A Pastoral Letter to the Parish
 

Sunday, August 17, 2003

It is unusual for us here at St. Paul’s not to have a sermon preached at Sunday Masses. In view of the events of the recent General Convention, I feel it is important for me as your parish priest to address the anxieties that exist now in the church at large and in the parish, and so this “pastoral letter.”

Even when the outcome of debate and voting seems inevitable — and I was clear that the votes to confirm the election of the new Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire and to allow the exploration and experience of liturgies celebrating and blessing same-sex unions would inevitably pass — it does not diminish the depth and breadth of the shock waves felt by the church as a communion, a denomination, a diocese, or a parish.

Fr. Barnett has clearly and sagaciously addressed the issues before the General Convention in the last few weeks in his sermons. He has put the debate in good perspective. He has drawn our attention through St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians as to how we are expected to behave towards one another as “church.” It is important to remember the frame for our reactions: “There is one Body and one Spirit. There is one hope in God’s call to us. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; One God and Father of all” (BCP, page 299).

We are called to turn to Christ, to follow and obey Him as our Lord and Savior. You and I promise to persevere in resisting evil and to be aware of our own sin and whenever we fall into sin to repent and return to the Lord. We are called to put our whole trust in his grace and love. We are all called to be open to the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and so allow ourselves to be formed by, in, and into Christ himself. We are called to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers. We promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. We strive for justice and peace among all people and we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. That is our baptismal charter and the compass by which we plot our pilgrimage as followers of Christ.

There is always unease in facing change — the daily glance in the mirror will confirm that for most of us! But there should be no fear. There are of course pitfalls, so some caveats are appropriate and, I hope, helpful — in no particular order:

• One must not be too quick to react.

• One must monitor one’s reactions and know honestly how one is reacting and why.

• One must be aware of the log that is in one’s own eye.

• One must not allow “conscientiously held theological” views to be merely a gloss for prejudice.

• The Holy Spirit gets blamed for too much — one must resist the temptation of a direct personal revelation!

• The debate on matters of sexuality is naturally full of emotion. We must not allow emotions to get the better of sanctified mind and spirit.

• We are called as Christians to build up as well as to reprove. In either case it is always in charity.

• There is always the temptation to reduce complex theological issues to merely political issues.

• There is also the danger to put off engagement with such complexities and avoid what must be addressed.

• Beware of double standards in heterosexual and homosexual arenas.

• Beware of being married to the spirit of the age for the spirit of the age’s sake.

• Being “inclusive” must not be distorted into simply “anything goes.” That is not the Gospel message; indeed it would not be good news.

• Do not allow yourself to be forced to extremes — the middle ground is a proper and Anglican place.

With these caveats in mind, I would like to address some of the theological issues that I believe are before us, and then look at the pastoral issues.

There can be no doubt that the actions of the General Convention with regard to the confirmation of the Bishop-elect of New Hampshire and the provision for the blessing of same-sex relationships have turned the consistent teaching and practice of the Church Catholic upside down. For some this is a moment of rejoicing, as our bishop has said, “new wine in to new wineskins” — a widening of the revelation of who and what we are as a church. For others this is deeply disturbing. For some, it will be the final straw in the departure of our church from our Catholic and Apostolic heritage and it will mean their own departure. Those reactions are present in this parish community. What are the essential theological considerations? I offer some but by no means all, and here I just raise the questions.

1. A THEOLOGY OF REVELATION

At the heart of the Christian Faith is the truth that God reveals Himself in the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit the Body of Christ, the church, becomes the extension of the incarnation and thereby continues that same, once for all revelation. We also believe that in Jesus’ revelation we see humanity as it is intended to be by God. Jesus is perfect God and perfect man.

• What was that revelation in Jesus? Was it sufficient for all time and all places? Could it be deficient in any way? Can the revelation of the divine will be ongoing? If so, how is that discerned?

• How does such a revelation relate to the culture in which we are? How does that relationship relate to revelation within very different cultures?

• What is “sin” as specific act (as opposed to “sin” as human condition apart from the redemption found in Jesus Christ)? Can or should the concept of sin ever be changed as there are new understandings of and insights into the human condition? Who has the authority to determine such changes and how should these decisions be made for the Christian church?

