Thursday, August 12, 2010
Mini Sabbatical
Hello everyone. I'm taking a break from posting for the next two weeks as I take a much needed rest. I'll be back to posting later in the month so don't give up on me! Blessings to you all! David Eck
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
God-Shaped Hole
You don't become a rock star unless you've got something missing somewhere, that is obvious to me. If you were of sound mind or a more complete person, you could feel normal without 70,000 people a night screaming their love for you. Blaise Pascal called it the God-shaped hole. Everyone's got one but some are blacker and wider than others. It's a feeling of being abandoned, cut adrift in space and time. Sometimes this stuff follows the loss of a loved one. With me, I was like the character in an old blues song: 'sometimes I feel like a motherless child.' So many years later, my own hole can still open up. I don't think you can ever completely fill it in this life. You can try to fill it up with songs, family, faith; by living a full life, but when things are silent, you can still hear the hissing of what's Missing. --Bono, "U2 by U2"
O.K. I admit it. Bono is one of my favorite theologians. He is a deeply spiritual person and it shows in his music and his interviews. The concept of a God-shaped hole is an interesting one. For me, it means that place in our hearts, minds and spirits that can only be filed with the loving presence of God. We all try to fill that space with many different things including sex, alcohol, television, etc. but only God can truly fill the void.
As we look at the LGBT community as a whole, there is definitely a God-shaped whole in our tribe that we are only starting to fill. When I am at a party and people discover that I am a pastor, it opens up some interesting conversations. A number of people I talk to are a little bit afraid to attend a church because of bad past experiences, but they still yearn for God. They yearn for the kinds of things only God can truly supply: new life, forgiveness, grace, healing, and peace. Somehow we, who are a part of the church, need to find creative ways to reach those who are searching to fill the God-shaped hole in their lives no matter what letter of the alphabet they attach to their name. If we follow Bono's model, it means we don't have to have all the answers, we just need to be honest about our faith and about how God is working in our lives. This includes our failures as well as our victories.
O.K. I admit it. Bono is one of my favorite theologians. He is a deeply spiritual person and it shows in his music and his interviews. The concept of a God-shaped hole is an interesting one. For me, it means that place in our hearts, minds and spirits that can only be filed with the loving presence of God. We all try to fill that space with many different things including sex, alcohol, television, etc. but only God can truly fill the void.
As we look at the LGBT community as a whole, there is definitely a God-shaped whole in our tribe that we are only starting to fill. When I am at a party and people discover that I am a pastor, it opens up some interesting conversations. A number of people I talk to are a little bit afraid to attend a church because of bad past experiences, but they still yearn for God. They yearn for the kinds of things only God can truly supply: new life, forgiveness, grace, healing, and peace. Somehow we, who are a part of the church, need to find creative ways to reach those who are searching to fill the God-shaped hole in their lives no matter what letter of the alphabet they attach to their name. If we follow Bono's model, it means we don't have to have all the answers, we just need to be honest about our faith and about how God is working in our lives. This includes our failures as well as our victories.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Bibliolatry
Here's a new word for you: Bibliolatry [bib-lee'-all-a-tree]. Try to say that three times fast in a row! According to the dictionary, bibliolatry is "an excessive adherence to the literal interpretation of the Bible." It is a synthesis of the words "Bible" and "idolatry" which pretty much gives you a sense of what the word is about.
Bibliolatry is Bible worship where the Word is held in higher regard than the "Word made Flesh." It's mantra is "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." This is an over simplistic and dangerous statement since all of those who chant it don't follow everything that is in the Bible word for word.
I have yet to meet a true Biblical literalist. If I did I would run for me life, not only because they would advocate the death penalty for me since I'm homosexual, but if they followed God's word literally it would also mean they were in favor of slavery, polygamy, stoning adulterers and a host of other Biblical laws too numerous to mention that no one in their right mind would follow today.
If we're going to get anywhere in the Church of Jesus Christ we need to move beyond our infantile obsession with literalism. Let's face it, Jesus did not speak Elizabethan English. He spoke Aramaic. His words were then translated into Greek by the gospel writers and then copied over many centuries until, finally, they made their way into English. During this time scores of manuscripts were produced that contain a number of contradictions and inconsistencies. Some of these contradictions are minor. Others are major variants.
