly mad with their death-grip on cudgels of law despite all the instruction to the contrary offered in the gospels and  epistles. In 17 Jesus reminds me that it is no easy thing for those raised under the law, those who define themselves by it, to let it pass away.

And that is sad. And worthy of compassion.

When odor becomes fragrance

At the end of Paul's letter to the Philippians, he praises the church, and says that their financial gifts to him are a fragrant offering:

I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. (Phil 4:8)

Old Testament cross references to the phrase point to the smell of burnt animal sacrifices. The typical phrase used in these references is "a pleasing odor". This concept causes cognitive dissonance given that the scent of burning feathers, fur, and bone is generally recognized as disgusting.

Odor indeed.

So what a lovely way it is for Paul to turn this all on its head, while confirming the words of Jesus who said:

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice." (Matt 9:13)  

Paul praised the church for being actors in the new covenant, where generosity and consideration for suffering is what God desires, rather than the death-driven sacrificial system of the old.

The Vanity of Name Taking

I am in a Facebook conversation with a young woman who has chosen "Cisse Masiix" as her nom de guerre, which means Jesus Christ in Somali. She is a Christian fundamentalist extremist who picks and chooses the scriptures she wants to follow and which others to use as whips on those with whom she disagrees.

I picture her wearing a button reading "WWJD?" But given the style with which she engages in discussion about homosexuality, it's pretty clear she ignores that essential question. 

Because here's what Jesus did.

• He spent time with sinners.
• He stopped injustice to the marginalized.
• He healed.
• He taught gently, through stories and parables.
• He broke down barriers between those of opposing social positions, cultures, and ideals.
• He excoriated two groups only: the money changers who extorted the faithful, and the scribes and pharisees who twisted God's instructions and kept people from the love of God. And this latter group gets more gospel attention than anything else.
• He died rather than fight.
• He beseeched God for oneness among his followers.

What he didn't do was use scripture as a cudgel, rather, he proclaimed woe to those who did.

A number of Old Testament passages teach us that his holy name is profaned by hypocritical behavior and false representation of God's words or character.

I worry a bit about what he thinks, this true Jesus Christ, when he watches people take on his name and then preach a message so in conflict with his own.

So if you are reading this, please pray for her, this fervent spitfire. May God open her eyes to the light of Christ.

Question of the day: Paul's view of the physical

Here's a question from Facebook:

I'm a bit confused... I thought the early Church took it's lead from St Paul, and i can't see him agreeing with gay anything - let alone marriage. He didn't even seem to think much about straight marriage come to that. I admit I have an issue with Paul - he always seemed so utterly down on any kind of physical love, and i find it hard to reconcile his teachings with those of Jesus.

The church was built on Peter, the Rock, the fisherman. Rural, uneducated Peter. Paul was erudite and voluble. Because we have so many of his (and his followers) letters it -might- give a false impression of his actual role.

Paul wrote to cities that were in horrendous idolatrous sinfulness. The homosexuality he mentions is in the context of those idolatrous behaviors. Because of that, we really don't know what he thought about the concept of committed, monogamous same-sex relationships. He didn't discuss them.

But Paul's instructions on marriage are a wonderful example of how we have to take the scriptures in their entirety, rather than pulling out snippets to prove our point. I could quote Paul and "prove" that Christians aren't supposed to marry at all. I wouldn't be adding anything to his words, simply restating them. But the common Christian understanding is that marriage is a good thing, despite Paul's telling us that marriage pulls us away from Christ, and that we should only marry if we are weak.

So take Paul in context. He was a bit of a fire brand and self appointed micro-pharisee (it's hard to break old habits), trying to keep the young church as clean as possible. Trying to make followers who strove for holiness. Trying to make up for his past hate crimes against Christians.

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul's words. But they were -Paul's- words, spoken to a time and place, for that time and place. The Spirit still speaks, and it sounds to me like He is whispering to you.

God of Scandal

I met my fiance Diane at a Charismatic Episcopal Church about seven years ago. In case you aren't familiar with the CEC, (most people aren't), imagine smooshing together an Assembly of God congregation with a Catholic church that rejects the Pope and wants it's male priests to be able to marry. If you can do that, you'll have a pretty good idea of what it's like. The CEC features liturgical services; a patriarchal, socially conservative structure with no ordination of women and governance by an all-male Rector's Council; contemporary worship music; and prayer in tongues. Incense burns, bells ring, prophecies are spoken, and occasionally a worshiper falls to the ground, slain.

It's a cafeteria tray full of carefully selected Christian tidbits.

I helped found the church from the rubble of a fractured Presbyterian congregation. I spent hundreds of hours searching for space and preparing it for holy use, developing printed material for the services and for marketing, building a website, writing newsletters, teaching classes, leading Bible studies, participating in strategic visioning and planning, and assisting the Rector's Council. I was so deeply involved in so many things that we eventually made up a title for my role.

