Ecumenism by the Numbers

Brother Craig Digman is the first to say that he has a very unique ministry.

He states this with some resignation, as any trailblazer would hope others will follow.  "This is a ministry that nobody is going to do like I do," he admits. 

Br. Craig is absolutely certain that he has a calling to reach out to non-Catholic Churches and visit a rather large number of them.  He feel strongly called to build bridges between Christian denominations and reduce misunderstandings.

Br. Craig is part of the Glenmary mission in Union and Grainger Counties in eastern Tennessee which began in the summer of 2011.  Along with Fr. Steve Pawelk and Bro. Joe Steen, they have established two new Catholic parishes in places that have never had a Catholic church before.

"As a brother, the primary job at first was to help Fr. Steve get the missions up and running."  This started with visits to existing parishes and doing lots of door knocking.  "It just snowballed from there," recounted Br. Craig.  "You get talking to people, they invite you to where they are going, that leads you to something else, then they say, 'hey, have you ever been to...' and it just builds and builds." 

He started having similar conversations with just about anyone he would meet.  What began as outreach to build up the Catholic parishes has turned into a dynamic ministry of presence where this Catholic brother has so far visited and befriended dozens of churches of various denominations all over the two county area.

By
the
Numbers

To date, he has attended worship services at 68 non-Catholic churches of various denominations, all within the last 3 years.  Most of them have never had a Catholic visit in their entire history. 

He has been invited to 138 churches.

There are around 22 churches where he has developed a deeper relationship, where it feels "like family."  This has often involved multiple visits to these communities.

He has also developed close relationships to pastors and parishioners of churches he has yet to visit.

He keeps record of the count as well as information about future visits, pending invitations and places for follow-up.  These numbers change almost daily.

He estimates there are about 210 churches in these two counties.  Many of them are virtually unknown to outsiders, as they may be small operations with just a family or two.  Case in point:  At a recent Pastor Appreciate Dinner, a local Gideon's group invited only 75 pastors.  Granted, this was just one county but it seems they might have missed a few.

The numbers are staggering, no doubt about it.  He is constantly inviting people to visit a Catholic Mass and takes them up on their invitations to visit their respective churches.  He takes the invitations seriously and tries to go to as many as possible. 

He recognizes that in a different time and place, this ministry might have evolved differently.  He spent a lot of time at the beginning questioning whether to develop deep relationships with a few churches or more causal relationships with many.  The decision was made as the ministry simply took on a life of its own, and he followed the Spirit.

The numbers can be a discouragement for others to follow.  Yet, if we see beyond the numbers there is much that any person of goodwill can learn from the example of Br. Craig.

The Method:  Presence

Br. Craig  is very intentional about his attitude and demeanor on these visits.  "When I go in most of these churches, I'm the first ever Catholic to step foot in their church.  How I'm dressed determines how they perceive a Catholic to be.  If I'm in blue jeans, they'll probably assume Catholics wear blue jeans!"  Sometimes a casual look is ingratiating, but he dresses better-than-causal to show respect.  It is better to err on the side of being too formal rather than too casual, he figures.

There is responsibility in this.  For better or for worse, he knows that how he conducts himself is going to reflect on how Catholics in general are perceived.  He keeps this in mind and takes it seriously.  He is polite and makes conversation easily.


Br. Craig (left) singing Sanctuary at an ecumenical service
 with musicians from Revival Vision Church (right).


During services, if there is an invitation, he goes up in front and sings "Sanctuary," which includes a third verse he wrote.  If there is an opening in the service to speak, he shares about his family and asks for prayers.  Sometimes he offers prayers for the endemic drug problems in the area.  Before and after services, he will let people know that he's a Catholic brother and shares what that is. 

"Most of what I do is educate out in the community," he says.  "I feel there is a strong need for that."  In an area where few Catholics live and myths and stereotypes abound, his simple presence can do much to break the ice.  "The important thing is you just have to be there." 



Br. Craig making conversation
at a church potluck.

I was able to visit a church with him on a visit this past fall.  It was a homecoming for a parish, a celebration that is often a time for fallen away members to be invited back.  Br. Craig brought a dish to share at the potluck and blended right in. 

"Most of these people have never met a Catholic, have never seen a Catholic and have never been to a Catholic church,: he says.  "Suddenly, here's Br. Craig and Frank from the Catholic Church—we were there.  We are real people; we seem like nice guys.  That's huge.  It is so important to be on their ground, especially if there is any chance of them coming to ours." 

