“Can the denomination as a whole ‘apologize’ for calling homosexuality a sin and then turn around and keep minister members in its ranks (like myself) who still believe and teach that homosexual sex is sin?”
The question was asked on the Facebook page of That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS), an advocacy group that works “to resist and transform structures and systems of injustice by being present and engaged – pastorally and as advocates – during these times of transition in the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
TAMFS is actively supporting Overture 50: “On the Admission of, and Apology for, Harms Done to the LGBTQ/Q Members of the PCUSA, Family and Friends,” which will be considered at the 222nd General Assembly this summer after being approved by the Presbytery of New York City and receiving concurrences from Genesee Valley and Chicago presbyteries.
The overture – now called business item 11-05 – asks the assembly to apologize to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ/Q) community because it says “there will be no chance for healing and reconciliation until the PCUSA admits its mistakes and makes a statement of apology.”
The question asked on the TAMFS Facebook page:
“Does the overture imply that the general assembly will be moving away from a neutral stance/local option on whether or not homosexuality is understood in the consciences of individual ministers, sessions and presbyteries as “sin” and going all the way to endorse, officially, and on a national level homosexuality? Can the denomination as a whole “apologize” for calling homosexuality a sin and then turn around and keep minister members in its ranks (like myself) who still believe and teach that homosexual sex is sin? Will this apology create grounds for conservative minister members to be prosecuted?”
The answer from the Rev. Ray Bagnuolo, chaplain and minister director of TAMFS:
March 29, 2016
Dear John,
I appreciate your patience in this long response.
First, thank you for your question. You articulate a response to the overture that reflects the concerns of others, as well.
This overture does not stand in the way of anyone or their conscience and beliefs. One’s conscience is between that person only and the God who loves us all. I have stood along side those with whom I’ve disagreed on issues but absolutely believed in their decision and spoken to their right of conscience.
I do hope that one day our LGBTQ/Q community will not be seen as “sin” and that our place in the church and elsewhere will not be categorized as “neutral,” for the comfort or benefit of others or an institution, itself. It has often mystified me that some folks who know nothing about who we are, how we live into our faith, or how we love our families and friends oppose us and are ready to condemn us in the name of God, simply because we identify as LGBTQ/Q. Yes, I do hope that will change; yes, I do believe that the PCUSA has an important role in this change and the broad healing that needs to occur. And, yes, I believe that folks who identify as LGBTQ/Q deserve an acknowledgment that there have been harms done to them that they never deserved. Further, I believe the world needs to hear that and in so doing come to know the PCUSA as a place for them — whoever they may be.
From the tone of your note, I believe you would agree with me that God has called us to love one another – even in our disagreements. It is there that we have failed as an institution – for generations – in not clearly addressing the teachings and behaviors of the church (the PCUSA and others). We have failed by the proselytization of erroneous rationales for exclusion; unintentionally contributing to the subsequent violence that LGBTQ/Q folks continue to experience: violence that occurs both within the organization and outside of it, in part the result of a failure by the denomination to break its silence in speaking against exclusion, while speaking in “love” to those being denied. I admit to having difficulty with that stark contradiction.
Item 11-05 (formerly OVT 050) calls for the institution to admit that it has caused harms to others by decades of charges and trials against faithful people, simply because they identified as LGBTQ/Q. It calls for the institution of the church to state clearly that which has been constitutionally decided: that while we disagree in many congregations, this is a church which includes congregations that fully welcome and affirm people who are LGBTQ/Q for membership, leadership, and to honor their marriages and families as any might be honored. That is not suggested as judgment of those who do not welcome and affirm our community in its fullness, which is still the dominant perception within the church and its sphere of influence. There just needs to be intentional leadership to balance all these things in ways that honor who and whose we are, instead of the apologetics too often spoken with pithy comments about “not returning to the past, but moving forward.” As disruptive as it may seem this is about unity, reconciliation and healing. And, yes, in this world – seeking such a way is, indeed, disruptive. Ignoring the past, “moving forward,” simply makes it all worse.
