PC: The Utility of this Exercise (and Thesis 21)

Ah,...I think that things are getting interesting, perhaps enough to rouse me from my slumber...

NH stated:

Thesis 21 may, indeed, have "all the makings of disordered self-absorption that characterize the church at its historic worst: that is, the church's self-obsession to the exclusion of its mission, leading, paradoxically, to its greater fragmentation rather than greater cohesion and unity." But if this is true, what are we to do about it? For I maintain that Thesis 21 describes rather accurately the methodology of the Windsor Report and its strategy of "moratoria" as the way of "creating space" for conflicts to be worked through and...eventually, perhaps, resolved. If this is wrong-headed--indeed, Pharisaical--then it needs to be revealed as such, with compassion, humility, and for the sake of us Pharisees.

Friends, we have a conflict in this Seminar. Shall we address its content, or shall we simply avoid talking to each other, convinced of our own right(eous)ness?

Is "withdrawal" your best answer to these questions?

I think that we have been dancing around the many questions inherent in Thesis 21, and I generally agree with NH that "Thesis 21 describes rather accurately the methodology of the Windsor Report." And I know just how emotionally charged the words "Windsor Report" can be for many of those Episcopalians from various places in the church. At my diocesan convention just last month my bishop renamed a study group that was looking at the "emerging consensus about same-sex blessings" from the rather uninteresting "R-5 Report" into the "Windsor Listening Group" (or something like that). Several people I talked with were so angry that "Windsor Report" language were being used, and felt like the views, feelings, and stories of gays and lesbians would not be heard, for this was how the people I talked with understood what the "Windsor Report" was.

In answer to the question about "withdrawal," I say that no, I don't feel called to withdrawal, and I actually feel engaged to reflect upon Thesis 21. Now, I certainly see that some of these discussions can seem downright futile in the face of the larger mission of the church, however, thinking through how the church might hang together (or hang apart) ...(to oversimplify things) seems very important to me -- not more important than feeding the poor or preaching the gospel, but going along with them hand in hand, since mission follows out of a sense of the body of Christ...

Thesis 21 states:

21. The primary task of the Church in conflict is to discern that which is edifying to the Church, and to engage in that; likewise, the Church must discern what is unedifying to the Church, and however good or true such a thing may be in and of itself, must be refrained from unless (or until) it can become edifying to the Church.

In some ways this thesis really gets my goat, and gets me really riled up ... who is "the Church" that "discerns" what is "edifying" anyway? I think of a post by Lauren Stanley over at The Episcopal Cafe who was sick of people calling "The Anglican Communion" something that is "out there" rather than affirming that we, too, in The Episcopal Church are a part of the body of the Anglican Communion. So, who is this "the Church"....? Lambeth, the ABC, the ABofNigeria, the House of Bishops of TEC, the General Convention...or, pushing beyond our Anglican waters...Ecumenical Councils, bodies, etc? Who is "the Church" that could ever really "discern" what is "edifying"...

...my thought is that depending upon what group one chooses, one's boundaries between what is edifying and what is not would change radically (this seems so obvious, I feel silly even saying it). The Diocese of New Hampshire would go through a different process (and have a different result) than a Covenant Design Team currently constituted as it is.


On the other hand, having some sense that we are connected one to another may involve some sense of "refrain" in order to lift up the importance of Unity. This sounds pretty appalling even as I type it into the computer, refraining from one's identity? Refraining from who one loves? Refraining from healthy, loving, relationships? Refraining from building up, supporting, choosing and electing ordained (and lay) leadership no matter what their sexual orientation? Hmm....I can see already the difficulty with thesis 21.

However, we do strive to be in communion with others who might not see things as we do, who might ask us to step back from some decisions. I have made plenty of errors in my life, and I have tried to listen to those who are critical of me, and I try to work to see things in a broader way -- to see things perhaps even as the "other" does. I have even, reluctantly, sacrificed some of my own needs for the greater needs (of family, of workplaces, of friendships...).

However, I am moved by what TH said about sacrifice, and about the danger of asking someone else to sacrifice for the good of the whole --- which sounds all too much like an Orwell or Huxley-esque novel which critiques our humanity.

TH stated:

Which brings me to the most troubling aspect of this rhetoric: the suggestion that some should offer themselves sacrificially in order to preserve the "unity" of the church/communion. This borders, I'm afraid, on a recapitulation of the advice of Caiaphas: that it is expedient someone else should be made to suffer for the good of the many. While not a Girardian myself, I can also see distinctly troubling Girardian underpinnings in this suggestion; coupled with images of Moloch and the slaughter of the innocents. For while it is always moral to offer oneself, to sacrifice oneself, for the good of others; it is never, absolutely never, permissible to sacrifice -- or suggest the sacrifice of -- others for the sake of ones own good.

So, where does this leave me on thesis 21... well, I guess I have no clear answer ... I struggle to see how we can "refrain" from doing things that we've discerned that the Spirit has led us to do. On the other hand, I grieve for us, and for those who have left our body, and I yearn to find a way to make it known that there room for them at the table and at the foot of the cross.

What say the other members? Are there other thoughts ... I think 21 is pretty challenging!

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