He tries to break the mystique of Catholicism by asking folks to visit a Catholic Mass.  "I invite a lot of folks to come, but most don't.  However, I've been finding that I'm at a turning point.  In that first year, nobody would come when I would invite them.  They still didn't have that trust.  Now, a few more are at least stopping in to peek at our Mass and see what it's about."  Having more of the community visit Mass is one of his "greatest goals."

You lookin' for me?

The Lost Sheep

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7) is probably the most defining and often-cited passage in Glenmary's missionary charism. 

What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? (verse 4).

It takes a Gospel vision to see the wisdom in that.  What else would drive a Catholic society of priests, brothers and lay co-workers away from the multitudes in the cities to reach the scattered few and far between faithful in the far reaches of Appalachia and the South?  After all, Glenmary Catholic parishes are in areas where Catholics make up less than 3% of the population.

Br. Craig seems himself as turning the parable on its head.  "I leave the 1% Catholic and reach out to the 99% non-Catholic."  It could also be said that his ministry helps support that 1%.  Still, true to Glenmary form, Br. Crag has a special place in his heart for the smallest, poorest country churches out there. "I gotta be honest with you, those little places is really where my heart's at... the real lost and forgotten, the poorest of the poor, that's who Glenmary goes to."



A rural convenience store in eastern Tennessee,
which is also a place to grab a hot meal.

Evangelizing at Petticoat Junction

Br. Craig is a master community builder.  He makes these connections in friendly conversations with a cook at a local restaurant, with the cashier at a hardware store, and in causal conversations in the course of daily life.  He is involved in the community and very present.

Even as I have lunch with Br. Craig at a small country trading posting, he wastes no opportunity to evangelize with the woman who brought the food out to us.  He has met her a number of times before. 

They start talking:

"So are you from around here?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm from on up the road," she happily replied.

"I'm familiar with that area, kinda near Brenda's house?" he asks further.

"Yeah, I'm just a little bit before that."

"Sure is nice out here.  I'm in Maynardville," he continued.  "I'm part of a group, and we started the new Catholic Church... I don't know if you get to Food City, we're right across the highway." 

"Oh yeah, I've seen it there," she affirmed.

"If you've never been to a Catholic Church, you are welcome to come and see what it's like, if you want," asks Craig.  "I've got a lot of friends who are kinda curious," he continues says.  "We have a 9:00 service..."

"I'm a Baptist, I go out to Elk Springs Baptist Church."

"Oh, where is that exactly?" he inquires.  They talk at length about where that church is and what the identifying features are of the church building.  Eventually, he asks, "What time is your service?"

"Sunday morning.  We start at 10:00 for Sunday school and church at 11:00," she answered.

"I’ve been visiting a lot of churches around here, you care if I come by sometime?"

"Sure, come on down!"

"I'm not sure when I'll get to yours, but I'll try to make it maybe for an evening service."

The waitress is a little hesitant about his invitation to Catholic Mass, but it gets her thinking about other churches and religious experiences she has been curious about:  "I have never been in a Catholic Church," she offered.  "I’ve been to a Methodist before, and of course, Baptist.  I’ve been where they do the footwashes… primitive Baptist.  I’ve never been to one of the snake handler churches, which I’d like to go just to see how they carry out their service!”

It is about opening door and getting people to think about something they might not normally think about.  Perhaps there are barriers, conscious or otherwise, between groups of people.  A simple conversation over food can start a process of melting the ice just by bringing the matter up for discussion. Through relationships and friendly presence, Br. Craig is an ambassador of the Catholic Church in rural eastern Tennessee. 

After this lengthy exchange, he turns to me and apologizes, although he truly had nothing to be sorry about.  "I'm sorry, this is just what I do, this is what happens... I bring in a group here for lunch and we just start talking." 

It is worth pausing here to bring attention to something that could easily be overlooked in these words:  "We just start talking."

Indeed, how do you build community, reduce alienation, enhance understanding and begin the process of reconciliation?  You just start talking. 

Br. Craig may have a unique ministry.  By the numbers, it seems out of reach for most people, and because of that it might be easy to dismiss.  However, at its essence, his ministry can teach us all about how to be present to people and reach out to others in different ways.  Most of us will not visit dozens of different churches, but in the end, it is actually not about the numbers at all—it is about being present and the possibilities that are inherent when we make ourselves available.

