16 Years Ago Today…

…Everything changed. Everything. My Identity. My purpose in life. My goals. And, most profoundly, my theology.

16 Years ago today, August 14, 1996, my first son, Micah, was born.

In an instant, my identity changed: I became Daddy. I also became known around town as “Micah’s Dad.”

My purpose in life became the relentless effort to be the best father I can possibly be. This effects my whole life. I work hard so I can be an example to my children. I love my wife faithfully, so I can teach my children how to love ( and because my wife is my soul mate, but that is another post). I live well, so my children will know what it means to be alive in this world. And I am devoted to them, so they will always know that they are loved.

But on the morning of August 14, 1996, the doctor placed this tiny little person in my hands, and I looked into his face for the very first time. It rocked my world, and for the first time, I understood the Heart of God.

For years leading up to his birth, I had read about and heard whispers of a faith that claimed a more generous grace than the one I grew up with. My heart was struggling with the notion that the God of Love we proclaimed was OK with the idea that most humans would spend Eternity suffering in Hell. Yet, I was afraid to question, afraid to challenge my old assumptions, because I had been taught, and fully believed, that those questions in and of themselves were sinful. I had tried to live in a faith that claimed Salvation for the faithful only, but couldn’t really express what I really felt.

And then I held Micah for the first time.

As I held him, I marveled at how perfect he was. Not that he was without blemish or flaw or potential for sinfulness. But that even with these things, he was perfect. Exactly as he should have been. Exactly as God had created him. I promised him at that moment, that nothing he could ever do, nothing he could ever say, nothing in all creation, could cause me to stop loving him. Even if I have to search him out, and chase him down, to the ends of the earth, I will not let him go.

And then it hit me. If I, a sinful man as I am, can love with such great love, how much more can God, who is the very essence of love, love God’s children? Am I capapble of a love that exceeds that of God’s? No. I discovered on that day that I boldly and completely believe in God, whose love really is UNCONDITIONAL. I believe that God will not let anyone go, no matter what. I believe in love.

And, of course, that began a journey into an understanding of God, Jesus, the Bible, and a church that lives a faith based on grace that is true and absolute. It isn’t a denial of Christian Truth. It is a claiming of the very message of Jesus.

Happy birthday Micah… I still love you completely.

I promise.

Dad

Can We Be Truly Welcoming?

“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome!”

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this proclamation introduced by my church, the United Church of Christ. I have spoken it, declared it, and internalized it over the years. I truly believe it reflects how I understand the message of the Gospel and the mission of the Church.

Yet, I have some struggles. I am not so sure that we can hold on to our theological integrity, keep our mission focused and alive, and be truly welcoming to EVERYONE and ANYONE at the same time.

Throughout my ministry I have been aware of congregations which proudly advertise themselves as “Theologically Diverse”. They are often adamant that on any given Sunday morning there will be “liberals, conservatives, moderates and undecideds all in the same pew, worshipping together and loving each other”. This is true. There are many mainline churches with this mix of ideologies and worldviews of which they are so proud. But I must wonder if this diversity, though admirable, may be a quiet hinderance to focussed mission and true vision. It seems to me that “theologically diverse” often means, “we will never agree on anything, and we will never be able to do anything of real and lasting value.” And sadly, when congregations are divided by ideological issues, it’s the love that suffers most.

Fundamentalist churches make no bones about it: believe as we do or go somewhere else. As harsh as that sounds, it may have some integrity. Progressive churches claim a theology that is not mired in the orthodoxy and tradition that makes institutional faith so unattractive to so many. We claim a different understanding of scripture, a fresh experience of the Spirit, and a spirituality that affirms the full humanity of ALL of God’s people. So I must ask… would we be truly comfortable having a “pew” full of Biblical literalists, anti-gay Fundamentalists, White Supremacists, and Muslim-haters?

I am committed to having an open door, practicing radical hospitality, and offering, in the words of the UCC, and extravagant welcome. But I simply do not know how to include those whose religion is necessarily exclusive. Is it enough to say, “You are indeed welcome, but you may be happier somewhere else”? Should we have easily available print outs of a Google Map showing where conservative churches are? Mainly, how do we open our doors to everyone, and maintain our theological and missional integrity?

I really want to talk about this one…

“No Religion?”

