A candidate standing for co-moderator of the 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has written a blog in the wake of Sunday morning’s act of terrorism, equating evangelicals in the PCUSA with the Muslim extremism seen in Orlando attack.
Early Sunday morning, 29-year-old Omar Mateen walked inside of the gay nightclub Pulse and began shooting. Before he was killed by police, Mateen killed 49 people and injured another 53. During the massacre, Mateen called 911 and pledged his allegiance to ISIS. CBS news reported that ISIS’ “official radio station, al-Bayan, said Monday morning that ‘Allah has enabled brother Omar Mateen, one of the soldiers of the Caliphate in America, to carry out a raid where he was able to infiltrate a Crusaders’ gathering at a gay night club in Orlando, Florida. Allah enabled him to inflict heavy casualties amongst the filthy Crusaders. He killed and injured over a hundred of them. This is the biggest raid to be carried in America after the raid of Manhattan 16 years ago. All praise to Allah.”
The Rev. T. Denise Anderson
In her blog “You Are the Man! Or Why the Church Should Feel Convicted Right Now,” the Rev. T. Denise Anderson, pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church in Temple Hills, Md., writes that “Sadly, many in our own ranks aren’t too idealistically different from this gunman. And, though he may have been a ‘lone wolf,’ this kind of hate does not develop in a vacuum. It is nurtured. It is facilitated. It is given permission to thrive and grow. It is provided with a safe space. Church, for whom/what will we provide sanctuary? I believe God is calling us to make that decision today.”
“Let Christians be confounded by (or, worse, silent in the face of) such a vile act. Let the church offer prayers and sympathy, scratch its collective head and wonder how such a thing could happen, as if we don’t already know,” she wrote. “Relegation of gay men to the choir loft (entertain us!), but kept from the Trustee board. Scapegoating same-sex couples as the purveyors of moral erosion. That’s our doing. That’s our assault weapon. Church, we are the man! This particular gunman took out fifty people in one night. How many LGBT sisters and brothers have we — the Church — gradually and systemically killed over a longer period of time? He and we have been in the same business. We’re simply not as efficient as he was.”
Anderson is standing for the office of co-moderator of the 222nd General Assembly, along with Jan Edmiston. Also standing for co-moderators of the assembly are David Parker and Adan Mairena
On her blog site Soula Scriptura: To be Young, Gifted and Reformed, Anderson wrote:
As I write this, it is the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) and I’ve just preached in part on the reading from 2 Samuel 12. David has been confronted by Nathan for his violation of Bathsheba and Uriah in the slickest of ways. The prophet tells the king a story of a cruel, thoughtless, and callous sin by a powerful person against someone with considerably less power. He paints a compelling picture of a wealthy monster who steals what little bit his poor neighbor has. Nathan then turns the canvas around and shows that he’s been painting David’s portrait.
“You are the man!” Nathan says. A moment before, David was ready to pronounce death and condemnation on the theoretical monster, until he realized the monster was him.
Early this morning, fifty lives were stolen in a well-planned act of anti-gay violence. Fifty LGBTQ children of God lost their lives because someone didn’t like the idea of them kissing in public. During Pride Month. Fifty. The worst mass shooting (not mass killing, but mass shooting) in the history of our country.
Cue the political rhetoric about Islamic extremism and how it (and, by extension, all Muslims) should be stopped. During Ramadan.
Let Christians be confounded by (or, worse, silent in the face of) such a vile act. Let the church offer prayers and sympathy, scratch its collective head and wonder how such a thing could happen, as if we don’t already know.
Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT, most of whom were kicked out of their homes by families who refused to accept them, leaving them vulnerable to addiction, crime, and human trafficking. Somewhere between 30 and 40 percent of LGBT youth have attempted suicide. Much of this can be attributed to religious teaching. A pastor who counseled parents to turn their backs on their gay son, or submit their lesbian daughter to conversion therapy. Flippant comments about “sissies” thrown carelessly about from the pulpit, without regard for who they may pierce. Relegation of gay men to the choir loft (entertain us!), but kept from the Trustee board. Scapegoating same-sex couples as the purveyors of moral erosion. That’s our doing. That’s our assault weapon.
Church, we are the man!
This particular gunman took out fifty people in one night. How many LGBT sisters and brothers have we – the Church – gradually and systemically killed over a longer period of time? He and we have been in the same business. We’re simply not as efficient as he was.