 

All Christians—Catholic, Protestant or Evangelical—are baptized as missionaries of the faith, even though that is something not often talked about, especially in Catholic circles.  We can all be on the pioneering edge of our faith, making new connections and breaking new ground.  Whether we visit churches or start conversations with our coworkers and relatives, we can all recognize and live into our role to reach out others who are not in our group.  Br. Craig shows how we can do that with friendliness, goodwill and old fashioned politeness.

In worrying if others will follow, Br. Craig is encouraged by the words of his colleague, Fr. Bob Dalton:  "You're just a little different kind of leadership."

Lenten Practices for Christian Unity

 

As we get ready to travel through Lent, there are ways that we can remember the unity of all Christians in our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 

Whether you have built a life mission around reaching out to other Christians or have not given it much thought, hopefully, there is something in this message that can be helpful.  These ideas may seem deceptively simple at first, but they can be very powerful when lived out.

Prayer

Jesus himself hoped and prayed that all believers would be one (John 17:20-23). 50 years ago at Vatican II, the Catholic Church acknowledged its commitment to this effort.  We may not know what Christian unity could or should look like, but we are committed to working toward that goal as followers of Christ.  We can pray this prayer along with Jesus this Lenten season.

I heard another great prayer idea by Southern Baptist Pastor Dean Anderson from Trenton, KY.  He offers this advice:  "Pray by name for the other churches in town."  Here is an example of how he does this:  "I pray that the Father will bless them, use them and grow them to build His Kingdom."  This can be added to your individual and community prayer intentions.

Fasting

We often think of fasting as refraining from eating food.  That is a good practice.  However, Isaiah 58:6 shows us another way: 

Is not this the fast that I choose:

to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

We can also fast from divisions, from suspicion, from anger and from hurt. 

Cardinal Walter Kasper, one of Pope Francis' favorite theologians, reminds us that the best way to work for Christian unity is to first acknowledge that every person and their respective church bears some responsibility for the divisions between Christians.  He says we must be constantly open to “penance and renewal.”  Lent is a good time to examine our conscience and move forward from this place of humility. 

Almsgiving

Almsgiving is a form of sacrificial giving.  What we sacrifice in our fasting we then pay forward through almsgiving.  If we fast from division, we can then give alms by doing something for inclusion.  Here are some suggestions:

Visit a church of another denomination; read a book or articles from another church; open a dialogue with people of a different tradition or donate to an effort of another church. 

You can prayerfully reflect on places where you may be harboring division or misunderstanding.  Find where you may be blocking the flow of the Holy Spirit and then do something to step out of that.  Do something just a little bit uncomfortable or different.

A Personal Example

I have a special fondness when the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are not separate activities but are rather woven together into a single expression.  This is a very traditional way of observing Lent.

For example, here’s what I might do: 

This Lent, I may pray and mediate on the unity of all Christians.  In my prayer, I may discover places in my heart where I have walls against a specific church or denomination.  This may be a group that is difficult for me for some reason—perhaps I have a grudge, perhaps their style is off-putting to me or perhaps I disapprove of some of their practices. 

I may choose to visit this church in order to fast from these divisions.  While I am there, I may say nothing or I may gently let people know that I am there as part of my Lenten observance.  I am not there to debate or prove myself right—quite the contrary, I am there to recognize that the negativity I feel is my own and take ownership for that.  I let them know by my actions that in some way we are sisters and brothers and that it matters that we are in relationship, even if the relationship right now is only that we just acknowledge each other and spend time in each other’s presence.

For almsgiving, I may make a financial contribution to one of their outreach efforts that I learn about while visiting. I may join a Bible study or prayer group to understand their spirituality better, or I may celebrate their story in my conversations afterwards.

Jesus asks that all believers would love one another.  I like to look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as a kind of checklist for that (see picture).  I ask myself—are there ways that I can grow in patience, kindness and trust toward this group of people?  Am I envious of their resources or membership?  Have I given up on some people?  The list is a tall order, so I may choose to focus on just one or two of these at a time.

In Closing

In the end, the gift we give may come back to us as we see the way God has shared unique gifts with another group that may end us enriching us:

The future of Christianity is going to be ecumenical.  The more I work, the more I see, every denominational tradition, every lineage, is holding a ‘pearl of great price’—sometimes two or three—and we would be at a tremendous loss not to recognize that, include that, honor that.

– Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM

Peace and blessings this Lenten season!

 

Profiles in Ecumenism: Rev. Ted Beam, UMC

The quote that began an earlier post was by Rev. Ted Beam:  "If churches can work together to build a house, why can’t we get together to evangelize the world?" 

Beam is currently Pastor of Petrie Memorial United Methodist Church in Elkton, KY.  He has also been involved in many international missions.  He is known for being a strong supporter of ecumenical relationships, especially when it comes to joint evangelization efforts.  I had the opportunity to talk with him about his approach and philosophy this past July.  These are some of his methods and guiding principles for working together between Christian denominations.

Go and Make Disciples of All Nations (Matthew 28:19)

 

Pastor Beam takes seriously the New Testament call to go and make disciples of all nations. He sees that there is a limited amount of joint evangelization—which also results in less overall evangelization—because Christians disagree on some things. By not working together to evangelize, Christians are hamstringing themselves from realizing one of their primary commissions.

In Beam's view, "most of us disagree on secondary matters; we should want to work cooperatively on primary matters."  He explains further:  "Paul was not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel—even baptism is secondary.  The death, burial, resurrection of Jesus is of primary importance." 

Creation as Model of Collaboration

As a young minster, Rev. Beam got involved in a group working as missionaries in Venezuela.  Quite unexpectedly, he was thrust into the spotlight and had to give a keynote address to the group strategizing how to unfold a missionary plan.  His plan, 'how to reach the city in 7 years," centered on ecumenical collaboration: "When churches work together, miracles, healings and conversions become commonplace." 

The Revelation of God in Creation provides the roadmap to follow for Beam:  "God has built creation to do that very thing:  A team of horses mathematically can pull more than the sum of it's parts; Canada geese flying in formation can move 70% further than flying alone."  Through teamwork and synergy, there is a compounded effect that otherwise cannot be realized except through a collaborative community effort. 

 

It may be worth pondering that both diversity and unity play a role in achieving this end result.  If a town is being approached by missionary groups from 5 different denominations, for example, it is understandable that the reception to the excitement of Christianity may be lukewarm when the people presenting it are themselves so divided.  However, when all these groups join together, they bring different charisms, skills and approaches that when combined intensify each other.  The strength is not either unity or diversity but rather unity in diversity.

 

Refreshing Realism

Pastor Beam offers this insight:  "I am Pastor of a Methodist congregation.  Some of our members are Episcopal.  Others are Lutheran," he said.  What he means is that the theological beliefs of his congregation's members would have them align with different denominations—that is to say, if church membership were solely a matter of doctrinal belief:  "They choose a congregation because that is where they connect to God and make meaningful connections to each other, not because they always agree with the doctrine." 

A common assumption in popular culture is that membership in a church denomination assumes that a person is aligned with the beliefs of that group.  That definition is woefully incomplete, as Avery Dulles pointed out in his groundbreaking work Models of the Church.  The congregation which Rev. Ted Beam pastors is a living witness to that, but his congregation is far from unique in this regard.  Many churches seem to go out of their way to disguise this fact.  They seem to circle the wagons and portray a monolithic image of the group's composition, seeing disagreement as a weakness instead of a testament to the robust diversity of the membership, their array of religious experiences and their creativity in describing what that means.

There are many reasons for this.  An individual may not feel like it is their place to promote their individual views, which could come across as disrespecting the longstanding tradition of their denomination to favor their own self-oriented universe.  Clergy may feel this pressure a lot.  One has to also wonder, however, if this could come across as either a form of dishonesty or unhealthy groupthink.  Pretending there is uniformity denies the vibrant diversity and personality of the members, a fact which could actually edify the stature of that group.  Uniformity may make the group less appealing to newcomers who find value in membership but who are not willing or ready to change some of their views.

I come across this stereotype a lot when I talk with non-churchgoing people.  I have a strong respect for people who refuse to join a church if it seems like they would have to surrender their personality or intellectual faculties to get a membership card.  While they may feel they have rejected Christianity, I hope they do not mind that I think that the Holy Spirit must be really strong in them to be so rooted so as not to bend just to join a group.