If we remain stuck clinging to the literal Word, we will exhaust ourselves trying to reconcile these inconsistencies. If, instead, we view the Bible as a sign post that points beyond itself to the Living Christ, then we free ourselves from following the letter of the law and can focus on its spirit. Granted literalism is appealing because it's simple. However, faith is never simple. It is complicated, challenging and life-altering. I would not have it, or my Bible, any other way.
Bibliolatry is Bible worship where the Word is held in higher regard than the "Word made Flesh." It's mantra is "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." This is an over simplistic and dangerous statement since all of those who chant it don't follow everything that is in the Bible word for word.
I have yet to meet a true Biblical literalist. If I did I would run for me life, not only because they would advocate the death penalty for me since I'm homosexual, but if they followed God's word literally it would also mean they were in favor of slavery, polygamy, stoning adulterers and a host of other Biblical laws too numerous to mention that no one in their right mind would follow today.
If we're going to get anywhere in the Church of Jesus Christ we need to move beyond our infantile obsession with literalism. Let's face it, Jesus did not speak Elizabethan English. He spoke Aramaic. His words were then translated into Greek by the gospel writers and then copied over many centuries until, finally, they made their way into English. During this time scores of manuscripts were produced that contain a number of contradictions and inconsistencies. Some of these contradictions are minor. Others are major variants.
If we remain stuck clinging to the literal Word, we will exhaust ourselves trying to reconcile these inconsistencies. If, instead, we view the Bible as a sign post that points beyond itself to the Living Christ, then we free ourselves from following the letter of the law and can focus on its spirit. Granted literalism is appealing because it's simple. However, faith is never simple. It is complicated, challenging and life-altering. I would not have it, or my Bible, any other way.
A Question: Blog Name Change?
Those of you who have followed my blog for a while, I'd like your input. I'm considering altering the name of my blog. The "I'm Christian. I'm Gay." should stay. However, I'm not sure with the "Deal with it" part anymore. It's pretty confrontational and if you read my blog you know I have a pretty gentle spirit. Your suggestions are welcome. [Please no snarky or nasty suggestions from conservative folk. I've heard them all and they're boring!]
Blessings, David
Blessings, David
Monday, August 09, 2010
This is the Church; This is the Steeple
"What if people were invited to come tell what they already know about God instead of to learn what they are supposed to believe? What if they were blessed for what they are doing in the world instead of chastened for not doing more at church? What if church felt more like a way station than a destination? What if the church's job were to move people out the door instead of trying to keep them in, by convincing them that God needed them more in the world than in the church?" --Barbara Brown Taylor
This is the church. This is the steeple. Open the doors and see all the people. Does this rhyme sound familiar to you? I learned it somewhere along the way when I was a wee little lad in Sunday School. Perhaps you even remember the motions that go along with it. If Barbara Brown Taylor had written this rhyme, she would no doubt be tempted to add a line about sending the people out into the world because the church is not really the church until it becomes flesh and blood in the world.
It's easy to be the church on Sunday morning. It's a lot harder to be the church on Monday through Saturday. It's easy to sing God's praise in worship. It's another thing to praise our neighbor, especially the ones we don't like.
Barbara Brown Taylor's series of questions ask some pretty profound things about what it means to be the church. Perhaps, too often, the church is seen as the place where we learn about God, when we already know a great deal about God when we walk through the door. I have found that the deepest insights I have learned about God did not come from a sermon or a Bible study, they came from people who shared their lives with me: The good. The bad. The gay. The straight. Death. Rebirth. Lessons learned. Lessons relearned. And so on...
This week I hope everyone will find a place of worship that affirms who we are as a beloved children of God no matter what sexual orientation we may be. But I also hope we'll keep our eyes focused for God out in the world. It is truly the best Sunday school class we will ever attend.
This is the church. This is the steeple. Open the doors and see all the people. Does this rhyme sound familiar to you? I learned it somewhere along the way when I was a wee little lad in Sunday School. Perhaps you even remember the motions that go along with it. If Barbara Brown Taylor had written this rhyme, she would no doubt be tempted to add a line about sending the people out into the world because the church is not really the church until it becomes flesh and blood in the world.