2. A THEOLOGY OF AUTHORITY

What is authoritative in the life of a church that claims to be within the teaching and fellowship of the apostles?

For evangelicals, the answer would be primarily in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. As the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1886 states (a document that I believe can be helpful to us): “The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed word of God” are “essential” to the church.

As Anglo-Catholics we have a particular interest in what we call the Tradition — the unbroken teaching of the church under the guidance of Holy Spirit. We see ourselves as not merely a part of a denomination but of the Church Catholic.

Who has authority to interpret Scripture and Tradition and how?

Anglicans since the time of Richard Hooker have also spoken of “Reason” as being the third component of the triad for authority. What in fact does that mean?

3. A THEOLOGY OF SEXUALITY

There is a theology of Christian Marriage clearly outlined in our catechism and in the Marriage rite itself in the Book of Common Prayer. What does it say?

• What is the theology of sexuality?

• What is the theology of single-hood and its relationship to celibacy?

• What is the nature and theology of Christian friendship and intimacy between single members of the same sex and how is that appropriately expressed physically?

4. A THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OR “ECCLESIOLOGY”

As Anglicans we view ourselves as part of the Church Catholic, founded upon the Apostles themselves and centered on the historic episcopate.

Can we make “local” decisions that appear to run contrary to the consistent teaching and practice of the Church Catholic? If so, then how?

What does in mean to be the Anglican “Communion” rather than a “confederation” of Anglican churches?

Do we in fact have any obligation at all to ecumenical implications, especially in regard to other churches that would consider themselves as catholic?

PASTORAL CONSIDERATIONS

It has been said, rightly I think, that all Anglican theology at its best is essentially pastoral theology. Indeed I would go so far as to say that is one of our distinctive and attractive characteristics. But those who prefer a more clear cut or even legislative approach will inevitably find this frustrating, even incomprehensible

“Issues” are never just that. They involve human beings, and I as a parish priest AM keenly aware that they involve immortal souls. Indeed I am equally keenly aware that God’s judgment on my own ministry as priest will be upon the care given (or not) to those souls entrusted by him to me. In other words, the souls of those of you who hear or read these words.

I would suggest that priests have a particular perspective on pastoral matters because of the safety and confidentiality of conversations between parishioner and priest. When I hear the debates, discussions, threats, and reactions, I have in my mind and my heart real people and their souls. Dare I say that every one of us struggles with sexuality and sex on some level at some time? It shouldn’t be surprising since it was the sexual drive of our parents that got us here in the first place and that continues our species!

From my own pastoral work, I know that people struggle, and, let me be quite clear, people of all sexual orientations. Married people struggle with dead marriages, unfaithfulness to their marriage vows, a sense of imprisonment and inevitability. Homosexual people struggle also in many ways, many seeking to live faithfully within the traditional teaching of the church and doing so with great sacrifice — let us not forget that! Others conscientiously try to reconcile faithful and monogamous same-sex relationships with Christlike lives; single people of both genders and all persuasions struggle with the realities and temptations of loneliness and isolation and rejection. I also know that marriage is not always a guarantee of strictly heterosexual orientation.

From this professional and personal perspective, I concur with the comments quoted in the Washington Post recently by my good friend and colleague Fr. Lane Davenport. I, like him, find myself torn between my experience of loving and devout same-sex relationships, relationships which in their turn poignantly hallow others in the church and in the world, and the clear and unswerving teaching of the church on matters of sexuality and sexual practice. I find this not only an uncomfortable place to be, but also an agonizing place. But it can also be a holy place for it is also the place of the Cross. I am not afraid to face the struggle within me as I engage the secular, rational voices of the world and the “prophetic voices” of the church in open, faithful, and prayerful dialogue. As my friend and yours, Bishop Michael Marshall, has often said, I am proud to be a member of a church that is prepared to wrestle with these kinds of issues. It could be one of our great strengths.

