Lately I’ve received several messages from people in the Church of the Brethren encouraging us to put relationship with others above our disagreement on issues. And, I agree. We shouldn’t shun anyone because they don’t agree with our doctrine. Love above the law, I say! But, I also disagree. What about the folks trying to shun people and put the way they see the law above love. Do we go along so that we can continue our good relationship? Do we say, yes, we want to be inclusive and we think Jesus calls us to love and accept this person, but you don’t agree, so in the interest of us being able to continue as church, we’ll accept that we have to exclude that other person? No! I say it loud and proud. But, then I hang my head when I realize that my own church has rejected people before, and I am still there. I’m trying to change it, but I am still there. It is that ever-present dilemma of when to stay and try to create new possibilities and when to give the whole thing over to the dark side. I guess I’m staying and bringing up my concerns as boldly as I can.
Carla
1 response so far ↓
brethrenpriestess // January 30, 2008 at 6:00 pm |
Finding a way to love someone while still honoring real disagreements in beliefs on issues is definitely the key challenge of living as community! We are simply unrealistic to pretend there are no differences among us – and we also cannot exclude from our midst every person who disagrees with us on any single thing, because we’d each end up alone. But somehow, living together, holding our differences in tension – that is the tough mission the Church is called to.