The Narrow Gate: Day 683

The Narrow Gate

Welcome to the continuation of my blog, post-seminary. Ministry and evangelism have brought me back home to Chattanooga. I welcome your company on my journey.

The original blog, Down In Mississippi, shared stories from 2008 and 2009 of the hope and determination of people in the face of disaster wrought by the hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005, of work done primarily by volunteers from churches across America and with financial support of many aid agencies and private donations and the Church. My Mississippi posts really ended with the post of August 16, 2009. Much work, especially for the neediest, remained undone after the denominational church pulled out. Such is the nature of institutions. The world still needs your hands for a hand up. I commend to you my seven stories, Down in Mississippi I -VII, at the bottom of this page and the blog posts. They describe an experience of grace.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Day 683 - Who Am I?

Who Am I? October 24, 2014

Usually I post sermons on the blog, or reflections on what I feel are important spiritual experiences. Beginning tomorrow I intend to post a reflection on the turmoil within the Presbyterian Church(USA) over its struggle to define its place as a theological mooring in a new and dramatically changing world. I specifically will address critics among us who seem to be tearing the fabric of faith.

This turmoil has cause congregations to reject the denomination and leave for other sister denominations. It has given motivation for some who remain to attack the consensus, and it has motivated those who may find themselves barely in the majority to push their theological agenda on the church when perhaps, forbearance might have been the better choice. It has reduced many of us to poor examples of Christian charity and drives away seekers hungry for solace.

The result has been the denigration of persons with homosexual leanings, castigation over the painful reality of abortion, efforts by some to drag the denomination into political spheres, and mean-spirited ad hominem attacks that ignore the fundamental spirituality of Christ's Church that has open arms to all sinners and love for every one of God's people.

I want you to understand the theological position that form my daily activity before you read my comments.

I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and understand its congregational nature intimately. Since 1978 or so I have been a member of the United Presbyterian Church or PC(USA) as a ruling elder. I am a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary and certified ready for receiving a call. My primary ministry now is urban ministry to homeless and under/non-employed people. Daily I minister to people who are without hope, clothes, hungry and imprisoned.

I embrace the formal declaration of PC(USA) Book of Order that describes the foundation of Presbyterian Polity and how we understand our duty to Christ as Christ's Church in the world.

I embrace the essence of Reformed theology that the church being loyal to our duty to Christ as Christ's Church in the world must always search to address the reality of current affairs and how its ministry is shaped to address the people of the world in those affairs.

The reality of Reformed Protestant faith is a fluidity of understanding, even uncertainty, of the nature of concrete worship. Since Reformed faith fundamentally honors the discernment of personal understanding guided by consensus of the whole body of the Church, there will be dissent and the probability of error by the majority or minority. As a result only vigorous debate of positions can forge understanding.

In light of the propensity of error of the Church since it does in fact express its cultural understanding of faith, it is the duty of all professing Reformed members of Christian faith to bring a healthy dose of forbearance to those who differ, recognizing our own fallibility as well as the fallibility of our friends.

This is healthy as long as we embrace a common understanding that Jesus is Lord, the greatest commandments that encapsulate the law are to love the Lord with our maximum intensity and to apply the same love to our neighbor, and we constantly strive to walk in the world as Christ walked.

Dissent over polity and dogma is a smokescreen for absence of spirituality or fear of change, all human emotions. Fundamentally the way we approach the person on the street reflects our Christian values.
Peace be with you,

Henry

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Gates

The gate pervades the Good News. Peter entered the temple gate after the Jesus’ arrest to deny him. Poor Lazarus lay at the rich man's gate, longing for the crumb's from the table, while dogs licked his sores. The blind, lame and paralyzed lay at the Sheep Gate at the Jerusalem temple waiting at the pool with five porticoes for healing water. Jesus warned of the easy road and wide gate to material ease and spiritual destruction and calls us to the hard road and narrow gate to the waters of life.

necessary disclaimer

This blog is created solely to communicate to my brothers and sisters how one person sees adversity bringing out the greater character of humanity. It's early part relating connection to the volunteer relief effort in Mississippi after Katrina and later work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program and the Presbyterian Church(USA) is solely through my participation in them; this blog does not carry any sponsorship from these fine organizations or purport to speak for them. All original content is that of the writer who holds the copyright to all original writings and art or other works (See Creative Commons License above). Every effort is made to identify content from other sources which have been obtained from open internet sources. It's more recent content contains sermons and lessons used in preaching and teaching. The url to scripture are obtained via http://bible.oremus.org unless otherwise indicated.

Texts quoted from oremus bible viewer are from "New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved." and "New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."