 

Two by Two

 

One of his favorite activities is to join together with other local pastors and go door-to-door through town spreading the Gospel.  They walk two-by-two on both sides of the street at the same time.  It conveys a powerful witness of the unity of the Body of Christ.  "There is a Nazarene and Church of Christ pastor on one side of the street and a Baptist and a Methodist pastor on the other side, knocking on doors."

Having a non-competitive stance toward Christian collaboration is central to Pastor Beam's evangelization efforts.  "After 23 years of doing this, I have not gotten even one new member in my congregation," he recounted.  "Other churches have received new members."  This is quite a track record to show he practices what he preaches when it comes to being uncompetitive with other Christians denominations.

Still, there is a lot of work to be done.  Out of 29 churches in his zip code, only 4 were working together in this way.

 

"When it comes to us pastors, none of us has a corner on the market.  To be faithful to our calling, we need to be faithful together.

Authentic Relationships

While he participates in joint ecumenical projects like the one above, he affirms that it always works best when it is the fruit of true friendship.  “Authentic ministries will come out of authentic relationships,” be says.  He prefers a dinner with a family than a common worship service, but he will do both.  He makes an effort to befriend other pastors.  He has participated in ecumenical gatherings of strangers and finds the talks "guarded."  They do "official" projects together such as write statements or lobby the government.  However, "when pastors are friends, it is less official but more effective," he believes.  A pastor gathering over pizza worked very well in this regard while he was living in another town in Kentucky.

He views Christian togetherness as not just the fruit of evangelization but also the means to get there.  Pastor Beam is committed to reclaiming community aspects of Christianity.  Community is not just the means but also the end of evangelization.  Pastor Beam finds evangelizing so much more difficult in the USA due to the individualistic nature of our culture.  "It's an uphill climb," he says.  "Competition, free enterprise and an overall feeling of suspicion are dominant.  In the USA, people think that everyone is a leader."

Historically, salvation was often seen as a community endeavor.  He cites Acts 16 (see above picture).  Beam remarked that it was not until Martin Luther that salvation was seen as a purely individualistic enterprise.  Community conversions still work very well in many non-westernized countries.  Tribal people often convert en masse when the leaders convert.

In fact, he underscores the importance of using the existing cultural infrastructure in other ways in missionary work.  He cites the books Peace Child and Eternity in their Hearts, both written by Christian missionary Don Richardson.  These books demonstrate that there are themes of Christianity and arrows pointing to the Christian God within the myths, stories and values of non-Christian cultures.  The job of a Christian missionary is not to forcefully eradicate a culture and replace it with another, but rather to show the people the God who has been revealed to them already—albeit in a less clear way, according to Beam.

Another way to tap into the existing community infrastructure right here in the states is this:  Before selecting outreach opportunities to help the local community, Pastor Beam first establishes key relationships of trust.  He networks with the police, school principals and the local superintendent.  He invites them to pray with him.  He asks:  Where should his church go?  Where is the need?  In one such instance, there was a community with increasing rates of domestic violence.  That begun a process which ended with his community teaching literacy to people in prison—ministering to the offenders and helping them build self-confidence and a feeling of self-empowerment.  These were key, as domestic abuse offenders often act out of a sense of powerlessness and a lack of self-confidence.

He concluded with a few thoughts on Pope Francis.  He appreciates that he is "not sweeping misbehaviors under rug."  This kind of leadership, combined with his overall charisma, are "making Christianity and Jesus look good again."

Zero-Sum Ecumenism

The success or failure of a relationship often has everything to do with the attitudes and assumptions we bring to the table before we even interact.  Relationships between people of different Christian denominations—or between any diverse people—can be doomed to failure if we approach them from a zero-sum mindset. 

What is a zero-sum mindset?

It is when a person subconsciously thinks: If I affirm you and your tradition, then by consequence I reduce me and my tradition by the same amount. 

 

The cartoon below reflects these same sentiments in a different way:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nakedpastor/2009/12/cartoon-can-you-canoe/

It seems like a frustrating scenario for both parties to be paddling against each other.  The net result is that neither party goes anywhere—it would seem that the takeaway message is that each would be better off working independently.  Perhaps this is simply a choice and not an inevitable outcome of ecumenism.  While supporters of Christian unity may be quick to shake their heads at a cartoon like this, it may be worth recognizing that it has value.  It reflects a potential pitfall that we can all fall into.  If nothing else, it reflects a real concern in the minds of many, concerns that deserve to be voiced.