This is not to suggest there can’t be a variety of theological leanings in the church. What I do suggest is that we have not experienced our differences in healthy ways. We can have hermeneutical diversity in ways that do not kill beloved children of God. We in the hetero-normative center have every advantage, comfort, and privilege available. Why, then, do we come for the sanctuaries, safe spaces, and treasures of those in the non-binary margins?
Sadly, many in our own ranks aren’t too idealistically different from this gunman. And, though he may have been a “lone wolf,” this kind of hate does not develop in a vacuum. It is nurtured. It is facilitated. It is given permission to thrive and grow. It is provided with a safe space. Church, for whom/what will we provide sanctuary? I believe God is calling us to make that decision today.
Related article: PCUSA leaders mourn victims of Orlando nightclub tragedy, recommit to advocating for a just society
Prayer After the Nightclub Shooting in Orlando, the Rev. Laurie Ann Kraus, Associate Mission Director, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
23 Comments. Leave new
I’m NOT surprised that someone like this pastor would try to connect radical islam with Biblical Christianity, or blame us for the death of LGBT persons. Given what is on the agenda at the upcoming GA, and that she’s running for co-moderator, this GA will be one for record books.
Her views are becoming more common in the pcusa, I just wonder how many pcusa members understand this is just a reflection of what the louisville sluggers think of us. I’m convinced that after this GA, louisville is going to put the hammer down on departing churches and evangelicals. They would like us stay in the pcusa, as long as our checks clear, and we keep our mouths shut.
In my opinion, the article is over the top. The views of an alleged radical follower of Islam, some allege a terrorist, are “ported over” and stuck on – as if a label – “to some in our own ranks [the PCUSA].” How does subjective labeling – without evidence – help our community? Are we back to the future? In Mississippi?
Just another member of the PCUSA looney, liberal clergy trying to project her self-imposed guilt onto other innocent, descent people. Of course if you disagree with her cleverly worded, absurd analysis and fail to join her campaign of guilt, you’re a hater. This so called teaching elder is representative of exactly what’s wrong with PCUSA leadership. I reject her idealistic babble of comparison of good-hearted people to a radical Islamic jihadist killer in any way. Shame on you and all the rest who blame Christians for any responsibility in the Orlando shooting. Hey reverend can you say “Radical Islam” ideology? Get real…..
Wow, just when it seemed the PCUSA leadership couldn’t sink any lower, this blog post appears. It’s one thing to privately admit such thoughts, it’s another to publicly air them, and urge others to get on board.
Who is this pot calling the kettle black? And I wonder who these evangelicals are – you mean there are some left in PCUSA? If evangelicals are as bad as ISIS then they learned from the liberal left… oops… Progressives.
If the latest online information is correct, Tawnya Denise Anderson was ordained as a PCUSA teaching elder on January 25, 2015 (less than 18 months ago), and currently works in what is called a “temporary pastoral relationship” with a church that reported 38 members in 2013, and a Christian Education enrollment of 8 persons. Her left-wing political activist credentials are impeccable, of course, but one would be hard pressed to find a less qualified person to serve as a moderator of the General Assembly than she. Ms. Anderson’s absurd comments about Christians systematically killing homosexuals notwithstanding, it is an embarrassment that such a person has even been nominated to serve as the moderator of a 1.5 million member denomination. I’m betting dollars to donuts, however, that she and Jan Edmiston are overwhelmingly elected by the GA.
So what took her so long?
Ms. Anderson is a political person who is running for a political office in a partisan political or organization, the PCUSA. The matter whether she really believes the inane, hate filled nonsense she posts is irrelevant to her cause and aims. She gets her name out there and the “Layman” has picked up the blog, for her job well done. As any politician, the best publicity is always free. Ans like all politicians she wants two things at the end of the day, power and respect. The ways, means, tools employed to that end, are again for her irrelevant to the goal.
Her code “in our ranks” remark only reflects the desire of the ruling class to purge, repress, actively persecute in word and deed the remaining conservatives, people of faith left in the entity. This is an old playbook, since 1887, at every major schism, rupture in the mainline church, most well known of course the fundamentalist-modernist dust up of the 1930’s, the mainline stream has always used the tools available to purge, harass ,and humiliate their opponents. The “apology” proposal in Portland is only a tool to that end. And she wants to be first in line in that parade. Given her track record, can anybody blame her or be surprised? So she is “pastor”to a 38 member church. Again an irrelevant matter to her greater aim, it’s only a platform for her advocacy. Nothing more. Besides the local DC PUCSA office could only hire so many folks, its not a job machine for disaffected radical-liberals.