John, unless such a voice is heard from within our denomination, the witness and struggle and harms done over the last forty years will die as footnotes to be forgotten or ignored, instead of a witness of the life-saving presence and mystery of Christ and the gospel in our lives. Our prayers and hopes – and the reason for our support of Ovt 050 – is to begin the healing needed from this long struggle; not to bring us “to neutral” but to begin an engaged conversation and relationship that embraces one another and all the work we are called to do in this world – even with our differences.
Not long ago, I asked one of my self-identified Conservative Evangelical minister-friends if he would officiate the wedding of his child is his child and partner were of the same gender. His sadness in acknowledging that he would deny their request touched me deeply. I really felt for him. At the same time, I hope he was grateful that he was part of a denomination in which there would be a place for his child to be married; a place where he could attend and celebrate the wedding, even if he needed to abide by his conscience and refuse to officiate: celebrate their love, even if he thought they were wrong. In so many ways, that is reconciliation and healing we seek.
I suspect that there are many who are equally grateful that there is in the PCUSA a heart and a home for those they know and love, even if they are not fully welcomed in their particular congregation.
An apology for the harms we have done one another, a true desire to welcome all in our denomination, and a commitment to make sure that in this world – at least from the voice of the PCUSA – no one should ever think that we support any discrimination or violence toward others because they identify as LGBTQ/Q – that is the heart of this overture that we support. Further, we believe that all of us have been called to this new time to work toward a peaceful reconciled place that witnesses God’s love for all whom God has created.
Lastly: about prosecution. John, the only ministers or leaders ever prosecuted in this long struggle have been folks who are LGBTQ/Q or our allies. I cannot even recall one instance where charges were brought against those opposing us – it was we who were always being brought to church court and suffered its actions.
Reconciliation is not retribution, nor do we seek retribution of any kind. We just believe that the world needs to know who we are as a denomination – and for that to be heard nothing can be quite as humble and powerful and helpful as an admission of harms done one another and a true commitment to go forward in God’s love, clearing the wreckage of the past.
Our constitution has changed and for important reasons. We believe that it’s time to end the illusion of a “neutral church” and accept our unity without requiring uniformity of each other. We are charged now, as a denomination unlike any other in the world, to bring love and compassion to this long and harmful struggle. I am among those who believe God has called us to this time and place because we are uniquely able to handle the challenge and its complexities with faithfulness and God’s Love, something that we and the world truly need in all the abundance we can find.
Thanks again for your comment, John.
Peace,
Ray Bagnuolo, Chaplain & Minister Director
That All May Freely Serve
ray@tamfs.org;
At the time of The Layman’s posting, only one comment and response had been made to the Facebook post:
Jeff Winter Ray, I do feel this overture, if affirmed, will make it impossible for persons like myself to continue to be ordained in the PCUSA. I will need to affirm homosexual expression. If not I will have to leave on my own volition or be told to leave by my presbytery.
That All May Freely Serve Hi Jeff, I have just a minute, but wanted to get back to you. We can talk more. Jeff, there is nothing new here that doesn’t already exist in our constitution and the decision to live in this tension as a denomination. However one considers an individual’s sexual identity, we have done harm to one another in the process of this great struggle. You know people, I know people – there are many who have been harmed because the instituion misstepped (in my opinion) – all around. This apology highlights the institution’s misstep and our commitment to be welcoming within the tension, as an example or witness, if you like, for the way the world needs to try and get along. I see this as the gospel message and believe we have a place here in which to agree. No one, no one except for LGBTQ/Q folks and their allies have ever been brought up on charges or refused ordination because of sexual identity or support for the same, all else being equal. An apology for these harms and those we’ve done to one another in this process is a commitment to publicly do better – sharing God’s love across the many congregations and presbyteries in this denomination – a place for all at the table, even when the table is set differently – is what we seem to avoid and refuse to lift up with our denominational voice. I don’t want to chase anyone out – never have. It grieves me every time a congregation chooses to leave. I just want my sisters and brothers wherever they may be to know that we have changed and there are places where they are welcome and we mean it. That’s all, Jeff. Otherwise, why have we stayed and worked so hard? Please, we are not oppressing anyone – anyone. Wouldn’t do that. Know too personally how that feels and how wrong it is. Hope to talk more. Peace. Ray
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” No one, no one except for LGBTQ/Q folks and their allies have ever been brought up on charges or refused ordination because of sexual identity or support for the same, all else being equal.”