The problem with this zero-sum mindset is inherently expressed in the term itself:  Everything always adds up to a complete zero.  Your differences and my differences cancel each other out when put together.  The resulting logic is that the only way for any interaction between two people to be fruitful, one person needs to change their beliefs, practices and ultimately change who they are to be more in line with the other.  It leaves few options for contact:  People either clash, neutralize each other, conform or simply avoid each other altogether.  Those become the only possible outcomes when diverse groups come together.  Your unique qualities call into question the validity of my unique qualities and we end up either fighting to establish who is right or living at a polite distance in an awkward tension. 

We may not realize all of this consciously, but if we truly carry a zero-sum mindset then that is ultimately what we are saying.  It could be argued that this is a depiction of where many communities today stand—filled with churches of many denominations keeping a quiet distance from each other.  We have agreed on what we can agree on, and we simply do not know what to do with the differences left that we cannot find a way to converge into some kind of agreement.  Some choose to ignore those differences.  Some choose to downplay them or even assimilate with others.  However, acknowledging true differences and still being in some sense united is something that often eludes us.

This is a challenge for Christians who take seriously the missionary call to go out and spread the Good News.  Can they do it in such a way that does not turn interesting, wonderful people who are already reflecting God's wonder as Creator into some kind of carbon copies of themselves?  Dare I say it—is this ethnic cleansing in a different form?  It is often heavy handed to make that kind of a comparison, but it is hard not to ask that question as yesterday marked the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.  The comparison between some traditional forms of missionary conversion and genocide were raised by Katherine Wilson of the Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion when I heard her talk at the Wild Goose Festival last summer.  We are at risk of violating one of the deepest revelations of the Christian tradition—the dignity of the human person. 

Relationships, collaborations, joint efforts, and even dialogue can be seen as a complete loss this way.  It is easy to see why people who would avoid ecumenical progress when it seems like the potential for loss is huge and the gains so small.

So is that it—are we just doomed?  Is the quest for Christian unity simply an exercise where the only inevitable outcome is that one side ultimately will assimilate and eradicate the unique aspects of the others?

Are there other options?

In short—yes!

Over and over again, Scripture promises abundance when we cast aside our worries and reach out to God.  Zero-sum ecumenism is fear in disguise.  Remember, it is based on the assumption that nothing good will come out of  ecumenical interactions.  That assumption could be flat out wrong.

It can be valuable to explore the mystical dimensions of the Christian tradition and practice a dose of contemplative non-attachment.  It can be hard to recognize the good in someone else if our identity, self-worth and pride is rooted too heavily on our specific theological conclusions.  We would be better off rooted in the awe and wonder of the Mystery of God.  There is nothing wrong with being a people of conviction as long as those convictions do not turn into false idols keeping us from delving deeper into the Mystery of God and reaching out to others in charity and solidarity. 

The subject of attachment in religious traditions is a tricky thing and deserves at least a post by itself.  It is enough to say here that a tradition by its very nature has a history and a familiarity that goes along with it.  The trick is to honor the tradition without being attached to it and risk missing the God it points to.

For example, I love the old wooden pews in the church where I grew up.  I love the country feel in the yard outside.  I love the way the sun would steam in through the stained glass windows.  All of these can evoke and raise my consciousness to God.  A long tradition has identified these as good qualities for a church to have.  However, it becomes a problem if I were to say that the only legitimate religious experiences are those in old, country churches with wooden pews and stained glass windows.  In that case, I would be making a false idol out of my personal experiences, linking my identity to these fleeting items of this world rather than to what is eternal.  I would be fighting tooth and nail over them as if my life depended on it—and in a sense, it would if I have attached my very identity to these markers—and making it difficult to recognize the Revelation of God elsewhere.  This is the false self that Jesus told us to deny so that we can find the Kingdom within which is eternal.  It is silly actually—an eternal soul not realizing its nature staking its claim on something as fleeting as so much confetti.

Endless liturgical battles play out along these lines, as well.  Some people find a worship service with guitar music difficult to accept compared to other instruments which have been in use for longer periods.  The nastiness of these debates can be astounding.  Are they just attached to something familiar, or are they really cautioning to introduce change slowly so as not to risk losing a tradition that has been refined over a long time?  Some folks are so dug in to their viewpoint that "cautious change" does not seem to be an option for them at all.  If they have attached their false ego self to something like organ music instead of guitar music, then organ-led services will end up affirming them—their group or their viewpoint is being represented so therefore they feel validated.  The problem is that what is being validated is their false self, the very one Jesus told them to deny because it obscures their view of the eternal.

