Is My Faith Biblical

By Stuart Schadt

  The Episcopal Church at its recent convention (August 2003) has taken a new step. The Bishops, clergy and laity representing the dioceses of the Episcopal Church in America have voted to confirm the election of a Gay Man to the office of Bishop. I did not see the fact that the candidate for Bishop was gay as an impediment to his election. I do not see homosexuality as a sin.

I write now because the conservative movement has been characterizing their position as biblical and mine as one based on warm fuzzies, anecdotal stories, and societal trends. I want to share that my position is based on my faith which is based on Jesus Christ as revealed to me in scripture and in my faith.

For me the first step is to ask what is the revelation. The revelation is Jesus Christ, the incarnate and eternal experience of the living God.  Scripture is not to me the revelation but the means by which God is revealed to me.  It is not the only means but the first means. Scripture is the stories of faithful people bearing witness to their encounters with  the living God and their understanding of what it means to live into that experience in their lives.

In those stories we often see that people may have gotten it right for their time but not for always.

  S ome examples:

1. Every year at the Easter vigil we read the powerful story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. At times I have seen the congregation moved to tears by this powerful story of faith  yet I hope and I believe every one of them would stop any parent who took the knife in one hand and fire in the other and headed out the door with their child.

2.Portions of the Old and New Testament have been used throughout the years to condone and approve slavery yet my faith tells me that slavery and segregation are repugnant.

3. The story of Onan (Gen. 38:8-10) has traditionally been used to condemn masturbation and yet I would side with the modern psychological view that this is normal human behavior. In case you don’t know the story, Onan is struck dead for spilling his seed on the ground.

4. Scripture clearly tells us that women should be silent in church. Women should learn in silence and have no authority over men and should not teach. (1 Timothy 2:11 – 12) In contrast to this teaching I celebrate what a blessing women priest  and Bishops have been to our church. And what faithful ministers women are who teach the children and adults in our parish.

5. In fact the attitude of Scripture created the views of the founders of our nation, who understood freedom and rights as belonging first to white male land owners, then to free white males. Beyond that circle were indentured white males, women, children and people of color all who were seen to a degree as property. Biblically this is expressed at the Exodus when those leaving Egypt are identified as “six hundred thousand men, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds.” (Exodus 12:37 – 38)  I hope all people would find such views repugnant and even immoral. We have extended the circle of humanity.

6. Galileo is charged with heresy because he dares to teach a sun centered universe in opposition to the churches scriptural understanding of an Earth centered universe.

  The list of revealed “truths” that we know in a new way continues to change. In the last century we were told that scriptures banned alcohol and gambling yet I live in a state with Church run gambling and state owned liquor stores. Based on faith we have fought over evolution versus creationism, Choice versus Pro Life, and the right to contraception. Along with these views our views on divorce and suicide have new understanding

  I heard someone on the radio this week expressing the conservative point of view. His approach was that we could not change those things that are clearly commanded. Other areas allowed us to apply reason and interpretation. It was amazing that every time the commentator challenged him about an issue like slavery or women there was no command. And thus he was true to scripture in his beliefs and I in mine accused of being guilty of rewriting scripture to fit my beliefs.

  We have not rewritten scripture when we have new understanding of these issues. We continue to value this book that tells us of Jacob’s four wives, and that tells us of a God who orders the annihilation of the Canaanites at the hands of the invading Israelites and that blames the death of Jesus on the Jews. Because it’s revelation continues to be our guiding revelation. We know that our faith can embrace new truth. And we know that we can confess and seek forgiveness for the wrongs we have done while we were embracing the old truth.

  So if truth changes do the commands against adultery, lying, stealing and murder still stand and why do they stand and these others change.

  They stand and fall on the one who is the way the truth and the life. They stand and fall on Jesus.

  My understanding of all Jesus’ teachings and actions are seen through his core teachings of love and forgiveness.

  Matt 22:37  ³⁷He said to him, ‘”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” ³⁸This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

  John 13 ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

  Luke 10:29 – 37 Who is my neighbor? The story of the good Samaritan does not teach us just to respect the Samaritan but to overcome all prejudice that separates humanity.

  Other scriptures teach us that we all stand in the need of forgiveness and we are all receivers of God’s gift of love and forgiveness.

  So which commands stand and which do not.

  Commands that teach us not to harm others or our selves still stand and always will stand. Commands that prevent us from fully recognizing the humanity of another individual will fall. Commands that cause our actions to be harmful to others will fall.

  In the final round I do not understand sin as a list of laws, I understand sin as that which separates us from the love of God and hurts others. 

  This understanding of the faith has at times caused me to directly oppose what I see as clear teaching of Scripture. Scriptures of the Old and New Testament clearly institute and condone slavery, I do not. Scriptures of the Old and New Testament clearly put women in a subservient role to men, I do not. And scripture clearly condemns homosexuality and I do not. And yet my faith is still biblically founded and biblically guided.

Also See:

Our Church Big Enough For All Of Us