General Convention 2003

Someone once said, ‘I think if I ever found the perfect church, I could never be a member; because as soon I joined it, it wouldn’t be perfect anymore.’ Over the last month, it has emerged again that the Church is not a perfect thing. At General Convention, the attention garnered by votes to confirm the Diocese of New Hampshire’s election of an openly gay man as their next bishop has reminded both the world and the Church itself, that, while the Church is a divine institution, it is also a thoroughly human organism. The Church’s connection with God was evident in the fact that those at Convention came together out of a common desire to be faithful to God and to be faithful to one another in Christ’s Name, and that for the most part they conducted themselves accordingly. At the same time, the human messiness of the Church is apparent in the fact that there is a sizable contingent on each side of the issue.

The Controversy 2001

The 152nd Diocesan Council provided us our annual diocesan-wide reminder of the animus that currently festers within the Church around the related issues of sexuality, biblical interpretation, and the boundaries of fellowship. Back in October of last year the dynamic of these issues emerged for me as I reflected upon the readings for 17 Pentecost. Two of the lessons bring before us, at least on the surface, the relationship of husband and wife, but I suggest that they speak to us more broadly, in a way that challenges, instructs, and encourages us as we navigate the current controversies.