Are we sugar-coating the Faith?

Recently, a Christian friend voiced concern about how many sermons and preachers were "sugar coating" God's message, the Scriptures, and the theology of the Church. I suspect what this person was looking for is some of the hard core "Thou shalt..." and "Thou shalt not..." found in the Bible, in the Christian and Hebrew Testaments (i.e. New & Old Testaments) alike.

At the time, I responded only by listening, but I suspect that many of us feel either the same way or the exact opposite. We want someone to tell us what we ought to do or we don't want anyone to tell us what ought to do! Sometimes we may even to want both. In my own life that shows up in a desire for a Rule of Life, a guide to how I intend to live out my faith on a daily basis, and also an aversion to deep and honest confession to my Confessor. I want direction, the "Thou shalt...", while at the same time not really wanting to face how I've broken the "Thou shalt not...". 

I strongly believe we need to hear both. But I also believe that the order is important. If the first thing we hear is how wrong we are, how badly we behave, and look first into the depraved depths of our sinfulness... well... I personally tend to run in terror or hide in shame. But if my first look at God is grace and mercy and love, if I honestly and truly know that there is nothing I can do to make God love me more or less, then and only then, can I face my brokenness and find redemption. I respond best to the "Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not" once I know the loving heart of God that they emanate from. 

And so, yes. On Sunday, as veteran and rookie disciples, young and old in Christ, gather together for Word and Sacrament, you will find the sweetness of God's Love most prevalent. This is no sugar-coating. Christ reveals the nature of God, that God is Love, and this strengthens us for all else. 

Therefore, I trust that we will not stop at a Sunday faith. I trust we will continue to grow into Christian maturity. I trust that as our experience of the boundlessness and bond of God's love deepens we will go on to wrestle with God's Holy Perfection and our own brokenness. Then, and only then, shall we find Godly and graceful strength to live into "Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not". 

Homosexuality, a Parish, the Episcopal Church, & the Anglican Communion

From a Presbyterian friend and colleague: "I'm curious, if it's not too complicated to answer-- how does the current turmoil in the Anglican Church affect you and/or St. Peter's? - J."

Dear J.,

A good question that I'm happy to reply to. The simple answer is, "Not much," at least not yet. The Episcopal Church's decisions to move forward with the blessings of same-sex couples and allowing openly gay persons to become bishops hasn't impacted us hardly at all.

These are large decsions dealing with the overall direction of the Episcopal church over a long period of time. As a local parish we're very concerned with individuals, small groups, and shorter periods of time.   

The most imminent struggle and turmoil facing St. Peter's is both more mundane and more important, namely the day to day struggle to keep Christ central in our own lives. The temptation in times like these is to make whatever issue the Church is facing the focus of our activity, thoughts, emotions, and reflections. To give in to that temptation is, of course, idolatry. Christ alone should be the focal point of our lives, thoughts, and actions. The rest falls into place afterwards.

Someone might ask, "Isn't St. Peter's concerned with social justice" or "....concerned with morality or Biblical authority and fidelity to the Gospel?" Of course we are! However, as a small parish our approach is to take one person at a time. The joy of working on the local level is the ability to see a person for who they are, not what group they are affiliated with. Jane is Jane first, not primarily a conservative or a lesbian or a priest or a Japanese American. Jane is Jane, and we are interested in inviting Jane to a life of faith in Christ no matter what descriptors she may use for herself or others of her. 

Personally, I'm more concerned with the individuals being trampled in the dust by all the flag waving by both sides. I try not to worry about making the right call on the issues and worry about missing opportunities to make God's love known to those who are bruised and bleeding, regardless of what "camp" they're in.

Regardless of what decsions we make as a national church, we all remain sinners utterly dependent on God's grace to make us whole and "good people." We cannot save ourselves through righteous living or good legislation. Ultimately, even our best efforts are flawed. Once we realize how dependent we are (a very Calvanist thought, by the way), perhaps we can relax and take Martin Luther's advice: "Love God and do what you will."

Striving to keep Christ in the center, 

Fr. James+