A Facebook friend recently responded to my question, “What would be the one ‘non-negotiable’ that would make church meaningful for you?” with the emphatic words… “No Religion!”  I had to pause and ponder this one…..

Many of us love the John Lennon song that encourages us to “Imagine…. no religion, too.” We sing along imagining a world at one, peace as a global reality, politics as a real servant of the people, and community based on love and respect, not stopping to think about the “no religion” part of it.

On one hand, I get my friend’s point exactly. Institutional religion has caused much harm in human history: from the supposed God-ordained genocide of the Hebrew Bible, to the hateful words of churches in North Carolina and the despicable actions of the Westboro Baptist “Church” terrorizing the funerals of fallen service members. There is a long and shameful litany of religion leading people into bigotry and hate, and the ever present tendency of religious communities to separate themselves from others and claim God’s special dispensation. I fully understand how so many people are tired of and offended by religion, and turned off by the traditions and practices that reflect this shameful history. Yet, I cannot believe this is the whole story.

In my personal experience, and my reading of the Christian scriptures, I understand God to be the essence of Love, who seeks the full humanity of all people, and withholds blessing and grace from no one. Religion is and always has been fundamentally and attempt to respond and experience this love in its fullness. Of course, we have gone astray. But religion itself isn’t fundamentally evil. Sometimes it is used for evil things, but it is intended to be a force for good in this world.

So, my FB Friend, I challenge you, myself, and anyone who reads this to think a bit differently. I too reject the orthodoxies and rituals that oppress and condemn. I too reject the theologies that belittle human beings and create a special class of “believers” to whom God selectively pours out the blessings of Heaven. I too reject the idea that God failed in God’s pursuit of humanity, and that most people who have and will ever live will spend eternity in Hell. I believe that humanity was and is created in the image of God, with the full capacity to love unconditionally. I believe our faith and the pursuit of human fullness is far more urgent and important than any religious activity, and that one’s personal spiritual journey, shared with a community in trust and love, has the ability to change the world for good.

Yes, I “Imagine.” I imagine a world where faith, of all varieties, contributes to the welfare of the world. and affirms the Divine Image in everyone. I don’t want a world with “No Religion.” I want a world that uses religious practice for the good it was intended.

What about you?

In the Beginning….

In the summer of 1980, the summer I decided to be a follower of Jesus, my Sunday School teacher presented me with a brand-new, faux leather, King James Bible. As he handed it to me he said, “Everything you need to know about God, faith, and your salvation is in here. Read it. Memorize it. Live it.” I was grateful and excited, and I set to work that very day to internalize all the truth there is about God.

Three years later, I discovered that you can buy Bibles written in real English, that can be read and understood. I secretly bought one, and began to really read. It took me a few months, but I read the Bible from cover to cover… every word… even Leviticus. I loved it. But when I read the last words of the Revelation, I was confused. My understanding of Scripture, and of God, had certainly grown. But I still had tons of questions. Perhaps I just missed something, or I wasn’t paying attention. So I read it again.

Since that time, I have read the Bible in its entirety at least 5 times, and I have studied much of it, especially the New Testament with vigor. Guess what. I still have questions. I cannot begin to claim that I know everything there is to know about God, or even everything I need to know about God. Even my faith is often a mystery to me. With all due respect to my beloved teacher, I have decided that any God who could be encapsulated in the pages of any book, is a very small God indeed.

The God I have grown to love, whom I see best in the life of Jesus, is so much bigger than my reading, my experience, even my imagination. I still cherish scripture. But I am compelled to see God in the world around me, in the love and generosity of others, and in my experience of the life given to me. And it begs the questions: What can we know about God? From where does our knowledge of God come? What are the limits of our understanding?

How big is your God?

Hello world!

My first foray into the world of blogging is a bit unintentional. This is an assignment for a class with the Center for Progressive Renewal. Yet, it is a wonderful opportunity to offer a safe place for people to dialogue about their faith without the rules and regulations, expectations and stuffy language of Orthodoxy.

You are invited to share your thoughts, your experiences, your ideas…. and your disagreements, always filling your words with respect and grace as we try our best to figure out this thing called faith.

So welcome! Sit back, have a latte or a beer, and enjoy the dialogue!

Peace,

Mark