The new "root of all evil"

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a conference sponsored by the national Episcopal Church called "Will Our Children Be Stewards ?" . The title it's self poses a question worthy of much thought and discussion. If only the answer could be hashed out at a 4 day conference. While I applaud the church for asking the question and inviting me to join the discussion, I am a little worried that perhaps the church is spending a great deal of effort fighting the wrong fire. The main theme of the conference seemed to be that media advertising , especially that which comes from the television, is the root of all our children's issues and their parents problems. We were given stacks of statistics on how much the advertising industry spends targeting our children and how many American children are now overweight, diabetic and clinically depressed because of it . According to several of the speakers the scenario goes as follows ... Little Mickey and Sarah are your average American children . Each week these children are taking in a full 38 hours of commercial media, that doesn't include internet, billboards and the "omnipresent brand logos" that bombard them every day. At least four times per day Mickey sees an ad for McDonald's and as a result Little Mickey is now seriously overweight because he insists on eating at McDonald's at least three times per week. Because Little Mickey is overweight he suffers from low self esteem and has become a behavior problem in school and is put on anti-depressant medications to help combat this. In the mean time across the hall Sarah is watching MTV with its ever present ads for the GAP and Old Navy and their message that if you don't wear our brands you suck as a human being. Sarah then goes to school and terrorizes the children who can't afford to live up to the MTV cultural norm. In the eyes of the speakers there is an obvious cause and effect going on in these situations . I agree, however I do not feel that the answer is to get congress involved by passing a "Parent's Bill of Rights" that would ban television advertising aimed at children under twelve years old. It would forbid schools and such organizations such as PTA from having sponsors such as Coca-Cola because they in turn give out freebies with the Coke logo on them. Here is where the conference leaders and I part ways , I have no doubt that the average American kid (mine included) sees way to much commercial advertising , however I don't think it is the responsibility of congress or the church to fix it. The answer is not to ban all advertising and commercial sponsors for such functions as PTA , most schools and related childrens programs are so under funded that sponsors like Coca-Cola and McDonald's are desperately needed. After much though and deliberation I have come up with a plan to combat such advertising nightmares and "marketing-related diseases" in children that I would like the church to consider endorsing , if not in place of the "Parents Bill of Rights" at least along side it and given equal billing. My solution is called "The Act of Personal Responsibility" and is goes as follows....
If you don't like your children drinking excessive amounts of the Coca-Cola products that are being advertised on the pencils that the PTA is selling for a fundraiser , then don't buy them excessive amounts of Coca-Cola products. If Little Mickey is becoming overweight because he watches four ads for McDonald's everyday ... pull the plug on the TV , make him go outside and play and stop feeding him at McDonald's three times per week. Little Mickey will perhaps savor his treat of a McDonald's cheese burger having bought it with his own money that he has earned raking the lawn . Chances are he may even loose a little weight in the process. If Sarah can't stop tormenting her classmates because they are not as "privileged" as she is ... remove her privileges.... if she earns her own money, then she can do her own shopping at Old Navy if not, then she can deal with whatever you buy for her. Institute an "attitude tax" (my daughter HATES this with a passion) every time she gives attitude to you or someone undeserving of such attitude tax her for it. Unplugging the cable or internet makes for a great tax on a smart mouth. And nothing seems to bring out the seriousness of your statement like making them do all of those chores that are normally rewarded with a weekly allowance for free. And just on a personal note , that jar of quarters and dollar bills (depending on the infraction) adds up fast and makes for a great trip to the bookstore for Mom !! My basic point is that the media can advertise until it is blue in the virtual face , but if parents will enforce some basic rules it will fall largely on deaf ears. In my mind TV and media are not the roots of all evil , but lack of parental involvement comes awfully close . On a positive note a small part of the conference was aimed at helping parents make generous, well grounded and caring adults out of their children. I'll get behind that any day.

 

A visitor to our website asked: What is it that makes your group Universal? What prevents your group from being just another fragment of a fragment, another purity sect writ small?

I can't help thinking that the cathedral on your website is a symbol of that which you have separated yourself from ... and a presumption since it makes it look as if it is a building housing a parish under your oversight. In fact, the webpage smacks of presumption and the claim that you are the True Church ... and the others are not. It may be difficult to achieve universality through schism.

