The 14 May issue of the New York Times reported the following: "The Roman Catholic bishop of Colorado Springs has issued a pastoral letter saying that American Catholics should not receive communion if they vote for politicians who defy church teaching by supporting abortion rights, same-sex marriage, euthanasia or stem-cell research." Bishop Michael J. Sheridan, in a pastoral letter, wrote that abortion in particular "trumps all other issues." There are two issues here of relevance to Christians in general, not just Catholics. First, does abortion indeed "trump all other issues"? That is, if a politician holds the "wrong" view on this single issue, should Christians automatically shun that person in the voting booth? Second, is the theological case against abortion so definite that there is no room for Christians to disagree? On the first question, I think it is extremely dangerous that any thinking person would make political decisions based on a candidate's professed position on a single issue, unless that issue truly defines a candidate's politics. For example, Christians in South Africa in years past rightly opposed candidates who stood for apartheid, because the apartheid system was so detrimental to the health of society in general and of non-whites in particular. While opponents of abortion can argue that legalized abortion is detrimental to society in various ways, they cannot honestly compare its impact to apartheid (interestingly, some people who are most opposed to abortion were perfectly happy to let apartheid go on its merry way, but that's a different matter). Concerning the second question, opponents of abortion often quote a verse from today's reading in making their case that life begins at conception: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you." However, one could also argue from the passage that God knew Jeremiah before he was conceived ("before I formed you in the womb"), so that the verse refers to the eternality of God rather than the point in time at which life begins. Another relevant issue in the debate is that restrictions on abortion affect women rather than men in regard to health, economics, and social stigma. I struggle with the issue myself, because I value the sanctity of human life, but I see the negative impact that unwanted pregnancies have on women, especially poor women and teenage girls. I have no problem whatsoever with "morning after pills" and "Plan B," but I cringe at the idea of late-term abortions, unless the mother's life or health are endangered. If I feel this conflicted about the issue, I know many other people do as well. At the same time, there are lots of Christians on both sides of the issue who are absolutely certain of their own positions. That's fine, as long as one side doesn't stigmatize the other or, even worse, attempt to criminalize the other. Following God invites opposition, as Jeremiah discovered throughout his life. Disagreement on important issues is not bad, and healthy debate is even better, but there is no place in Christianity for anathematizing those with whom we disagree.
A common recurring dream that many people have involves them standing in front of a crowd or going to work or school, when they suddenly realize that they aren't wearing any clothes. Regardless of the exact meaning of such dreams (Freud said they were "exhibitionist" dreams, related to a desire to return to the innocence of childhood), the sense of shame that people feel in these dreams is nearly universal. You can probably remember a time from your childhood when you were embarrassed and felt shame. Maybe you tripped and fell on your face in front of a group of friends. Maybe you said something mean about someone, then realized they were standing right beside you. Maybe you wet your pants in class. Sometimes we feel shame not because of our own actions but because of the actions of others with whom we identify. Maybe your pastor, whom you admired, was discovered to be involved in criminal or unethical behavior. Maybe your denomination has taken a public stand that you believe to be contrary the teachings of Christ. Maybe your nation has acted arrogantly and belligerently, imposing its will on weaker countries. I have frequently felt a measure of shame, either because of my own action or because of the actions of others, but I have never been ashamed of God. The psalmist prays, "In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame." Religious leaders fail us, political leaders fail us, community leaders fail us, even parents and siblings sometimes fail us, but God never fails us. In a world full of uncertainties, it's nice to be able to count on the fact that God will never let us down, will never lead us astray, will never cause others to act in ways that are contrary to God's divine plan. Since that's the case, it's up to us to do all we can do to make sure that we don't bring shame on other people or on the church of God.
For decades the U.S. Forest Service had firefighters on standby to fight recurring summer forest fires. A fire would start, perhaps caused by a lightning strike or by an unattended campfire, and firefighters would be called in to squelch the blaze. Over the years, however, Forest Service officials noticed that the fires got worse and worse, and eventually there were too many fires of large magnitude to handle properly, the results of which were serious property damage and often loss of life. Only in the past few years have resource managers realized that not all fires are bad. In fact, some fires are essential to the health of forests. Fires clear away the underbrush and allow certain types of seeds to germinate. They also rid forests of dead trees, clearing space for new growth. The author of Hebrews describes God as "a consuming fire." That's not necessarily the way we like to think of God. We'd rather think of God as a loving parent, a strong rock, or a shelter in a time of storm than a consuming fire, unless we're calling on God to consume our enemies! We don't want the scorching heat of God's fire to get too close to us. Yet, like the overgrown forest, we sometimes require God's cleansing fire in our lives. What habits have you developed over the past few years that are detrimental to your spiritual growth? Do you spend your time in ways that are ultimately counterproductive to your mission in life? Is your faith wavering from lack of use? There are many reasons why we might need God's fire to blaze through our lives from time to time. The hymn writer asks God to send the Pentecostal fire on the people of God, as well as on unbelievers. Evangelistic revival meetings are far less common today than in past days, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, since many of those I personally witnessed focused too much on emotion and guilt and not enough on real change in people's lives, believers as well as unbelievers. However, even if we set aside evangelistic revival meetings, we shouldn't set aside the idea of regular repentance and divine cleansing, because we all need it. Some Christian groups, such as the Catholics with their sacrament of penance, integrate confession and repentance into the fabric of the Christian life in ways that keep the need for God's cleansing ever at the forefront of people's minds. Others weave the need for confession and cleansing into the liturgy of the church, and still others have times of special emphasis on repentance. All of these ecclesiastical attempts to remind believers of the importance of confession and cleansing are good, but none is sufficient in and of itself. As individuals, we must each recognize the need for cleansing and must willingly submit ourselves to the divine fire on a regular basis. Only by doing so will we continue to be effective in our Christian lives.
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| God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life! |