Anglican Perspectives

Let me show you a more excellent way…

 

GlobalView from Bishop Bill Atwood

 

As I write this, the United States (as well as much of the world) is watching and waiting to see what will happen in the Presidential election. There is no doubt that Americans are faced with selecting from two flawed candidates, but it is not a toss-up. One party has a platform that has essentially declared war on Biblical values. If they prevail, the nation will face a battle that rivals the most desperate challenges that any nation has faced. But…we will not know for some hours…

 

In the meantime, I want to share about something that has captured a great deal of attention in the liberal church media. In an African country (and it could be one of several), a mob gathered outside the home of someone who was known to be in a same-sex relationship. The crowd grabbed and abused at least one of the men, and there were terrible reports of violence and degradation. Liberal pundits were quick to blame conservative church leaders for what they described as hateful behavior motivated by the loveless positions from the church who label some things as sin. Of course, same-sex intimacy is only one of many sins, but it is different because it is the only area of sin where so many demand it be blessed by the church.

 

Current cultural momentum is certainly on the side of the same-sex revisionists, but that doesn’t mean they are right. Not only are they wrong about affirming same-sex relationships as being God given, they are wrong in their characterization of the position of Biblical conservatives–or at least of the position that we could and should hold. As with much of liberalism, there is in this case an emphasis on motive and intention. Actual consequences are considered to be irrelevant, focusing only on the way they would like things to be rather than the way they actually are. While there are hateful bigots who oppose same-sex intimacy, that at least should not be the way that we are motivated. It should be about God’s view of the world, and why God says what he does.

 

A much better way to view the same-sex issue is through the lens of God’s love. Rather than being superficial, God’s love is substantial and concrete. It is powerful, even invasive–costly and profound. His love is not the sort of “hail fellow well met” that uncritically agrees with whatever is proposed. It is the challenging kind of love that seeks the best for each person, not just their temporal affirmation that thoughtlessly affirms people even when they are on the road to disaster. His desire is to show the way in which people can walk so that we can experience the best of Him and His Kingdom.

 

God does not arbitrarily label some things as sin on a whim. He calls things sin because they damage us, our relationships with others, or our relationship with Him. In the sphere of relationships between and among persons of the same sex, there are many things which are righteous and can be affirmed. Relationships of friendship, loyalty, cooperation, loving sacrifice, and joy can, and should be affirmed. There is a tremendous difference however, when those relationships have expressions of sexual intimacy. God has revealed the wonderful and powerful gift that sexual intimacy is within the context of marriage. There is meant to be complementarity, creativity, and synergy, all of which produces the fruit of the Spirit. The reason that God proscribes same-sex sexual intimacy is that, tragically, its practice is neither creative or fruitful. Even in the most permissive cultures which seek to advance same-sex practice as normative, there is a tragic harvest of disaster. Rates of suicide, depression, infidelity, abuse, and relational failure are magnitudes greater than the incidents of those things in the context of heterosexual marriage. Obviously there are many problems within “traditional” marriage that need to be addressed, but the difference is that in traditional marriage, it is possible to build a relationship that fully honors God. It is not possible to depart from God’s design and fulfill either His will or experience genuine fulfillment.

 

If we are to be found faithful, however, we cannot simply denounce things or people. We are called to go into the world and love people into wholeness. In order to do that, we must love people where they are. Loving them, however, does not mean affirming what they are doing. We need to invest in relationships with people so that we can win the right to have a hearing.

 

In Hebrew culture, there is a phrase “You are my glory and the lifter of my head.” When someone is depressed, they are literally downcast and look down. Interestingly, if someone comes and physically lifts the chin of the downcast person, it actually helps lift not only their view, but also even their mood. Hebrew culture, however constrains that before someone can lift another’s head, they must have demonstrated and proved their love in concrete ways. Only then, are they allowed to reach into another person’s life and lift their head.

 

There is great guidance in that. How often we have failed others by speaking without loving and without demonstrating love in concrete ways. Guidance without love is usually received as condemnation; and condemnation is never the way of Christ. When we have laid down our life and served others, there will be confidence in our love for them. Often, what follows will be an invitation to us to speak into their life.

 

Yesterday on a flight that should have been an hour, we were stuck onboard for six or seven hours. We had a good flight attendant who was a very flamboyant “gay” man. He talked a great deal about his “husband.” Through the hours we were stuck on board flying holding patterns, diverting to an alternate for fuel and then circling again for almost two more hours, I made a point to treat him with kindness. I don’t know if I will have the chance to speak with him again, but when we left the plane, he said, “I had a great group of passengers today on a tough flight. People were awesome, but,” he said to me, “You were the best and kindest.” There are certainly times when I don’t do as well, but this is the way we are supposed to be. Perhaps one day, maybe on another flight, I will see him again and may have the chance to say more, but some groundwork has been laid.

 

When we have the opportunity to speak truth, it must be “in love.” God has a vision for that young man’s life that does not include disease and death decades earlier than the general population. It should include a much higher calling to spiritual fruit, not violence, disease, and depression. Sadly, because we have not loved very well or spoken hard truth with gentleness, he is without hope that will address the pitfalls and down-side of his lifestyle. Tragically, the “liberal church” catapults him on the way by telling him that his lifestyle is just as valid, right, and fruitful as heterosexual marriage. Only, what the culture has told him is not true. When the bankruptcy comes, it will be very hard and very painful. We have a responsibility to love him (and others!) better than that.

 

The power of the Gospel is given to us with weighty responsibility. It is not just so that we and other Christians can go to heaven, but the full weight of the Gospel is brought to bear so that the Kingdom of God can be extended on the earth and people experience the transformation that Jesus Christ can bring. That will not come through superficial fluff. It will only come through substantial and sacrificial engagement with people in the midst of the culture. We can neither ignore that which is in opposition to God’s order, or speak words of condemnation. The “more excellent way,” is costly faithfulness. It is not complicated; it is just expensive.

 

I am filled with hope after the Global South meeting in Cairo in which many great things happened. Leaders of the Global South and GAFCON were able to heal relationships that had been strained due to strategic differences. Now, sharing the theological foundations of the Jerusalem Declaration, there is excitement about moving forward in love with a shared theological perspective that can win not only individuals, but can impact various cultures for the sake of the Kingdom. We have not been so wonderfully positioned for decades. We must be good stewards of what we have been given and move forward faithfully, gently, and filled with real and robust love.

 

Bishop Bill Atwood

The Rt. Rev. Bill Atwood is Bishop of the ACNA International Diocese and an American Anglican Council contributing author.

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