Today Janet and I sat for over two hours and watched the funeral service for Edward Moore (Ted) Kennedy. Some of the commentators discussed the matter of what generations of people in our country would even be interested in Kennedy’s death, much less watching the whole funeral process.
I hope that some of our young folk would come to know some of the historic moments that have taken place in our national life and, in particular, what a role the Kennedy family has played in our life together. Yes, they were a wealthy family. Yes, they had quirks and foibles - even JFK. The word "dynasty" has been used to describe them - even the thought of a kind of "royal" family.
It is remarkable that Ted’s sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, died just about two weeks before he did. She was a royal person in her own right as one who started the Special Olympics and championed the rights of mentally disabled people throughout her life. Of course, part of this passion arose from the fact that Rosemary Kennedy, another sister, was mentally retarded and became totally incapacitated as the result of a lobotomy (brain surgery) which failed.
I remember exactly where I sat on Friday, November 22, 1963 when the news of John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s assassination was broadcast on television. I was sitting at my desk in the bookstore I managed at the seminary I attended, Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. His death dashed many hopes, especially of those of us who were young and perhaps naive.
1968 was a horrendous year.
April 4, 1968 was the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was in Chicago, serving a parish in the area, and at the time was in the main building of The Ecumenical Institute on the west side of Chicago. From the fourth floor I could see fires across the city as a response to Dr. King’s murder.
Just two months later June 6, 1968 in a Los Angeles hotel was another Kennedy assassination, Robert Francis Kennedy, then Attorney General, campaigning for President.
Late August, 1968 was the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and there were protests from the youth – Yippies, the Students for a Democratic Society and others. I was among a group of pastors that were called in to help keep the peace between Mayor Richard Daley’s police and the idealistic youth. We were on duty much of the night - tear-gassed, but unharmed.
This brings me back to Ted Kennedy. Much has been said about him. He was an absolutely amazing and venerable legislative leader. I heard today that 177 citizens of Massachusetts died in 9/11/2001. Ted Kennedy wrote personal notes and made personal phone calls to every person’s family! His work on race relations, poverty, gay and lesbian rights, immigration reform, and, yes, health care reform was legendary.
As I listened to the funeral today, captivated by his pastor’s sermon, by the stellar remarks of his sons, Ted Jr. and Joseph, and the wonderful eulogy by President Barack Obama, another time came to my mind.
It was July 1969. I was still serving a church in the Chicago area. The occasion was an incident that occurred on Chapaquiddick Island in Massachusetts where Ted Kennedy was in his car, accompanied by a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne. The car went off a bridge into the water. Mary Jo died. Ted Kennedy survived. There were mistakes made, among them that he did not report what happened for several hours.
Ted Kennedy began serving in the U.S. Senate in 1962. At the time of the Chapaquiddick incident in 1969, as a pastor I was caught up in the social issues of the day, especially the issues of racism. I liked what Ted Kennedy stood for. I was 31 years old. Maybe one could say I was young then. But I wrote a letter to Ted Kennedy after Chapaquiddick. I still have a copy of that letter. I urged him to stay the course in spite of what may have been errors in judgment. I knew that there were rumors out there about what may have happened in that July period, of what may have caused the accident. But I felt that his life and legacy were important and that the nation needed him.
What is remarkable to me is that Ted Kennedy also knew his failures. I am captivated with how he cared for his children and other family members and how he reached across the aisle to Republicans countless times in order to try to forge legislation for the common good. I am also captivated by the fact that Ted Kennedy attended mass often, sometimes daily, in prayer for his family, his friends, for himself and for his nation.
So, I give thanks to God for his life and believe with all my heart that our nation is a better place because of this complex man who gave so much for people, especially people who lived at the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum from him.
-30-
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Further thoughts on Lutheran church actions
There is a story that Jesus told about a guy who sowed seeds, trying to grow a crop. "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold." (Luke 8:4ff)
Several years ago several of us formed an advocacy group which we called Goodsoil. We worked to sow the seed of Good News, Justice and Hope for the church and, in particular, for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons (GLBT).
