Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Weaker Brother - NOT

I agree with those who claim that the Church has much to consider, but the . We do indeed have much more to consider than LGBT persons. We have the gospel itself to think about, pray about, and live it out. Exclusion today of fellow Christians because they raise 'the ick' factor in some is as offensive to the gospel as it was in the days when the early Church struggled with equalizing Hellenized Jews or, later, equalizing Gentile members of the fellowship. But despite those who continue call it into play, the 'weaker brother' argument simply is not analogous to any of this. This is why the Church, in its wisdom and providence, did not delay inclusion of fellow children of God until to do so somehow became acceptable to those who raised objection. Those claiming the status of the weaker brother are over-using and mis-using the analogy.

Certainly, it's obvious that anyone who is able to claim to be the weaker sibling is hardly weak. The weaker sibling in Paul is the one who doesn't know any better, and so is not able to recognize or to acknowledge his or her comparatively weaker state. Suing, if you will, for one's rights under the claim that one is the weaker sibling contradicts the claim. I apologize for the reference to jurisprudence, but this is essentially the nature of the initial argument.

Aside from the argument's obvious self- contradiction, the proposed analogy ignores a major difference between the current exclusion of LGBT persons from full participation in the life and ministry of the Episcopal Church and the offended conscience of the weaker sibling in Paul's example. Paul's example involves no innocent third-party. The tension is based on the influence of the practice of one person upon the understanding and practice of another. The suggestion is that those of us who lobby for the inclusion of LGBT persons are risking offending the weaker conscience of siblings in the faith who favor exclusion. But this argument ignores those LGBT persons who continue to be involuntarily excluded. This argument would have one group on the inside exclude another group of people on the outside for the sake of a fellow group of insiders. The Pauline example of the 'weaker sibling' does not involve spiritual insult and injury to a powerless third party.
(I must confess, though, that I'm happy to have Jerry identify discrimination based on sexual orientation as a product of weakness.)

Further, the 'weaker sibling' example calls for consideration of a voluntary modification of one's own spiritual practice due to the possibility that someone less educated or experienced in the life of faith may be misguided by the example of the more spiritually mature. Most of those calling for continued exclusion, especially the clergy, more especially the bishops, can hardly be regarded properly as neophytes to the Christian faith or to the fellowship of the Episcopal Church. On the contrary, their views are deeply held and long-established. In addition, they are in positions of ecclesiastical power. The fact that they are increasingly in the minority, thanks be to God, does not equate to them being 'weaker siblings.' The weaker brother argument would seem to equate weakening political influence with weak conscience and weak formation in the faith. I would be pleased to concede this point if the clergy and bishops will do likewise and surrender clerical and episcopal authority in light of their need of spiritual maturing. But I don't expect this to happen.

In short,
in the case of exclusion of LGBT persons, the 'weaker sibling' example is an unfair and inaccurate analogy. LGBT persons are the weaker lot, in terms of genuine power in the Church. This is not to say that LGBT persons are weaker in theological understanding and insight. Indeed, the opposite is true of LGBT people as a group. There is much about being Christian in an environment hostile to one's faith that the rest of us can learn, if we but will, from LGBT persons who have sustained the courage to remain in the Episcopal Church.

Would that the weaker brother analogy worked, for then we might have something hopeful to work with in converting the bigoted theology of the homophobic community. But the reality is that, as a group, those hostile to LGBT persons in the Church are completely the opposite of the 'weaker sibling' in every way imaginable. To the contrary, they have exhibited great strength of determination in clinging strongly to their views. What they will do well to recognize is that their strength in this area is no longer valued and no longer finds a home in this Church.

My prayer is the Episcopal Church will no longer allow itself to be taken hostage by those who, as were found also in the infant Church, can only loathe those who are in some way 'too' different from themselves. My suggestion and my prayer is that the Church will continue to turn to the weaker kindred outside the Church who are hoping and praying to be welcomed in, and will tend to the celebration of those who are glad to be here already.

Jim +

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