My, we must not have communicated our message clearly to you at all! We make no claims to being the True Church, in fact we reject all such claims as inherently erroneous and arrogant. As for your notion that we are a purity sect, perhaps you have a different understanding of what constitutes a purity sect than I.

As for schism, our origins are not in schism from any one church. I understand the orthodox notion that it would be better if we all existed in a single church. I understand it as a behavior control mechanism which I reject. By its very nature, such a notion is hypocritical in practice, because the churches that proclaim it then set about taking on the job of separating the wheat from the chaff through excommunication -- a job reserved for our Lord at the judgment. In essence, if a church proclaims itself to be the one, non-schismatic, orthodox church and then sets about deciding who does and who doesn't belong, they create the very situation they claim to deplore. At best, such policies are duplicitous.

Your objection to our small size is perhaps a matter of personal taste. As a denomination we are just over three and one half years from our formative discussions. Our goal is not rapid, indiscriminate growth. Our goal is to build a quality organization of well qualified clergy who in turn build strong ministries. We do not accept all applicants, nor do we actively pursue new applicants. If God is calling them, they will come.

The cathedral does, in fact house a parish under my oversight -- St. Catherine's Universal Anglican Church. I invite you to visit our website at www.stcats1.org. We are, in fact, completely honest and seek to deceive no one. If you are referring to the small pictures in the upper left hand corner of the web pages, they are clip art supplied by the web hosting company, and I believe most experienced web surfers recognize that -- if they don't, they will surely wonder where the vineyards are in which we grew the grapes pictured on one of the pages. So far, I haven't received any statements accusing me of posing as a wine maker!

Finally, we are universal in three senses. The first is that universal is the meaning of the word catholic, and we recognize our heritage in the great Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church. Second, we are universal in that we believe that there is validity in all paths to God. For us as Christians, of course, we find Jesus Christ to be the perfect reflection of God. Finally, and most importantly, we are universal in that all people are welcome here. We recognize that we are Church, not God, and so we welcome all people and leave judgment with God -- to whom judgment belongs.

We believe that whenever the church closes her doors on anyone, she errs. There is very little universality in the broader church. Our prayer is that one would find it, as described above, in the Universal Anglican Church.

God's Peace,

+Craig Bergland, EFR 

An Open Letter to Sexual Minorities and the Episcopal Church USA

This letter was published in Outlook Weekly in the March 8, 2007 issue.

This past summer, we here in Columbus welcomed the Episcopal General Convention, and it was in my former parish that Bishop Jefferts-Schori was elected amidst great fanfare. We celebrated in great hope what could be accomplished under her leadership. Indeed, Columbus is home to one of the five largest communities of sexual minorities in the country, and we particularly were excited. We placed our faith in this woman who had broken through the glass ceiling of ecclesiastical leadership, both as a woman and, as one person called her, "a flaming liberal.". Now we see what comes of placing our faith in man (or woman, as the case may be).

I just read the full text of Her Eminence's reflections on the Primate's Convention (available at http://www.episcopal church.org/2577_82669_ENG_HTM.htm).

Kind of funny, don't you think, that we refer to ecclesiastical leaders in the same common parlance as we do apes. Though this may sound irreverent if less than humorous, after reading of the wrangling and posturing of these men and one woman called to shepherd God's people, I have to wonder if the term itself is not appropriate.

Just a few weeks ago, I was able to attend the formal inauguration of the new Governor of Ohio. Standing in the rain, I found myself intrigued by this man of the people, who seems to, "get it." Yet waiting in line during the public reception, I had the privilege of conversing with a family of Episcopalian sisters and brothers. Being in religious habit that day, issues of church came up, as could be expected. The twelve-year-old son made a rather acute observation. When trying to explain the role of the Universal Anglican Church in reference to the Episcopal Church USA, I tried to explain my view of those who, "fall through the cracks." This young boy, all bright-eyed and altar boy fresh, said in the clearest tone and with the innocence of observation that only a child could have, "they (the ECUSA) just don't get it. All they are worried about is feeling good and having pretty buildings, but people are dying."

As you can imagine, the conversation came to an immediate standstill, as no one could argue with or add to his observation. Quite frankly, he had come unto Christ as a little child and did not find his church there.

Reading the Presiding Bishop's reflections, pondering the platitudes of certain Primates who need not be named, and asking myself, "what is she thinking?", I am taken back once more to that simple observation of a simple twelve-year-old Episcopalian boy. They just don't get it. People are dying and they just don't get it. At least they have their pretty buildings. With American jurisprudence on their side, they have very little real fear of losing those buildings to the people who wish to leave the church and its fellowship.

