Although we all have many things on our minds and hearts in this time of struggle for the U.S. and world economies and challenges for many people on a number of other fronts, now is not the time to give up on educating and informing ourselves about acceptance and inclusion in our churches and places or worship. In fact, the more we reflect on these questions as a broader church community the better we'll be able to move forward in our ability to serve and reach out to others.
As I mentioned in a previous entry, it is vital that each of us inform our consciences and not just automatically give our consent to the pronouncements of authority figures, whether secular or spiritual. History shows us that such blind obedience can be dangerous and destructive and so in each individual life and each new generation it is incumbent on all of us to pray and educate our consciences in order that the Good News of God's love might be actualized again in our time.
In that spirit, I suggest this series of videos gathered by Soulforce, a national organization dedicated to non-violent struggle for justice in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi. Whatever you might currently feel about the LGBT cause in your church or place of worship, I invite you to examine some of these videos with an open mind and heart. The anti-LGBT perspective has been privileged and is still often the dominant narrative within our society, and in our churches and places of worship.
For that reason, how about giving another perspective a chance? How about at least listening and considering what these videos have to say? These stories may be challenging at times but in the end they're simply suggestions made in good will - reflections in favor of women and men who aspire to the same things so many of us do - peace, hope, freedom, and the chance to love and be loved in the context of a deep and life-affirming faith in God.
Peace,
Padre Chuck
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