It's easy to be the church on Sunday morning. It's a lot harder to be the church on Monday through Saturday. It's easy to sing God's praise in worship. It's another thing to praise our neighbor, especially the ones we don't like.
Barbara Brown Taylor's series of questions ask some pretty profound things about what it means to be the church. Perhaps, too often, the church is seen as the place where we learn about God, when we already know a great deal about God when we walk through the door. I have found that the deepest insights I have learned about God did not come from a sermon or a Bible study, they came from people who shared their lives with me: The good. The bad. The gay. The straight. Death. Rebirth. Lessons learned. Lessons relearned. And so on...
This week I hope everyone will find a place of worship that affirms who we are as a beloved children of God no matter what sexual orientation we may be. But I also hope we'll keep our eyes focused for God out in the world. It is truly the best Sunday school class we will ever attend.
Friday, August 06, 2010
Post-Gay
"The Gospel at its best deals with the whole person, not only the soul but the body...Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of people and is not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial." --Martin Luther King Jr. [Inclusive language is added in italics.]
I long for the day when the Church will be post-gay. By this I mean, I long for the day when being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered is no big deal. Some churches and church-related organizations seem to have the need to create a visible, identifiable enemy in order to rally the troops and raise funds. [Right now that enemy is the "evils" of gay marriage.] Wouldn't it be great if all of God's people got passionate about the true evils in our world such as poverty, the AIDS pandemic and global warming? Wouldn't it be great if the Church could direct its energies and resources toward healing the divisions that exist between people and between nations instead of adding to the polarization that already exists in our world?
Being a post-gay world would be a good thing. I do not think it would be the end of civilization as some conservatives claim. In fact, I think it would be a step forward in our evolution as human beings. Believe it or not, I am not the enemy. I am not evil incarnate. I have the same hopes and dreams for my family as everyone else. I pay my taxes, volunteer in my community and try to be a good neighbor. I go to church, tithe my income and pray on a daily basis.
I have a dream that, one day, I will be able to work side by side with my conservative brothers and sisters in Christ. I have a dream that, together, we will put an end to the hate and animosity that exists between us, and spend our days bringing light and hope and healing to the darkest corners of the globe. With God, all things are possible so, perhaps one day we will become a post-gay world. I'm working toward that goal. How about you?
I long for the day when the Church will be post-gay. By this I mean, I long for the day when being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered is no big deal. Some churches and church-related organizations seem to have the need to create a visible, identifiable enemy in order to rally the troops and raise funds. [Right now that enemy is the "evils" of gay marriage.] Wouldn't it be great if all of God's people got passionate about the true evils in our world such as poverty, the AIDS pandemic and global warming? Wouldn't it be great if the Church could direct its energies and resources toward healing the divisions that exist between people and between nations instead of adding to the polarization that already exists in our world?
Being a post-gay world would be a good thing. I do not think it would be the end of civilization as some conservatives claim. In fact, I think it would be a step forward in our evolution as human beings. Believe it or not, I am not the enemy. I am not evil incarnate. I have the same hopes and dreams for my family as everyone else. I pay my taxes, volunteer in my community and try to be a good neighbor. I go to church, tithe my income and pray on a daily basis.
I have a dream that, one day, I will be able to work side by side with my conservative brothers and sisters in Christ. I have a dream that, together, we will put an end to the hate and animosity that exists between us, and spend our days bringing light and hope and healing to the darkest corners of the globe. With God, all things are possible so, perhaps one day we will become a post-gay world. I'm working toward that goal. How about you?
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Which Comes First: The Book or the People?
