Though I’ve attended the triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church almost as long as I’ve been a priest, this is the first time that I have watched from afar, and with the development of live webcasts and Twitter feeds such as those found at the TEC Media Hub, one can certainly feel as though they are virtually present.
As usual, the lion’s share of media attention has focused on the passage of Resolution D025, an honest statement of support for full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church and a strong insistence of our commitment to the wider Anglican Communion. In addition, Resolution C056, passed by the House of Bishops, and currently on the floor of the House of Deputies, acknowledges the changing circumstances in the United States and in other nations, with regard to legislation for and against same-gender unions. The Resolution calls for a renewed pastoral response from the Church and for an open process for the consideration of theological and liturgical resources and liturgies for the blessing of same gender relationships.
Many fear that in approving these resolutions, we are taking a step apart from the wider Anglican Communion (see Philip Jenkins Op-Ed in today’s WSJ). It’s important to emphasize that this may be true with regard to our transparency about where we actually are in our discernment and response to issues of human sexuality. But in many more important and urgent matters such as mission, evangelism, reconciliation, and justice, we have not “stepped apart” with the wider Communion at all. It does break my heart to see the strain our actions cause for some within the Anglican Communion, particularly those who view sexuality issues as determinative for constitutive membership in the Communion.
One of the moments I most anticipated at the Convention this week was Brian McLaren’s sermon at the Daily Eucharist that took place yesterday. Brian and I have a friendship that goes back to the early 1980′s when we worshiped at the same parish together. In his sermon, based on 2 Corinthians 5:15-21, Brian called those gathered to rediscover the good and true essence of evangelism, to live and call others to a new way of life, to plead with people to rethink everything, be reconciled to God, and follow the way of Jesus. Can we see the words Episcopal and Evangelistic as a holy union joined together by God, something God has joined together and no one should put asunder?
Brian outlined three obstacles or distractions that must be overcome if this is to happen, if we are to seize this moment of Episcopal crisis and opportunity. Those obstacles are institutional conflict; institutional identity; and institutional rigidity. With reference to institutional identity Brian said:
People like you in these times of institutional conflict and stress could easily be tempted to lodge your identity in the saving of a beloved institution. But here we encounter, I believe, a great spiritual paradox. To recall Jesus’ words, what if those who try to save their institutions will lose them? What if the best way to save an institution is to focus on saving something else, something bigger? What if the point isn’t saving the institution but rather leveraging the institution in the saving of the world, the world God so loves, according to John 3:16? In your simultaneous commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and to true and deep evangelism, you are in the process of choosing this outward, missional focus–leveraging your institution for God’s mission in today’s world. So much depends on this.
These are thoughtful and important words, especially for one who has given almost 30 years of his life to serving this “beloved institution,” and who yearns to stay focused on the urgent task of inviting people to find purpose and hope in the way of Jesus Christ. We have a Gospel to live and proclaim!
A PDF of Brian’s sermon text can be found here.
