Tuesday Lent 6: Mulligan!

Do-overs are awesome.

People gave Bill Clinton a hard time for taking all those mulligans. But I say, mulligans for everybody, whether they're the president or not!

That's what Lent is about. Hell, that's what Christianity is about. Mulligans.

The Greek word for sin, used in the Christian Testament, essentially means, a missed shot. You aimed, but your aim was off. It's an especially merciful word because it presumes the best in us was trying to do the right thing, but we missed. In contrast, I suppose, to the Calvinist theology which formed the basis of the tradition of which I am a part, which assumed no such thing. According to Calvin, original sin has utterly defaced the image of God in each of us, so that we are incapable of good action in and of ourselves.

The Christian testament, the very linguistics which make it up, beg to differ. Sin is not always about our total depravity. Sometimes, sin is about our valiant efforts falling short, straying to one side or the other of the mark we intended to hit.

Today's lectionary reading from Hebrews quotes from Psalm 95:

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 
     “Today, if you hear his voice, 
 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, 
          as on the day of testing in the wilderness...    ~Hebrews 3:7-8

Hardening our hearts can have something to do with missing the mark. We think we're on the right track, the best track, but we have predisposed ourselves to taking the bend in the road when we ought to (sorry dear readers) have gone straight. Or, as my friend L. says, "gaily forward."

But/ And the good news is: mulligans all around! Today is a new day. This morning is a fresh start, whether you need it with the food you meant to eat or the kindness you intended to convey or the honesty you intended to share or the spiritual discipline you intended to practice.

Thanks. Be. To. God.

Friday Lent 3: 40

I said to a friend recently that one of the things I most value about F@ceb00k is the fact that it has become a kind of news aggregator for me. My friend share things they find interesting, and because they are my friends, often I find those very same things interesting too.

Not Farmville or Mafia Wars.

Other things.

Like this splendid and modest little video, which is startlingly powerful.

Lenten blessings.

On Jonah and "Goodbye Rob Bell"

Image courtesy of Convictions.

In case you missed it, today is Ash Wednesday!

Just kidding. Of course you haven't missed it. Unless... you're reading this from the other side of the world where the day is mostly gone by now.

But I'm going to assume you haven't "missed it." I'm assuming the readers of this blog are all too aware of the dawning season of Lent, and our invitations to its disciplines, which, as the daily lectionary reading from Hebrews (12:1-14) reminds us, "always seem painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by [them]."


Can I get an Amen?


In case you missed it, there has also been a fascinating controversy in the blogosphere in reaction (not response) to the advance publicity for Rob Bell's new book, "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived." (Modest title, don't you think?) In fact, the controversy even made the New York Times.


Just to be clear, I haven't read the book. (It comes out next week.) But from what I understand, in it Bell suggests something that other theologians before him have suggested. He suggests-- and provides scripture evidence to back up his suggestion-- that a loving God whose intention is for everyone's salvation, will, in fact, make that happen. He believes that there is a hell, but most likely, it is empty.


I have no problem with this view.


But, boy, some people sure do, including one seminary friend with whom I went toe to toe on this for about 25 comments on F@ceb00k. Some people have a HUGE problem with the idea that hell is empty. In fact, some people seem downright threatened by it.


Reminds me of Jonah. Today's Hebrew Scriptures lectionary passage is Jonah 3:1- 4:11. Which means, the reluctant prophet preaches repentance to Nineveh, Nineveh gets it and God decides not to punish Nineveh-- in other words, successful prophetic mission accomplished-- and Jonah gets pissed. As in, "I'm going into the desert to sulk," pissed. As in, "I didn't want these people to be saved" pissed.


But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”


Is it right for people to be angry over God's desire to save? My seminary friend appealed to the Christian tradition, orthodox teaching, which tells us there's a hell. I appealed to the "reformed, always reforming" notion of what it means to be faithful day by day. I also appealed to scripture-- though not this passage, which may be more on point than most.


It is always good, in the face of these kinds of controversies, to ask, "Who stands to gain?"


Who stands to gain if there is no hell? Who stands to gain if there is a hell?


To answer the first, we all do, of course. Everyone who is a sinner-- which, it is my understanding, is everyone, period. We all gain, because love wins and salvation is graciously extended to all. (That's the definition of grace, by the way. Unmerited good stuff/ God stuff.)


To answer the second, well, a select few. Who get to be gatekeepers (in their own minds), and to essentially say, "Nanny, nanny, boo boo" to everyone who doesn't do religion their way. 


In the end, it's all about people trying to figure out how God thinks. 


Frankly, Bell had me at "Hello," which is to say, the title: "Love wins."


That's who I believe God is. 


What do you think?

L@dy G@G@: Put Your Paws Up

Oh my.

Here's what I knew:

I knew it would be an entertaining show. I knew the singing would be good, the choreography tight, the costumes numerous and provocative. I knew the volume would be high, the hall crowded, and the excitement at its peak. I knew the L@dy in question would give a hell of a show.

But, when Beloved and I took Petra to see the show in the Las Vegas of the East this past Saturday night, I did NOT know that I would leave with my estimation of G@G@ almost completely changed.

G@G@ is a woman with a mission. Her mission is this: to spread the message, far and wide, that each and every human being is a beloved child of God. That however we were born, God called that "good." That includes every manner and flavor of sexual orientation, race, religion (or lack thereof).

She repeated the message, over and over, just about every time she spoke to the audience. (OK, it happens to coincide with a tight marketing campaign for her new album. I never said she wasn't an exquisite businesswoman).

She had a deal with a cell phone company (Virgin Mobile): concertgoers could text a message, at a cost of $5, to be broadcast on large screens in the hall. The money went to a charity for homeless youth.