Over the years of life and ministry I have determined that justice and hope for all people is a hallmark of what we stand for as Christian people. I also believe this to be an important principle for persons of many religions. Some day I will tell some stories of my experiences with racism and the quest for racial justice.
I say that to take note that in my experience the injustice to GLBT people is about as bad as it can be for any marginalized people in the world. While it is true that Christian people have played a part in many injustices meted out to women, persons of color, children, the poor and many more, the attitudes and actions of Christian and other religious people toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender folk tops it all. Many Christian people take their position on their interpretation of the Bible.
A Letter to the Editor in today's Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis expressed dismay that the ELCA took a position to allow gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships to be pastors and rostered lay leaders in the church. The writer then said, "I guess the Bibles it uses don't have the account of Sodom and Gomorrah in it."
Herein lies the problem with how some people have interpreted the Bible. Have you ever read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? Check it out in Genesis 19. It is a story of a man named Lot who welcomed two angels (a word for persons bringing good news; also seen as male strangers in the community) into his home. A group of men in the city did not like these visitors and gang raped them despite the protests of Lot.
This passage is used as a Biblical word against "homosexual" people. Well, the men in those cities were hardly gay. These were violent and abusive in the worst way. They committed the sin of inhospitality. Jesus declared the sin of these men to be inhospitality and said nothing about sexuality.
The Biblical writers knew nothing about sexual orientation. We have only learned about persons having an orientation to persons of the same gender in the last 50 years or so. Biblical stories and writings about same-gender behavior is always about violence and abuse and says nothing about a man living in a loving, life-long, monogamous, faithful relationship with another man, or a woman living lovingly and faithfully with a woman.
Partly because of people misunderstanding the Bible, partly because we have not been able to learn and discuss issues of sexuality and sexual behavior in society, people have determined that gay and lesbian persons are the worst of the worst. GLBT people have been ostracized, barred from housing, fired from employment, beaten and killed.
This is what I mean by saying that injustice to GLBT people is about as bad as it can be for any marginalized people in the world.
Now, in the ministry and experience I have had in the last 25+ years, I have come to know GLBT people who have been in faithful relationships for years and have been wonderful role models for children and for us all. Of course, the same is true of many heterosexual persons I have had the privilege of serving and working with.
The Goodsoil movement in the Lutheran church has its base in a wonderful body known as Lutherans Concerned North America. It got its start 35 years ago. Lutherans Concerned has worked faithfully and with determination in the Lutheran church, seeking change and new life for GLBT people.
The actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last week, where I was privileged to serve as a Voting Member, was the culmination of efforts of countless people, gay and straight, through these years. In one of my remarks on the assembly floor I said that we now have an opportunity for all people, especially gay and lesbian youth and adults, to see pastors and other rostered leaders in same gender relationships as role models for what life can be for a people who have been so abused and disregarded. We have seen those relationships among heterosexual pastors. Now we can see it for gay and lesbian pastors and leaders.
I know that there are persons in the ELCA and in other Christian churches who are terribly upset that the ELCA has taken this action. Some may leave our church, but many will not leave. I invite them to stay and be in conversation about the experience that GLBT people have had for years at the hands and voices of religious people.
It is a new day in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We will be well. We will be strong. We will be a faithful witness to the Good News we have learned in Christ.
-30-
Several years ago several of us formed an advocacy group which we called Goodsoil. We worked to sow the seed of Good News, Justice and Hope for the church and, in particular, for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons (GLBT).
Over the years of life and ministry I have determined that justice and hope for all people is a hallmark of what we stand for as Christian people. I also believe this to be an important principle for persons of many religions. Some day I will tell some stories of my experiences with racism and the quest for racial justice.
I say that to take note that in my experience the injustice to GLBT people is about as bad as it can be for any marginalized people in the world. While it is true that Christian people have played a part in many injustices meted out to women, persons of color, children, the poor and many more, the attitudes and actions of Christian and other religious people toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender folk tops it all. Many Christian people take their position on their interpretation of the Bible.
A Letter to the Editor in today's Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis expressed dismay that the ELCA took a position to allow gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships to be pastors and rostered lay leaders in the church. The writer then said, "I guess the Bibles it uses don't have the account of Sodom and Gomorrah in it."