Pope Francis warns against this:

"And when a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought."  He adds:  "Already the Apostle John, in his first Letter, spoke of this. Christians who lose the faith and prefer the ideologies. His attitude is: be rigid, moralistic, ethical, but without kindness."

In Saffron Cross, Baptist minister Rev. J. Dana Trent shows us new calculus—God's math is not our math when our difference enhance rather than diminish us.  Through her interfaith marriage to a Hindu monk, she discovered that her own Baptist faith had been deepened, that is, after a rough period of struggle and discernment. Her marriage forced her to evaluate, dig deeper and see her own tradition from a different perspective.  The view was not always easy but at the end of this turmoil she found herself renewed in her faith on a higher plateau.

Longtime friend of Glenmary, Rev. Carroll Brownlow Hastings was a pioneer in Baptist-Catholic dialogue (pictured at left with Glenmary President Fr. Bob Berson at right).  As an official liaison to Catholics with the Southern Baptist Convention, "he made lasting friendships, from Catholic bishops to the monks at the Conyers, GA, monastery, and helped countless others understand and appreciate the Catholic faith, even as he helped them understand Baptists, who he admitted, "are the confusion and amazement of all the Christian world." Although he garnered a deep affection for what he learned about Catholic faith and practice, he noted that paradoxically the experience profoundly deepened his own commitment to and admiration of Baptist principles. "

In fact, I have heard testimonies like these so many times it is bordering on cliché.  People will say that when they begin dialogue with people from a different faith tradition, at first there may be moments of excitement or skepticism.  Those moments often pass away into an inner roller coaster ride with their own beliefs swinging back and forth like a pendulum.  However, if they hang in there long enough, they often say something uncannily similar to:  I am a better __[my original faith tradition]__ for having gotten to know __[others from a different faith tradition]__ in a meaningful way.

An Exchange of Gifts

An alternative to zero-sum ecumenism begins with a couple of thoughts that seem contradictory at first:  Yes, I am rooted in my own beliefs and tradition.  So are you.  I can assume that both me and my tradition bear some responsibility for the divisions among Christians—divisions which contradict the will of Christ.  This humility may orient me in the right way to begin dialogue.  Perhaps God is sharing gifts with you that I can be better off to learn about.  You may as well benefit from hearing about what God has worked in me and my tradition. 

This "exchange of gifts" that Pope John Paul II referred to is a new standard for ecumenical relationships.  It goes something like this:

I have something to learn from you and you may have something to learn from me.  We both share a full witness of what we believe God has revealed to us and our respective traditions, including all the messiness, confusion and conflicts we may find.  We stand committed to working to fulfill Christ's prayer for Christian unity, even though we do not know where this may lead or what the outcome may be like.  We do not seek to change each other, only to continue to testify until we understand why each of us has arrived at her or his respective beliefs and practices.  We listen in patience and kindness as 1 Corinthians illustrates.  We rely on the Holy Spirit to work in us as we seek that Scriptural ideal of unity in diversity.

Perhaps that is all that can be said right now.

All kidding in the above meme aside, we actually do know that is going to happen.  In his famous address to Copeland Ministries, Pope Francis said it best with the following:

"A famous Italian author named Manzoni, once wrote in his novel, of a simple man amongst the people, who once said this, "I've never seen God begin a miracle without Him finishing it well." He will complete this miracle of unity."

Interfaith Marriage: 'Saffron Cross' (2013) by J Dana Trent, a Book Review

“Being married to a Hindu priest has made me a better Baptist.”

The above statement flies in the face of conventional wisdom.  Are not interfaith marriages supposed to water down the faith and cause people to lose focus? 

Yet that statement was spoken in full confidence by Rev. J. Dana Trent, an ordained Baptist minister and author of Saffron Cross:  The Unlikely Story of How a Christian Minister Married a Hindu Monk.  She gave an engaging talk at the 2014 Wild Goose Festival in Hot Springs, NC.

I recommend Saffron Cross for anyone struggling with the promise and peril of relationships between people of different faith traditions—whether it is between Christian denominations or even different religions altogether.

Rev. Trent suggests that interfaith relationships do not just present obstacles to endure, but they actually provide opportunities to grow in sensitivity, faith and understanding.



