our theology matters
The war is raging out of control in Iraq. Healthcare is being further threatened in the Missouri legislature this month. We’re still reeling from the tragedy at Virginia Tech. But with all of these really important theologically charged global concerns, I am increasingly convinced that what we say and do locally creates the stage on which these world events play. In short, our theology matters.
As the Governing Body works on mission-vision-value statements, which will be shared with the congregation for input and adoption later this spring, we have had rich discussions about the theological diversity and movement of our congregation. We have been very direct and intentional about naming our individual perspectives and beliefs even as we work to identify a foundation which will continue to be welcoming of diverse perspectives.
We have been striving to create an environment grounded in Jesus’ inclusive witness which is open and welcoming for those who have never experienced church and also for those who have left the church wounded. Our community has been a welcome respite for many and for some a long awaited and beloved home. We are honored to be a safe place for both same-gender and interfaith couples. We have as many names for God as we have people in the pews, and a few more! We have people who love the stories of Jesus’ healing and teaching, others who revel in the Old Testament stories, and some who confess angst about the book we call sacred. We have agreed to disagree, claiming the unifying spirit of our (German) “Evangelical” heritage, and relied on educated inquiry and prayer to guide us to greater truth. We are a wonderful and vibrant, if quirky, community.
Because we are a community, because we are alive, there is movement. When I watched my babies sleep I was comforted by the movement of even their sleeping bodies. That which is living is moving. Perhaps this is the underlying tension that I sometimes feel. Movement implies change and change, even when welcome, is uncomfortable. Movement implies relearning and challenge as we search for the familiar touchstones now in new places. Movement implies loss because there is no way to get to point A without leaving point B. As we move towards a place where skeptics and believers can share worship, the creeds are less prominent in our communal gatherings. As we move the furniture of ‘tradition’ into the open air, it seems smaller and oddly more vulnerable. As we welcome new faces, we yearn for the familiar.
As we strive to live the gospel that we recognize in Jesus’ life and teachings, we are attempting to be the change that we wish to see in the world. Acknowledging our own pathway to God through the life and teachings of Jesus, we are intentionally working to create a safe space for children to grow and discover that differences in creed can be not only tolerated but also celebrated. Respecting the presence of God in all creation, we hold the mystery of mental illness; acknowledging the pain, refusing to accept the ignorant sound bytes, and striving to make safe space for those who suffer and their families to find a healing balm. Claiming the healing narratives of Jesus’ story, and the traditions of Elijah and Elisha from whence they emerge, we believe that health care is not a privilege but a human right and are thereby moved to respond to the unfolding events in the Missouri legislature. Grounded locally, we can respond globally.