Perhaps that is the point exactly. Perhaps these people are so intent on keeping their properties that they are willing to sell their own who are sexual minorities into a kind of slavery. In this sense, slavery means having all of the work and none of the benefits of that labor. You see, as gay and lesbian Christians, we are expected to volunteer more and to work harder as we typically are assumed not to have the demands of child rearing, but wait, that's because in most places we are not permitted to adopt; we are expected to contribute more financially as the myth of more disposable income in our relationships is propounded (though if it exists, I wonder where my share is); we are yearned for our time and our treasures, and one need not mention our artistic talents. Yet we are asked by the Presiding Bishop of this Church [ECUSA], which proclaims itself to be the champion of social justice, to give up our "idol" of equal treatment. We are told we must continue to "fast" from our desire for recognition of the realities of our relationships and our call to serve God in the name of unity within the [Anglican] Communion. How dare they?!

How long will those with resources and buildings and numbers continue to capitulate to the petty whinings of those who are bound up in their pharisaical interpretation of Christian tradition and doctrine?

Honestly, I don't know. And, just as honestly, at this point I find it hard to care. You see, I know the God whom I am called to serve. That is the God who could bring the cosmos into being through a single word. That is the God who could develop a nation out of the miraculous seed of one couple who chose to act in faith. That is the God who looked at the horribly screwed up mess we humans had made of our world and said, "ENOUGH! I will go myself and show them how to live, and they will hate me for it, and they will kill me for it, yet still I will go because I love them and I cannot leave them to their own devices. I will do it." That is the God who accomplished all of that and then trumped the power of hate and death by having the incredible audacity to rise from the grave and offer God's presence once more to us through the ministrations of Mother Spirit. That is the God who kept the faith alive through the sacrifice of martyrs and saints long past, through the dark ages, through fifteen hundred years of ecclesiastical abuse and wars of protest. That is the God who brought an end to legalized slavery in our own land, who has been the inspiration behind every fight for just treatmentfor all people, and who continues to champion the worth of every soul. That, my brothers and sisters, is the God who says "Enough!" That is the God who is calling us, each and every one, out of the churches who, "just don't get it." That is the God who is calling us as were Abraham and Sarah into an unknown land without beautiful buildings and masses of resources or people. That is the God I serve. That is the God of the Convetual Community of St. Francis, of the Universal Anglican Church, and of her sister Churches.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, I will not presume to tell you what to do in these trying times, except to pray and to discern God's will for yourselves. What I will do, however, is put to you this question: In whom do you place your faith?

Bishop Jefferts-Schori, you can have the buildings, the resources, the people, and yes, the "Unity of the Communion." You can have those who would rather maintain the status quo than rock the boat in the name of holy justice. But, in the words of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" and be happy with it.

In Christ's Peace,

There has been a growing furor over the plight of 6 black teenagers in Jena, LA.  After a series of (at best) racially insensitive episodes, a string of violent events occurred between black and white residents.  It is the perception of many that the punishments meted out to the black students involved were far more severe than those imposed upon the white students involved.  Case in point:  A black student was attacked by white students who beat him with beer bottles at a party:  One of the attackers was charged with misdemeanor assault.  After what would appear to be a reciprocal attack by a group of black students, six (black) students were charged with attempted murder!  One of the six remains in jail to this day, 9 months after the arrest, and was found guilty by a white jury of 2d degree assault (assault with a deadly weapon) as it was alleged that he kicked the white student while he lay on the ground.   Apparently, the sneakers warn by African-Americans in LA. are far more dangerous than beer bottles wielded by white kids. 

Distressing as this situation is, the media has only now begun to show any significant coverage to the events, and the racism that is apparently the root of the above actions. 

Upon reflection, however, I believe that the problems go further than race.  The poor in this country definitely suffer injustice as well.   Unfortunately, in the minds of many, the only thing worse than being poor is being poor and Black.   In fact, being raised in the South, the only people higher on the social scale than black people were “poor white trash”.

Furthermore, we (middle-class white people) as a whole have become so engrossed in dealing with our own inability to live up to the standard of living that we feel entitled to; we grow less and less concerned with those who are not as fortunate as we.  This point was proven once again on Friday when the overwhelming majority (45%) of respondents to the query on MSNBC:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19876326/ voted that they wished to have the growing plight of the “middle class in dealing with the financial squeeze” covered by the news agency, rather than the plight of poor blacks and racism as viewed in light of the Jena 6 affair (7%).