"What I noticed at grace-Calvary is the same thing I notice whenever people aim to solve their conflicts with one another by turning to the Bible: defending dried ink marks on the page becomes more vital than defending the neighbor. As a general rule, I would say that human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God. In the words of Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas, 'People of the Book risk putting the book above the people.'" --Barbara Brown Taylor, "Leaving church: A Memoir of Faith"
What a great quote! It has always been my understanding of the gospels that Jesus got most upset with religious folks when they put the book above the people. If Jesus greatest commandments were to love God and love our neighbor as our self, then why do we sometimes love the Bible more than we love our neighbor? The funny thing about the gospels is that Jesus got most upset with religious folks rather than the heathens. Why? Because some of the religious folk in his day used the scriptures to make themselves feel superior to others. They used the sacred texts to exclude others from God's wide circle of grace, mercy, forgiveness and healing. This drove Jesus absolutely bananas. It drives me crazy as well!
If we, as people of faith, from both red and blue states, from conservative and liberal circles, would spend more time defending our neighbors instead of defending dried ink marks on the page, our world would be a better place to live in, indeed! Let's stop hurting one another and spend our time loving each other instead.
What a great quote! It has always been my understanding of the gospels that Jesus got most upset with religious folks when they put the book above the people. If Jesus greatest commandments were to love God and love our neighbor as our self, then why do we sometimes love the Bible more than we love our neighbor? The funny thing about the gospels is that Jesus got most upset with religious folks rather than the heathens. Why? Because some of the religious folk in his day used the scriptures to make themselves feel superior to others. They used the sacred texts to exclude others from God's wide circle of grace, mercy, forgiveness and healing. This drove Jesus absolutely bananas. It drives me crazy as well!
If we, as people of faith, from both red and blue states, from conservative and liberal circles, would spend more time defending our neighbors instead of defending dried ink marks on the page, our world would be a better place to live in, indeed! Let's stop hurting one another and spend our time loving each other instead.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
You Gotta Have Faith
There is no such thing as a little faith any more than there is a little pregnancy. Faith is an overwhelming power no matter how weak it may seem. Given half a chance it will take over and direct our lives, comforting us when we are discouraged and challenging us when we are complacent. -- Father Andrew Greeley
Faith is defined in many different ways by many different people. I like Andrew Greeley's definition because it reminds us that faith is not something we can loose easily. It has suction cups and sticks to us through the most difficult of times. This is good news for all people of faith, but it is especially good news for the LGBT community.
I've had numerous conversations with gays and lesbians who have endured rejection and outright hostility from the church and have, not surprisingly, left in despair. They begin to wonder if they still have any faith at all. However, I have discovered that they are still spiritual people at their core. The church may have knocked them against the ropes, by they are not out of the fight yet. There is a yearning inside of them to reconnect with God. That yearning, I believe, if faith.
No matter what bad experiences we've had with the church [and our straight friends can tell as many horror stories as we can] I hope that we will not give up but let faith do its work in our lives. God loves all God's children [LGBTSQ and any other letter of the alphabet we may identify with] and has planted a seed of faith in our lives that will not die easily. It is there to comfort us when we are discouraged and challenge us when we are complacent. Let us open our hearts and spirits today so that faith can do it's miraculous work in our lives.
Faith is defined in many different ways by many different people. I like Andrew Greeley's definition because it reminds us that faith is not something we can loose easily. It has suction cups and sticks to us through the most difficult of times. This is good news for all people of faith, but it is especially good news for the LGBT community.
I've had numerous conversations with gays and lesbians who have endured rejection and outright hostility from the church and have, not surprisingly, left in despair. They begin to wonder if they still have any faith at all. However, I have discovered that they are still spiritual people at their core. The church may have knocked them against the ropes, by they are not out of the fight yet. There is a yearning inside of them to reconnect with God. That yearning, I believe, if faith.
No matter what bad experiences we've had with the church [and our straight friends can tell as many horror stories as we can] I hope that we will not give up but let faith do its work in our lives. God loves all God's children [LGBTSQ and any other letter of the alphabet we may identify with] and has planted a seed of faith in our lives that will not die easily. It is there to comfort us when we are discouraged and challenge us when we are complacent. Let us open our hearts and spirits today so that faith can do it's miraculous work in our lives.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The Kids Are All Right
Monday, August 02, 2010
Sermons On The Go
I have a new feature at my church's web site called "Sermons on the Go" which are podcasts of some of my favorite sermons I've preached at Abiding Savior. I have three up and running right now but will add more in the future. Enjoy! www.abidingsaviorlutheranchurch.org/downloads
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)