Common Ground after the HSR

8 Comments

1. Sexuallity, like money, has been “off the table” for discussion for a long time.

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2. Why is human sexuality such a divisive topic in our churches? For years and years, personal salvation, sex, and money have been taboo subjects in many Christian traditions. Now we don’t know how to talk about them.

   Is there an experience in your life that has made the topic of human sexuality important to you? Having personal knowledge and relations and interactions with people who have experienced condemnation is the single most important activity one could take in understanding the various topics. It was for me. Difficult to call those living common law “fornicators” when they are your friends; difficult to call people “abominations” when you are praying with them to God through Christ.

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3. The thing that feels particularly problematic, an oversimplification, I guess, is when we declare a certain group (all people in same sex relationships) as offside and thus not allowed to belong, without first knowing them as whole people, it is violent and against how Jesus operated in the gospels, I think. People are complicated and no one situation is simply a sin and thus requiring discipline of the person. We walk with whole persons and hold each other accountable, which is scary. Will we allow another sinner to help hold us accountable? Not without a long history of trust building together.

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4. What is the question no one is asking? What does Jesus say about this ? In Mathew, Jesus speaks of “sexual immorality”. He does not elaborate. I determine with my Lord and Savior what I consider my sexual immorality. I do not determine this for any one else. A wise Canadian Leader once said that sex and politics do not mix. It is wise for polititians to remain out of the bedroom of others. Perhaps these are wise words for Christ followers also.

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5. Why is human sexuality such a divisive topic in our churches? Because we don’t know how to talk about sex

   In what ways have we oversimplified the issue and made it unnecessarily polarizing? Thinking it is all about sex

   When you think about the perspectives that you disagree with, are there any parts of those views that actually do make sense to you? There are lots of things about the HSR we can agree on. Pornography, adultery, any kind of sexual abuse, polygamy, extra-marital sex, all outside of the Christian view of what God intended. And that applies whether you’re LGBTQ+ or in a heterosexual relationship.

   Is there an experience in your life that has made the topic of human sexuality important to you? Seeing so many people I love and care about marginalized and ostracized because of who they love.

   What is the question that nobody is asking? Why don’t we ever talk about homosexual love?

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6. Astonished July 15, 2022
   (a centering response to Synod 2022, to my family at Meadowvale)

   And so a new door opens for us.
   You do know
   We haven’t fit in this room for quite some time anyway.
   The furniture is all wrong.
   I’ve been trying to fit myself
   And my wondrously questioning theology
   Into baby bear’s chair
   and it’s been far too small for years.
   Mama bear’s chair seems fitting for those sleeping
   In the privilege of their power.
   And papa bear’s chair? I don’t even recognize the tyrant god they place on the papa bear throne.
   Unrecognizable any longer
   And for that grace,
   given by Creator,
   I stand in astonished gratitude.
   So they slammed the door in our faces. We are the “rot”.
   Rude.
   Gasping and gut punched
   Astonished,
   For a moment I can’t breathe
   For a moment I can no longer feel Spirit inflate my lungs—

   But thank you–
   For I can now no longer linger in the doorway
   Outside the gilded door of the private club
   On the “You’re not Welcome” mat laid for my daughter,
   At the thresh-hold praying for renovations–
   Or revelation–
   To change a home that’s no longer home.

   Out I go
   Not surprised, but still astonished—
   Astonished at deafened ears and the lack of love
   There’s a new line in the sand,
   A line certainly not drawn by the finger of Jesus.
   A manipulation of words, a sleight of hand,
   A well-planned command
   To silence Love.
   Wherein clarification becomes amending
   condescending
   to the descent of power’s divisive interpretations,
   A creed never intended and certainly not Christian.

   Out I go to be astonished
   By the embrace of eternal, non-limited, non-amended, unconditional
   Love.
   When you don’t fit, when you can’t sit, when your voice is omitted
   And no space is permitted,
   You sit at the crossroads.
   Bayo Akomolafe defines crossroads as
   Being at the liminal edges of all things.
   Be luminous on the liminal edges!
   Be a firefly.
   Adult fireflies live barely two months
   But they are the most efficient lights in the world
   As 100% of their energy is emitted as light.
   Imagine glowing like that,
   Radiating Love’s light with 100% of your being!
   Love lights our way
   Here on the precipice of something new
   but not quite there yet,
   Be astonished at the view outside of the guarded garden
   Because it’s not Eden many of us will walk away from this time.
   Welcome to wilderness.
   Oh, you thought perhaps we could plan re-wilding?
   Follow a blueprint? A creed? The one safe trail guaranteed?
   Circling narrowing ellipses? Stealing occasional glimpses of grace?
   No,
   but you will find the embrace of welcome as we walk.
   We do not walk alone.
   There are so many of us out here with our shepherd Creator.
   .
   So Hold on hope
   To what you know is true
   When deceiver’s lies cover you
   Pursue
   Hope.
   Hope is oft-times the most scarce commodity.
   Buy that field with your last tender
   And tenderly plant your seeds of hope and longing and belonging
   into the rich Earth embracing your clay feet.
   I know
   Love will win, and
   We will be astonished.
   Lee Cooper

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7. What would you think about this Overture proposal?
   Preamble
   Synod 2022 recommended to the churches the Human Sexuality Report (HSR), including its findings that homosexual sex is always and under all circumstances sexual immorality, unchastity and sin. But Synod did more than that, it went one step further, it also interpreted Heidelberg Q&A 108 such as to make the HSR’s interpretation of the Bible and creeds regarding homosexuality, binding on all members. A significant segment of the membership understands the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality differently from that of the HSR. What happens to them? What is the status of their membership? Are they welcome at the Lord’s Table? Are they to be disciplined? If their membership status is to be diminished, what shape will that take and be effective when?
   Decisions were made at Synod 2022, the implications of which are not immediately obvious and understood. If those decisions are to stand, the practical implications need to be worked out going forward. The denomination and its membership need time to do that responsibly.
   Overture
   Classis ………… overtures Synod 2023 to not implement or make effective Article 65, (4) Acts of Synod 2022, regarding the interpretation of Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 108, before Synod 2027, or for a longer period if deemed necessary, and to report back at the first meeting of classis following Synod 2023.
   Grounds
   • While the CRC has a long history of believing that the church should not bind the consciences of believers more than Scripture does, Synod 2022 in its decisions did not address the matter of binding consciences.
   • The denomination, its classes and local councils need time to understand and work out the practical implications of binding the consciences of all its members on whether homosexual sex is always and under all circumstances sexual immorality, unchastity and sin.
   • As it stands, Synod 2022 decisions may invoke church discipline against a significant segment of the membership, pursuant to Article 81 of the Church Order.
   • It is not prudent to make major decisions affecting a significant segment of the membership before understanding the practical implications.
   • Settling the practical implications before implementation will avoid unnecessary speculation, suspicions and mistrust.

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8. On Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Synod’s vote in favor of the Conclusion to the Human Sexuality Report (“HSR”) was a vote for orthodoxy. It affirmed that amongst other licentious activities, those “born that way” (Synod ’73) who persist in committed, monogamous, loving, same-sex relationships, are “in danger of losing their salvation”. Has Synod 2022 has set the CRC on a dangerous path of judgementalism? I read the entire HSR which was mainly fair, compassionate and balanced. Ironically, the Conclusion seems not to represent the HSR Committee’s work. What really happened there?

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