We have truly become a nation of Sodomites, in the truest application of the term:  Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. –Ezekiel 16:49.

It would seem that this verse of scripture clearly identifies the American middle and upper class:  arrogant, fat, lazy and selfish.

What is even more distressing is that many of the organizations (particularly churches) that claim as their intention to help the poor and needy, seem more concerned with filling their own coffers and expanding their buildings than they are with truly reaching out to the needy.  (as I heard a local pastor state recently “I take care of the ones that pay the bills”)  In the interest of being charitable, I could somewhat understand a lack of direct action, but I find the overwhelming silence from many of my fellow clergy unconscionable!   It would appear that we have lost not only our boldness, but our moral compass as well.

Rev. Roger McClellan

Head in the clouds.

Something came up in a conversation yesterday than continues to bug me. At one point, the individual said "we have to get ready, because Jesus is coming soon. Hallelujah!"

Theologically speaking, I do not quite know where I stand as regarding the concept of a coming apocalyptic rapture. In truth, I do not spend much time thinking about it.
Upon reflection, however, there are a couple of things about that statement that really bug me:

There is a wealth of apocalyptic and eschatological prophecy in the bible, much of it in the Old Testament. Oftentimes there is a bit of a disclaimer attached to those prophecies, stating, in effect "this is a warning. You have another chance to get your act together, lest I pronounce judgment on you." It seems to me that the "imminent return" of Jesus is at best a pyrrhic victory. Granted, if the apocalyptic literature is true, those in the body of Christ will be taken up to join him, therefore it would be a victory for us. But what of those we are here to serve as a witness to? When comparing the Revelation of John to other apocalyptic literature, the final judgment contained in the former would seem to be occasioned by our complete failure in our mission to witness to Christ in our actions and words.

A further problem with this forward looking theology can be illustrated in the following story from my childhood:

I was nearing my thirteenth Christmas, and had cause to look for something in the spare bedroom my parents used for storage. (Ok, I'll admit it. I was looking for my Christmas presents) under the bed, I found a long, narrow box, which I gingerly opened so as not to leave any evidence of my presence. In the box I found a brand-new shotgun. (Let me interject here, than in the Deep South of my youth, a gift of a firearm was seen to be a rite of passage of almost mythical proportions) I was thrilled! I eagerly awaited Christmas, knowing that my father would bestow upon me on that day, the mantle of adulthood.

I do not remember what I received for Christmas that year; but the shotgun was not among my gifts. I was crestfallen. Upon reflection, I came to believe that it was to be intended as a birthday present instead. After all, a rite of passage such as that would be more fitting on one's 14th birthday, after all. So, I waited the five months until my birthday, looking forward to the coming gift.

My birthday came. My birthday went. No shotgun. Once again, I do not remember the gifts I received; only the one I did not. I think each successive gift-giving holiday, a part of me expected that gift, and the recognition that came along with it.

I never found out why that shotgun was there. Twenty-odd years later, I still do not know. What I do now know is that I wasted a lot of time, probably squandered a lot of gifts and opportunities, while waiting for the one that did not come.

It seems to me that those Christians who spend their time and expend their energy awaiting the coming "attaboy" of the rapture, have a lot in common with that Roger of twenty-odd years ago. That Roger had his head stuck so far into the future that he was of no earthly use in the present and was incapable of enjoying the gifts of the present or taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the present.

What if that is the point of the Revelation of John, and the other apocalyptic tales in the bible? Maybe they serve as cautionary tales to remind us to enjoy life's blessings as they come, and serve God to the best of our ability every day?

A Response to the Vatican

Religion and Politics

Religion and politics are cut from the same cloth. It has been a tapestry woven since the beginning of recorded time and perhaps even within the shrouds of the mist of primordial time.  Religion has always been an instrument of politics and reciprocally politics a tool of religion. What is of importance is not the sociological expression of group conscious and ritual exemplified in either expression of human discourse but the nature and idea of faith that is embodied in  either sub-system, whether political or religious.