Did you know that GLBTQ youth are ten times more likely to be homeless than other youth?

At one point, G@G@, who has a strangely unexpressive face-- mask-like, really--said: "I don't want you to go home tonight loving me more. I want you to go home loving yourself more.

As we streamed out onto the boardwalk, I said to Petra, "She really is a kind of.... spiritual leader, isn't she? For people who have felt rejected by the mainstream, by religious communities?" Petra nodded. 

So. This pastor of the Reformed tradition came home from that particular concert feeling... inspired. As if I'd just ingested a chunk of the bread of life along with my likely mild hearing loss. And as if I, we, who are the "mainstream" churches and faith communities, have a lot of catching up to do.

Put your paws up, baby.

~~~

"Born This Way"


It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M
Just put your paws up
'Cause you were born this way, baby

My mama told me when I was young
We are all born superstars
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir

"There's nothin' wrong with lovin' who you are"
She said, "'Cause He made you perfect, babe"
"So hold your head up, girl and you you'll go far,
Listen to me when I say"

I'm beautiful in my way,
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
(Born this way)

Ooo, there ain't no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way
(Born this way)
Ooo, there ain't other way
Baby, I was born this way
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't be a drag, just be a queen
Don't be a drag, just be a queen
Don't be a drag, just be a queen
Don't be!

Give yourself prudence and love your friends
Subway kid, rejoice the truth
In the religion of the insecure
I must be myself, respect my youth

A different lover is not a sin
Believe capital H-I-M (hey, hey, hey)
I love my life, I love this record and
Mi amore vole fe yah

I'm beautiful in my way,
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Ooo, there ain't no other way

Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way
(Born this way )
Ooo, there ain't other way
Baby, I was born way
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
...

Don't be drag, just be a queen
Whether you're broke or evergreen ...

Whether life's disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
'Cause baby, you were born this way

No matter gay, straight or bi
lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to survive
...  

I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to be brave

I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way, yeah!

Ooo, there ain't no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way
(Born this way )
Ooo, there ain't other way
Baby, I was born this way
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

I was born this way, hey!
I was born this way, hey!
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way, hey!

I was born this way, hey!
I was born this way, hey!
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way, hey!

Daring to Hope

Here's how it usually goes.

Every two years my denomination holds its General Assembly, a gathering of representatives of all the presbyteries. During that meeting, which normally lasts about nine days, clergy and layfolk (all ordained officers, ministers and elders) discuss and deliberate changes to our constitution, as well as other proposed business- statements about world affairs, for example. Or whether or not to add another theological statement to our Book of Confessions.

In 1997 the General Assembly vote resulted in adding the infamous "amendment B" to the Book of Order-- that paragraph which, on the surface, would seem to apply equally to gay and straight alike, but which in fact has only been enforced against GLBTQ ministers, elders and deacons. It states,

"Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historicconfessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant ofmarriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament."

There are many critiques that can, be and have been, leveled at this paragraph. One such critique is the fact that it calls us to be obedient to Scripture rather than God or Jesus Christ. Another is the absurd call to repent of any practice which "the confessions call sin", which, since our confessions are historical and include the Westminster Catechism, the Scots Confession and others, would include such practices as allowing women to perform baptisms and Bingo games. It's not well written, and it's theologically abysmal.

Three times since 1997 the General Assembly has sought to remove this language. This year, the proposed paragraph is the following:

“Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.” ~ Amendment 10-A

Obedience to Jesus Christ, who alone is Head of the Church. Check. Authority, in this order: Christ, Scriptures, Confessions. Check. And finally, the right of the ordaining/ installing body-- church or presbytery-- to assess each candidate's gifts and calling. Oh check and Amen.

So, how it usually goes is, these amendments come to the presbyteries for ratification. The process is the equivalent of changing the US constitution: first congress votes, and then the states ratify. And usually, I maintain a somewhat detached, not too eager stance. I check in on the votes every once in a while. Sometimes there are signs of life of hope, but mostly, it looks like a losing battle.

Except, every time it happens, we get a little closer. You could chalk it up to demographics. As people, say, the ages of my children (23 and 18)  come to leadership in the church, of course, this issue will be resolved in favor of inclusion.

This year, it feels like the power of the Holy Spirit is at work.

And I'm enough of a superstitious Irishwoman to already regret "saying" that "out loud" by typing it here.

But it feels as if, maybe, just maybe, this is the year it will happen. We are ahead in the voting, for the first time ever. Right now we have a "net" gain of six presbyteries. We need a "net" of nine. Here is the voting chart as tallied by the Covenant Network.

The voting is far from over, our time may not have come.

But I am daring, this year, to hope.

Women in Danger

From the Huffington Post's Nancy Northup:

Read the rest here.

Would you ask someone else to die for your religious beliefs? A new proposal moving through Congress makes clear that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops apparently expects everyone to die for theirs. The same members of Congress who last week attempted to dial back the definition of rape to the nineteenth century now propose another change to federal law that is just as shocking: in a move long sought by the political arm of the Catholic clergy, hospitals would be permitted to refuse to treat women with life-threatening emergencies.

A newly revised bill in the House of Representatives proposed by Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-Penn.), would allow religious hospitals to determine the care provided to patients regardless of prevailing standards in medical care -- even in medical emergencies -- and regardless of the religious beliefs of the patient. Though dramatic, it is no overstatement to say that the so-called "Protect Life Act" would be more aptly named the "Death Warrant for Women Act," as it would allow hospitals to refuse to treat a woman needing a medically necessary abortion to save her life...

Great Article on Sex in the Bible by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Wright Knust

Read it here.