As a Catholic, I freely and humbly submit myself to the traditional teaching and practice of the church, which is larger, holier, and wiser than my own limited and flawed perspective. I also, with the church, rejoice in the great gifts, examples, and signs of lifelong unions in the Christian sacrament of Holy Matrimony and also of faithfully chaste and celibate lives which speak volumes of the nature of the love of God Himself.

Before the General Convention I was able to have a most productive meeting with our Bishop. I expressed to him, not my theological or political concerns, but my pastoral concerns for this parish. I pointed out to him that St. Paul’s really could be seen as a kind of microcosm of the Anglican Communion, except perhaps for its most evangelical components! The bishop affirmed me in my principle of seeking to maintain the unity of the parish. I realize that I am readily criticized by some in that stance for they see that as a compromise of what they regard as essential principles. I might well plead guilty to such compromise. In matters of sexuality I in fact welcome the engagement in which we must now be involved. Gone are the days when these things are “not the sort of things we talk about” — even in England! It would be dishonest and hypocritical of any urban, Western Anglo-Catholic parish to claim that gay people of all stripes have not been essential to the well-being and growth of such communities; indeed they have been and are integral and essential to them.

When I came to St. Paul’s, you had already experienced the fallout of divisions on matters of Catholic and Apostolic order and practice. We have I hope learned from those days. With the pastoral care and unity of the parish foremost in my mind and heart, when I came here I said you would hear no preaching and teaching nor witness any practice within these walls which was not part of the traditional teaching and practice of the Catholic and Apostolic church, and I shall continue that commitment. That will be seen as unacceptable by a few, a faulty compromise by some, a reassurance to others.

For those parishioners who wish to pursue the church’s blessing on a same-sex relationship, within the parameters outlined by the resolution of the General Convention, I shall, in consultation with the bishop, make available those resources offered outside of the parish by the diocesan community. I will also commit to the generosity of spirit that should be the hallmark of Catholic Faith and practice, as well as to the inclusivity and diversity that makes up and, even, is the genius of this congregation. Indeed, I have always thought that if we can somehow by Grace get it right, it could be a model for others. The Episcopal Church and this parish welcomes you whoever you are, and you will be assured of a warm welcome, the full availability of the sacramental life and pastoral care, and the charitable fellowship of your fellow members of the Body of Christ. You and I will continue our commitment to our mission statement: to seek to “restore all people to God and to each other through sacramental worship and Christlike lives.”

In all this we need to wait upon the Holy Spirit. We need to wait upon the outcome of the meeting which the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for the primates of the Anglican Communion. While I clearly AM not at one with the Archbishop on all things, I have enormous confidence in his theological, spiritual, and pastoral gifts, and so I await that outcome with some hope and optimism. I am not, I have to say, hopeful or optimistic about a parallel Anglican jurisdiction in the USA or worldwide — as an Anglo-Catholic I would find myself in some very strange and foreign theological territory.

While I am away on my sabbatical leave I shall formulate for the new year some helpful and appropriate vehicles for our engagement with these questions as a parish. In the meantime I shall make myself available each Sunday beginning next week and until I begin my leave at the end of September for half an hour in the Common Room from 10:30 to 11:00 AM for those who would like to have informal conversation. I shall restrict the numbers to eight including me, so the first eight to fill the table will be it! I shall also lay down some ground rules for those conversations. Any of our clergy are willing and available to meet privately with any of you.

The course that I am outlining here has been discussed with and supported by Bishop Chane, as well as all our other clergy here at St. Paul’s and our wardens and vestry.

Let us rejoice, as Fr. Barnett told us last week in his sermon, in what we have in common — that is where I began. Let us rejoice in the many and rich blessings that we receive in this particular place — for the joy and privilege of disciplined, regular, and transcendent worship and for the opportunities for us to grow together into Christ and into the people and the Body he would have us be. So we shall engage in his name and in the power of the Holy Spirit in mission and ministry to a broken and hurting world, confident that the Lord of the resurrection is the Lord of the church, your Lord and mine.

This comes to you and is read to you in the love of Christ, and in gratitude for our shared ministry together in and from this place,

Your priest, pastor and fellow pilgrim,

The Reverend Andrew L. Sloane,
Rector

St. Paul’s Parish
2430 K Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037