       It has become so easy for so many to feel empowered by their ideation of faith when politicized it seems to be given more credibility. And when fueled by such enticement those sentiments thus require them to become policy. In democratic countries the ebb and flow of due process creates a fluidity of such polity and often it is taken for granted and accepted as part of a greater sociological context.  There is nothing inherently problematic with this. However, for those called to respond with a different dialogical rhetoric, the love of Christ, lived out in action, it might serve to be prudent and reflective about the political processes unfolding around us. Religions have become a consumptive delicacies savored by the veracious appetite of polity deemed inclusive when in reality the end goal is divisiveness and separation.  While politics and religion might appear to be strange bed fellows, they nonetheless sleep well together in mutual embrace.   

     In our era politics absorbs religion in order to polarize and hence distract people of faith from the very root of our tree of commonality. We are foremost called as people of faith to be in fact people of faith. The nemesis of politics is there is no basis of faith hence the process of politics itself. That people of faith espouse the praxis of love is and has been over the millenniums categorically rejected as simplistic at best and naïve. And yet the very voice of reason which minimizes the role of love seeks to court with great affection the institutions of its genesis. Why?  Love has many faces, as, many as there are people but love has only one source. That source is God. Although understood and conceptualized in many ways it is the idea God, which cannot be expunged from human hearts. For in the final analysis, it is only with in the heart that God is found     

       Though we live in the 21^st century we are no less called to respond in and from the heart. Christianity is more than a religion of mendicant sects but a response of the heart to the idea of Christ. The politics of our time would dismiss as mythology belief in any idea other than modern secularism with human reason at the zenith of achievement and harbinger of the future. And as our world becomes more mechanized and great things come to pass for many there are still many many more for whom nothing changes because politics, in all its grandeur cannot provide them hope. They seek a hope that their lives have meaning other than just existential existence to be managed politically. They seek to discover that invitation written in their hearts to become relational with their source, with God.

      Never has there been a greater need and time for prayer for our planet and all of its nations and peoples. The political devices designed to divide are insidious, rampant and cleverly camouflaged in the language of “issues”, just causes and political platform. The strategy to isolate and minimize the individual is innately cruel. What can be done, what should be done? What makes people of faith distinct? What makes faith distinct?

    God exists or God does not exist. What does your heart tell you? God is either everything or God is nothing. What does your heart tell you? Either Christ is or Christ is not. And what is Christ if it is not love lived out, poured out for others in real time, in our life time. The form of religion or of beliefs is really subordinate to the intention and behavior of the heart applied in the world. Christ is a cosmic reality not just a religious ideation. There is no middle ground upon which to hedge our bets if we are people of faith. Either Christ lives in our hearts or Christ does not. It is not a question of dogma, typology, or sense of social justice, even of doctrine that is at the root of divisions. It is the resistance within each of us from accepting the authenticity of Christ in our hearts. We are divided in our response to the invitation of God within each of us. Politics can not assuage our fears, only by moving closer to God will we find the hope we all seek.

     I share this not from a moral high ground but from the depth of my own struggle as a created being generously equipped with the limitations, foibles and humbling limitations of my humanity. However, it is from this depth that I kneel in submission to my creator. What are needed now are responses from our hearts not only our reason. The attacks of crafted rhetoric, false reasoning, and messiahs of political ideation lack one key, fundamental dynamic. They lack the loving heart of Christ. Without it, in the final analysis, they therefore have nothing. As people of faith we are called to demonstrate in our behavior our tolerance, our patience, our refusal to be swayed from the essence of the Gospel.  This is not an easy task for any one of us. That is why we are called to community, to be relational with one another and with God.

   It is so easy to become vindicated in our own righteousness when we become so individualized, divided. This is precisely the model that the world so readily offers. And it does so in order to reduce the one thing, the love of Christ in us and for us to the level of political debate. If we succumb we abdicate the one thing with which we have been entrusted as people of faith. We surrender our faith in God and for us that is to live without hope. As people of faith we are not called to door mats, to be walked upon. To the contrary, ours is to raise the bar of consciousness not reduce ourselves to the lowest common denominator determined in the public rhetoric. Politics is a process not and end unto itself, in spite of what pundits might proclaim. God is and the proof of Christ is whether Christ is alive within our hearts or not. As people of faith our sentiments will be tried by political process. It is not necessary to compromise our hearts beliefs. As people of faith regardless of denomination we have much in common when we rely on God. Our era and age will also pass away. God does not nor does the love of Christ manifesting the world. Be Christ in the world though your love not your politics.

Tim Gercke+