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Perhaps the reason for this is that:
a) remedial cases were brought because of violations of the then existing Book of Order, and
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b) people were refused ordination because they confessed to being in violation of the then Book of Order, and the Word by their actions. Please note, I said by their actions, not by their orientation.
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In response to Ray’s letter I only need reply “You conveniently leave out the main point – SCRIPTURE” let alone a couple of thousand years of Christian teaching taken from the scriptures. You are setting up the straw horse of “Oh, you nasty mean people who are trying to keep us from having fun.” I remember a story about a boy who was only having fun playing with matches in a barn full of straw.
If Christians pulled out of the thin air that homosexuality is sin it would be valid to tell them to shut up. But if Christians point to God’s Word – such as I Cor. 6 which says homosexuals shall not inherit the Kingdom of God you are not criticizing Christians but God Himself.
So to Ray and all those in “that all may freely serve” write your next bombastic letter to GOD!
Openly LGBTQ/Q folks have made behavior (albeit sexual behavior) an intrinsic part of who they are as a person. Therefore, one cannot separate the behavior from the person or the person from the behavior. To criticize the behavior is to criticize the person.
Where is this going? For example: Is a philanderer in a class of persecuted persons in that we must apologize to them? He or she can’t help their behavior? There are many more examples. Pedophiles, have a behavior that they can’t help, what about them? Prostitutes? They have to earn a living. See, everything has an excuse and therefore nothing is wrong. A killer can’t help it, he or she had a bad upbringing. Maybe we should apologize to all of them. Next, they will want to be in a disadvantaged group or class and get preferential treatment with the passage of special laws. What most would call bad behavior will reign supreme.
In my opinion, one’s behavior is for the judgement of GOD. There are many, many examples in the Bible of what constitutes behavior that is against GOD’s will (in BOTH Testaments). To be against a behavior is not to (as the culture would say) diss the human being. Behavior is a choice.
So now the culture of today wants selective – and changing interpretation of Scripture according to the cultural constructs of the time of the day. It is no longer GOD who is the GREAT I AM, but that the culture is the GREAT I AM and human cultural judgements are re-interpreting sections of Scripture. Or, GOD whispered in their ear and told them it was O.K. (as in the GA Authoritative Interpretation).
Now, we are not only being asked to apologize for having a belief that the described behavior is wrong, we are being asked to conduct wedding ceremonies in which we ask GOD’s blessing on behavior that is specifically singled out in many places in the Bible. They lead us to the trough and we will drink – if LGBTQ/Q has its way – or we will be gone if we do not participate.
In other words (if I’m understanding what they’re saying), it’s God who must apologize to sinners. His rules are just so offensive! He has a lot of nerve.
Mr. Bagnuolo,
Your request that you and your community deserve to be accepted because of God’s love appears reasonable on it’s face. However, it is at your own peril you have chosen to ignore the fact that He is a just God as well. He is a sovereign God and doesn’t care whether you consider your sexual orientation and actions a sin or not. He has the final say and He has plainly stated His position on this behavior despite your arguments to the contrary.
Those of us who oppose your overtures do so out of love for you. We see clearly what you do not and are so vigorously trying to deny. I refer you to 1 John 1:8-9.
Either the behavior of the LGBTQ/Q community is sinful or not. If sinful, confess, repent and God is faithful. If you deny it as sinful, then you deceive yourself and will face God’s wrath. It’s that simple.
God made the rules, we risk His wrath if we won’t confess, repent and ask forgiveness. He loves us and has given us the atoning gift of Christ Jesus so that we might receive His love, but as Paul makes quite clear, God’s love thru Christ Jesus is not a “get out of jail free card” or license to continue to sin. That is the danger you are being warned against by loving brothers in Christ, yet you dismiss our concern as misguided and ill informed.
Thank you, Don….you are saying EXACTLY what I have said many places.
The core question remains, can a person like Ray and myself still continue to exist in the same denominational format or structure?
Well yes, maybe, we’ll see. Certainly not under the current structure of the polity or denominational rebrick. Where narrow interest groups, tribal theologies, personal grievance agenda’s, extortion and appropriation of the property of others is the norm.