Post Orlando, there will be much verbiage, much emotion, much venting on the tragedy and terrorist attack on a variety of topics. To paraphrase the current Mayor of Chicago, never let a crises go to waste. Nothing in Portland or what transpires in Portland will surprise me. This is the PCUSA, its who they are, its what they do.
I am a progressive, but this is cringe worthy. “idealistically” Ugh, she means ideologically. Reject this person for the valid reason of being unprepared.
Don’t aim your poisonous arrows toward us, Denise. In the wake of a horrible act in Orlando, your hectoring does nothing to lift people, inspire, mend broken hearts, or raise the Word of God.
What a twisted narcissistic response to a horrible tragedy. Through tortured circuitous reasoning she plants the church in the middle of a suffering community. To help,no. We just want to publicly flog ourselves so all can see how earnest we are. The entire piece is based on a fantasy she has created. Please name 1 PCUSA Pastor who makes flippant comments about sissies from the pulpit or a congregation that tells Gay men to get in the choir loft and entertain them. You do understand Rev Anderson your comment stereotypes Gay men. I have to thank you for the “we are the man” comment. It reminded me of some 60’s comedies.
This is unacceptable writing and publication. I recommend that Denise be brought up on charges that she is in violation of the ordination vow related to furthering the peace, unity and purity of the church. She should be rebuked and defrocked by her Presbytery.
Yeah, good luck with that………….
This is a typical example of the radical left-wing psychobabble coming out of the GA, which demonstrates human beings who have been given over to a depraved mind (Rom. 1:28). Is anyone listening to these people anymore?
Could not agree more She has no business at all in reformed churches
Being the author of an active blog on matters of faith and culture, I know that in the heat of passion, emotion, feelings things get a little hot and one is apt to say and write things without processing or reflection before posting.
The question of Ms. Anderson’s fitness, or lack of it for ordained office is a matter solely for National Capital on one level, her employing church on another. As they have already endorsed and enabled her for high elective office, that speaks more to their COM, EP and internal process, than it does to the individual person seeking ordination.
And to be honest in the immediate aftermath of Orlando, her blog posting are quite tame and measured compared to other “christian” authors who frequent Huffington, Solon, the Daily Kos, and those sponsored by the UCC/UU. In many posts pure religious hate speech directed to conservative Christians, as if the Islamic terrorist Manteen came out of an Assembly of God convention.
I think she nether has the deportment, judgement, maturity, or wisdom for PCUSA elective office, and her tenure would be a disaster if not a hot mess, mostly for her. The organization will muddle along. But again, this is the PCUSA. Nothing they do collectively shocks or surprises.
” To Every Man–& to every Woman—there comes in their life a special moment when they are tapped on the shoulder & offered the opportunity to do a very special thing, unique and fitted (hopefully) to their talents.
What a Tragedy when that moment finds her unqualified and unprepared for what could have been her finest hour. “
I just don’t understand the arrogance of such pastors. Talk about blowing your own horn with the blog subtitle “To be Young, Gifted, and Reformed.” Gifted?! Ha! If she were truly reformed her humility would take precedence. But as other commentators have mentioned, she is obviously in this running with a political, secular agenda in mind, and not the agenda of Scripture or Jesus Christ.
Last time I checked Peter, you are still in the PCUSA, so its “we” not “they” please. Either get out or own up to your organization of ordination.
Praying for those of you still trapped in the PCUSA. I am so thankful that my church is out and moving forward again working on being faithful to the great commission instead of fighting an apostate denomination.
What Billy exposes is the last canard left in the PCUSA rhetoric. That the only “good” TE/Clergy is one who is a good “company” man or gal. One who just goes along to get along, is just another center-left progressive in a organization choking on them, and just is the quiet back-bencher. Thankful for the scraps off the master’s table.
Sorry to disappoint.
No, Peter – fact is you are still PCUSA, so stop trying to make it look like you are not. I get it you do not agree with everything (or anything?) but facts is facts. You cannot use “we” when it’s really “us”. Sorry you are upset on being called out, but maybe its time you get off the fence and come on over with us to the EPC, eh?
Agreed, Billy Greg. So many of these folks seem to be living out their own personal motto: “where their pension is, there their heart will be also.”
These are the same folks who claim that when the PCUSA dismisses a church, “It’s all about the money.” So, it’s a wonder they can even look in the mirror without cringing.
She doesn’t sound like a very accepting person to me. Aren’t unaccepting people typically called a bigot by the left?
The only thing keeping churches in PCUSA is the financial armageddon that they would face from PCUSA.