One body, many heads.

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Luke 22:42 (NIV)

I was also upset by a number of Facebook statuses I saw after the ELCA's social statement on sexuality was passed. People were celebrating, saying that the ELCA had "done something right". There was gloating and cheering. I thought that we were the body of Christ - here to support one another. Instead this issue is a passive-aggressive, "us against them", fight? Those messages made me feel like the time I had spent over the last ten years in discernment on this issue was wasted time; because on both sides the lines were already drawn. It doesn't seem to ever have been about coming to an understanding, but about pushing agendas.

I have heard a lot of good talk about discerning God's will in these discussions, but that seems to have gone by the wayside in the euphoria of a win for the home team. In that, if nothing else, we have divided ourselves by defining "winning" and "losing" sides. We are suddenly the body of Christ moving in different directions - pulling apart. This isn't the first time it has happened - look at the reformation. There were many un-Christian things done in the reformation in the name of Christ, and the first was picking sides instead of attempting to reconcile.

I pray for unity in this discernment instead of division.

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com

Sexuality as a Stumbling Block

⁹Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹²When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

1 Corinthians 8:9-13 (NIV)

The ELCA's social statement has created a lot of consternation over the last week. I have talked to people who are re-thinking their calls. I have talked to people who are considering leaving the church. One of the thoughts in my head lately has been, "Didn't anyone think about the impact this would have?" Maybe the disruption this is causing is inevitable. I can't help but think of the above passage though.

This issue is a HUGE stumbling block for many people. Does the social statement really make things better? When people start thinking about leaving the church over an issue that has no clear resolution after 8 years of discussion, are we making the right choice?

I pray that we will keep all our brothers and sisters in prayer as we continue to discuss this issue.

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com