Herein lies the problem with how some people have interpreted the Bible. Have you ever read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? Check it out in Genesis 19. It is a story of a man named Lot who welcomed two angels (a word for persons bringing good news; also seen as male strangers in the community) into his home. A group of men in the city did not like these visitors and gang raped them despite the protests of Lot.
This passage is used as a Biblical word against "homosexual" people. Well, the men in those cities were hardly gay. These were violent and abusive in the worst way. They committed the sin of inhospitality. Jesus declared the sin of these men to be inhospitality and said nothing about sexuality.
The Biblical writers knew nothing about sexual orientation. We have only learned about persons having an orientation to persons of the same gender in the last 50 years or so. Biblical stories and writings about same-gender behavior is always about violence and abuse and says nothing about a man living in a loving, life-long, monogamous, faithful relationship with another man, or a woman living lovingly and faithfully with a woman.
Partly because of people misunderstanding the Bible, partly because we have not been able to learn and discuss issues of sexuality and sexual behavior in society, people have determined that gay and lesbian persons are the worst of the worst. GLBT people have been ostracized, barred from housing, fired from employment, beaten and killed.
This is what I mean by saying that injustice to GLBT people is about as bad as it can be for any marginalized people in the world.
Now, in the ministry and experience I have had in the last 25+ years, I have come to know GLBT people who have been in faithful relationships for years and have been wonderful role models for children and for us all. Of course, the same is true of many heterosexual persons I have had the privilege of serving and working with.
The Goodsoil movement in the Lutheran church has its base in a wonderful body known as Lutherans Concerned North America. It got its start 35 years ago. Lutherans Concerned has worked faithfully and with determination in the Lutheran church, seeking change and new life for GLBT people.
The actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last week, where I was privileged to serve as a Voting Member, was the culmination of efforts of countless people, gay and straight, through these years. In one of my remarks on the assembly floor I said that we now have an opportunity for all people, especially gay and lesbian youth and adults, to see pastors and other rostered leaders in same gender relationships as role models for what life can be for a people who have been so abused and disregarded. We have seen those relationships among heterosexual pastors. Now we can see it for gay and lesbian pastors and leaders.
I know that there are persons in the ELCA and in other Christian churches who are terribly upset that the ELCA has taken this action. Some may leave our church, but many will not leave. I invite them to stay and be in conversation about the experience that GLBT people have had for years at the hands and voices of religious people.
It is a new day in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We will be well. We will be strong. We will be a faithful witness to the Good News we have learned in Christ.
-30-
Friday, August 21, 2009
After 27 Years
Today was a historic day in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)! The Churchwide (aka national) Assembly, of which I am a voting member, voted today to change its policy to allow gay and lesbian persons in publicly accountable, monagamous, faithful same gender relationships to serve a pastor and lay leaders in the church.
It has been quite a week! It is important for me to say that sexuality is not the only matter on the Assembly agenda, but, clearly, this matter is a major happening. If you want to read on, I will explain more, but, briefly, today the ELCA took four major actions:
1. To declare that we will bear one another's burdens of disagreement and respect the "bound consciences of all."
2. To declare that the ELCA will find ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable gay and lesbian persons in same gender relationships.
3. To agree that the ELCA will find ways for gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships to serve as "rostered leaders in our church" (that means ordained pastors and consecrated lay leaders).
4. To establish the means that will remove the prohibitions against the service of gay and lesbian persons in committed and set up procedures for all of this to happen.
I will explain a lot more of this in a subsequent blog.
By the way - I titled this 27 years because this is the number of years that I have been engaged in ministry on these matters.
-30-
It has been quite a week! It is important for me to say that sexuality is not the only matter on the Assembly agenda, but, clearly, this matter is a major happening. If you want to read on, I will explain more, but, briefly, today the ELCA took four major actions:
1. To declare that we will bear one another's burdens of disagreement and respect the "bound consciences of all."
2. To declare that the ELCA will find ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable gay and lesbian persons in same gender relationships.
3. To agree that the ELCA will find ways for gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships to serve as "rostered leaders in our church" (that means ordained pastors and consecrated lay leaders).