I loved and served that church and it's people with my whole heart.

Throughout those years the priest grew to be my best friend. In my eyes he could do no wrong and I worked hard to further his goals and those of the Rector's Council. We met often as friends and as co-laborers.

I attended church alone, having come to my faith solo at age 38. My husband didn't understand the seismic shift which picked up pace as the years passed, morphing me from a broken and unhappy near-alcoholic to a bustling, smoldering brand, consumed with a love that didn't include him (by his choice.) Our marriage had always been rocky, and while the shift improved many things as I strove to be the Proverbs 31 wife, it introduced new problems and left old ones unresolved. We'd built a foundation on infidelity, substance abuse, and mutual distrust, and it couldn't hold up under the pressure of change.

But God was working, even as our life together turned increasingly brittle.

During this time frame I met Diane. Her family was new to the area, and she came to our church ready to plunge in. She attended all the extra curricular events, participated in all the women's Bible study groups, and volunteered for any work that needed doing. Over time, she also began stepping into leadership.

Our friendship grew as her own marriage floundered and failed after many years of sorrow and struggle. By the time the final detonation of my marriage sounded, Diane's husband had already moved out, and I moved in. The timing was orchestrated so perfectly that we could hear the strings tuning even through the tortured screaming of marital collapse.

Our poor church didn't know what to do with us. Divorce was verboten under the most straight-forward of circumstances, so they had no clue how to manage the scandalous questions about our relationship that were carried on the humid breeze of murmuring. My sycophantic, disordered relationship with my beloved priest disintegrated, creating an additional untethering that felt naked and painful.

The result was scandal. So much so that we were asked to stop coming even to the poorly attended Wednesday night Eucharistic service.

In addition to being heartbroken, Diane and I were ourselves scandalized by the shift from friendship to one-ness. I was extremely Catholic in theology and had been writing about the sacredness of sexuality for years. Diane was a solidly trained Baptist girl who believed that homosexuals were doomed to hell. We didn't understand, but we knew that we knew that we knew our coming together was divinely ordained and divinely orchestrated.

In the four years that have passed since those tumultuous days I have prayed often for forgiveness about the scandal that resulted, asking God what I should do about it. A new priest leads the church now. He was in training when it all happened, and recently began to engage in dialog with us. His reaching out resulted in my praying the same prayer anew.

And when I did, I received a revelation:  

God works through scandal. 

Think about that for a minute.

The biblical history of God and His people is rife with the stuff. Consider Joshua's men being saved by the prostitute Rahab: scandalous. Consider Mary's pregnancy out of wedlock: scandalous. Consider Jesus' repeated violation of law, a reality so scandalous most Christians won't admit it even happened. Consider Jesus' shocking demand that we eat His body and drink His blood, a scandal which caused many of His followers to desert Him.

And these are just a few examples.

Our God works through scandal. He is the very God of scandal, uprooting social norms and throwing over tablefulls of accepted behaviors. He brings about miraculous change and growth through it.

In the week that has passed since this realization, I've been able to relax in a way I'd not been able to do since my marriage took its final, shuddering breaths. My conscience can rest, knowing that the great God of all gods has worked through the very scandal He and Diane and I co-created. He is doing amazing work now. I don't have to try to repair it. In fact, I'm not supposed to.

Perhaps Diane and I will be called to visit that church some day, to attend a funeral, or to speak about the magnificent, confounding, scandalous workings of He who is Love. If that day comes, I'll find the courage to do what I am called to do.

But for now I know that all I have to do is wait for that call.

He is doing the rest.

Mercy and legality are like grass and fire

The thoughts of a drugged church

Love alone is credible

Violation of the day: Jesus breaks one of the 10 commandments

Matthew 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” 

Here Jesus goes again, breaking the law. Or at least, telling his followers to do so.

It's hard to find actual instructions for burial in the Old Testament, which I find surprising. Certainly there are prohibitions about uncleanliness related to touching the dead, and there are passages about the death and burial of many prominent figures. Deuteronomy 21:23 instructs us to bury a man on the same day that he was hanged, but that's about the most specific bit I can find.

But we do know that it was an obligation for family members to bury their dead, and an act of piety for Jews to bury those outside their families when necessary.

More importantly for this passage however is the commandment to honor our parents. This is one of the biggies. The top ten. The ones that overarch the Levitical laws and instructions that came afterward.

The man, this disciple, asked to bury his father. He asked to fulfill his familial obligation and to perform a final, ultimate act of honoring. An act that is a significant milestone in each of our lives.

And yet Jesus told him not to.

Of course he had his purposes. Presumably this is Jewish hyperbole in action. But the truth is the truth: Jesus advised his disciple to go against Jewish custom, and to break one of the Ten Commandments.

Your ways, Oh Lord, are unfathomable.