There needs to be a structural and permanent delinking of property, assets, mission, ordination policies from the local church and other structures of the denomination. A far more informal and far less intrusive polity than exits now in the PCUSA would need to be implemented. His cause, his issues, his denomination, his Presbytery would retain no claim on the inherent autonomy and freedom of faith, belief and most importantly, association of others. If he can buy off on that, fine. Welcome to the big tent.
But my guess is that like most of his ideological allies, he more or less adopts the basic tenants or inherent class and ideological conflict, broad attempts at theological social engineering though rule based polices based upon the undemocratic use of AI’s to advance his concepts of progress and inclusion as he would define such.
Again as to what is called “the local option”, “mutual forbearance”, call it what you will. Let’s not kid ourselves. The house divided will not stand. Either Ray’s vision is adopted universally in the denomination, or it is not. My guess is that TAMSF will indeed carry the day on many levels. But math does not lie. Their vision will pertain, but in a denomination gone to zero and houses of worship empty. Their victory is, searching for the correct term, pyrrhic.
I think the answer to the stated question is NO. The overture is being proposed at this time because it’s proponents have determined “it’s time to end the illusion of a neutral Church” It doesn’t matter what kind of qualifying language is used, how many exceptions are granted or how many people are grandfathered in ultimately the answer is NO.
Yes. so one wonders who is in charge? God set the rules of the house and the child keeps badgering and badgering. Then, finally, the “you don’t love me anymore” accusation. I wonder, is the Bible is gutted and we are to live by the mores of the day; then, if that is what one wants, why not start your on cultural version of “Church?”
Peter, in the end, there will be NO Mutual Forbearance – (as there has been none, now). The goal of the current social thrust is to take over the denomination and call the cadence – at all costs. We will all be forced out of our current Churches due to the economics caused by the fleeing masses.
This overture has nothing to do with healing. It’s simply the next step in revising and extending the previous two victories–homosexual ordination and same-sex marriage. Chaplain Bagnuolo’s attempts to explain it otherwise are disingenuous at best.
Once again, the PCUSA is bearing more evidence that she no longer confesses the catholic faith of the church. Homosexual practice is affirmed nowhere in scripture, and nowhere, never, by no one in the history of the church until recent decades. This is heretical, and it should be referred to as such.
“That All May Freely Serve” is really a misleading title for that group, especially if this overture passes. They will need to change that name to “That All Progressives May Freely Serve – And Traditional Biblical Folks Can Just Leave.” This “diverse and inclusive” denomination is becoming less so with each move towards becoming a boutique liberal social/progressive enclave. They are less and less a church more just and advocacy agency.
I am a member of a small Presby. church. I will tell you I honestly do not know what my fellow members feel about this subject. I can only relate my own feelings.
I hear people judging the LGBT/Q community for their ‘sin’ and I don’t believe that God likes that. HE will be the judge and be the one who determines if they get into heaven, not us. Remember, no sin is greater than another. Do you commit some sin everyday like I do? Should you be the judge of my sin and possibly exclude me from fellowship? I wouldn’t do it to you because I don’t believe God wants me to judge.
My small church only has one gay member but we are very welcoming of her because we believe God wants us to love everybody, right?
I will say though that I feel a minister has the right to decline to marry LGBT people, just as they can refuse to marry any couple because of their own beliefs since in our church marriage isn’t a sacrament. I’m guessing that our current minister would probably do this but I’m sure the last few pastors we’ve had probably would have performed such a marriage.
My thoughts as just a simple member with perhaps only basic Bible knowledge (compared to probably all of you) may not carry much weight on here but remember, most Presbyterian members are probably just like me. I do thank you for ‘listening’ though.
I only happened on this website seeing the link in a church newsletter and probably won’t stop back to see if anyone is for or against what I said. I am not a great debater and would get lost in any higher thinking. I just hope you won’t think less of me for just sharing my feelings. May God bless you all including the LGBT community and I thank you for at least trying to have a civil discussion about the issue.
Carol
In thirty years PC(USA) will be apologizing to polygamists for calling group sex a sin.