4. To establish the means that will remove the prohibitions against the service of gay and lesbian persons in committed and set up procedures for all of this to happen.
I will explain a lot more of this in a subsequent blog.
By the way - I titled this 27 years because this is the number of years that I have been engaged in ministry on these matters.
-30-
Monday, August 10, 2009
Anticipating a Lutheran Church Assembly
The Churchwide (aka national) Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) starts August 17 and runs through August 23 at the Convention Center in Minneapolis. I was elected a Voting Member (like a delegate, but we do not use that term because we don’t go to the Assembly bound by a regional opinion or something). I will be staying full-time that week at the Hilton Hotel near the Convention Center.
This is a really huge matter because the ELCA will be consider a proposal to adopt what has turned out to be a pretty good Social Statement (34 pp.) on Human Sexuality, and then a momentous policy change on how pastors and lay professional people are allowed to be on the "roster" of the ELCA. The big proposed change, if adopted, would be that gay and lesbian persons who are in committed relationships would be allowed to be ordained, or if lay professionals, appointed, and fully recognized in the ELCA.
As you might imagine, there are quite a few people lining up in opposition. I am on a national team that has been working on this stuff for the last six years. We have monthly conference calls, and for the last month, weekly calls or even more often. We meet face-to-face from time to time. There are about a dozen of us. Strategizing for this is amazingly complex. One has to know Roberts Rules of Order inside and out, which I pretty much do. We work on how to offer counter-arguments to those who say "the Bible is against homosexuals," also theological studies that have been done. We recently read new documents that have come out from the American Psychological Association (APA) regarding what is called "reparative therapy" - groups who want to use methods, some pretty awful, to convince gay or lesbian persons that they can be "changed" to be straight. APA has said for years that reparative therapy is bogus and does not work.
On August 5, just a few days ago, the American Psychological Association, meeting in Toronto, adopted a resolution stating that mental health professionals should avoid telling clients that they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or other treatments. This is based on new studies they have done on this matter.
The matter of how gay and lesbian persons are treated and included in society and the church has been very important for me, because I believe that they have been unjustly treated and excluded and that from the point of view of God’s grace and love, there is no reason for the church to keep them from full participation in the church, including as pastors. Of course, the experience of my brothers, James and John, as identical twins who were gay, is a personal reason for me to have been working on this for all these years.
I think we have a pretty good chance that the ELCA will change its policy by action of this Assembly. I will be hard at work to make this happen.
This is a really huge matter because the ELCA will be consider a proposal to adopt what has turned out to be a pretty good Social Statement (34 pp.) on Human Sexuality, and then a momentous policy change on how pastors and lay professional people are allowed to be on the "roster" of the ELCA. The big proposed change, if adopted, would be that gay and lesbian persons who are in committed relationships would be allowed to be ordained, or if lay professionals, appointed, and fully recognized in the ELCA.
As you might imagine, there are quite a few people lining up in opposition. I am on a national team that has been working on this stuff for the last six years. We have monthly conference calls, and for the last month, weekly calls or even more often. We meet face-to-face from time to time. There are about a dozen of us. Strategizing for this is amazingly complex. One has to know Roberts Rules of Order inside and out, which I pretty much do. We work on how to offer counter-arguments to those who say "the Bible is against homosexuals," also theological studies that have been done. We recently read new documents that have come out from the American Psychological Association (APA) regarding what is called "reparative therapy" - groups who want to use methods, some pretty awful, to convince gay or lesbian persons that they can be "changed" to be straight. APA has said for years that reparative therapy is bogus and does not work.
On August 5, just a few days ago, the American Psychological Association, meeting in Toronto, adopted a resolution stating that mental health professionals should avoid telling clients that they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or other treatments. This is based on new studies they have done on this matter.
The matter of how gay and lesbian persons are treated and included in society and the church has been very important for me, because I believe that they have been unjustly treated and excluded and that from the point of view of God’s grace and love, there is no reason for the church to keep them from full participation in the church, including as pastors. Of course, the experience of my brothers, James and John, as identical twins who were gay, is a personal reason for me to have been working on this for all these years.
I think we have a pretty good chance that the ELCA will change its policy by action of this Assembly. I will be hard at work to make this happen.
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