"Fred and Dana at Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, NC."
Photo by Franklin Golden http://jdanatrent.com/photos/

She begins her journey with a profile on eHarmony.  She was very surefooted and took for granted that her ideal partner would have similar spiritual views.  She concluded her book a very transformed person.  In her words:  “I checked eHarmony boxes in my pajamas, bossing God around about what I would and would not accept in a partner.  Now I’m married to a former Hindu monk, so the joke’s on me” (page 143). 

Her path was not an easy one, however.  There were many ups and downs along the way.  It is never easy when “our core beliefs are threatened,” as she pointed out in the talk—or at least, when they seem threatened.

In the beginning, she tried to change her husband-to-be.  Despite years of seminary education and a mature spirituality that would have respected differences, fears and old prejudices from somewhere inside of her initially took over.  She tried to “save” him, scheming ways to get him baptized—even though that coercive approach was contrary to her own theological views.  Some impulse from deep down showed its face.

There were other times when she leaned in the opposite direction and wanted to throw out Scripture—a difficult place to be for a Baptist minister, no doubt.  She teetered on the brink of abandoning her faith tradition.

The pendulum swung back and forth until she hit a breakthrough.  She referenced in her talk a “Holy Spirit moment” in her life.  She reached a point when she realized it was “not my God or his God . . . it was just God.  God with a capital “G” . . . God is not containable.”  She had come full circle but at a higher plateau and rediscovered the 'Awesome God' she had come to know in her Baptist upbringing—a God that was even more awesome than she had previously imagined but which was still consistent with what her Baptist faith announced.

“I was forcing God (and Fred) into my cozy little Baptist box.” (p. 48).  It was through getting to know her eventual husband that she came to discover and appreciate that Hinduism is a “legitimate way to God . . . steeped in sacred scripture, ritual and authenticity.” (48). 

Based on her journey, she offers the following three places where interfaith relationships of all kinds—marriages or friendships—can foster growth.  In her words, Interfaith relationships . . .

1.       help us face our own fears and prejudices

2.       help us face our own spiritual doubts

3.       are a lens to understand how others view God

She suggests that these are crucial skills not just for interpersonal relationships but for anyone living in the 21st century, as our world is growing closer through the rise of technology.

“Our biggest fear is that when we open ourselves to others’ understanding of God, we will jeopardize our own path.  And yet, the opposite is true.  The Holy Spirit breaks free from our human-made constraints and moves fluidly among us, crossing our unnecessary lines drawn in the sand” (142).

Other couples in interfaith relationships in the audience at the Wild Goose Festival shared their experiences.  One couple pointed out that it is good to be realistic about possibilities—there are some blessings as well as difficulties that come.  In their experience, a mixed marriage is not all good or all bad.  An interfaith marriage can be a tremendous place to nurture broad perspectives about the world while at the same time sacrificing intensity for a particular mode or tradition.  This can be especially true in raising children.

While interfaith marriages may not be in the future for everyone, the living experience of Rev. Trent and her husband Fred—both ordained in their respective traditions and very serious about their faith lives—offers a road map for others who may follow.  She paints a portrait of tremendous growth that can come whenever any two people of different faith traditions marry, grow in friendship or even have a single conversation. 

In light of Rev. Trent’s account, it is worth pondering whether interactions and relationships between different traditions are not just a curious option for some of us but whether they are absolutely necessary for all of us to grow—to truly live out the Gospel mandate to be not afraid, seek out those who are left out while inherently respecting the innate dignity of every human person in their uniqueness along the way.  These relationships may be a natural extension of the need to practice faith in community rather than in isolation.  Building a world for ourselves surrounded only by like-minded folks may rob us of the tension needed to wrestle with our doubts and emotional unfinished business.

“I dove, baptism-by-fire style, into an integrated Christian-Hindu life.  I visited physical and metaphorical spaces of pain and change… Fred gave me the greatest gift this side of heaven:  a Hinduism that brought me back to Jesus” (p. 143).   Being married to a “devout Hindu has helped me to be a better Christian," she said.  “It has deepened my Christian walk.”

It is clear that Rev. Trent and her husband take their religious life seriously and are very intentional about working out potential issues head on.  The next challenge for the young couple may be raising children in an interfaith household. 

A closing image is something Rev. Trent offered during her talk at the Wild Goose Festival:  When it comes to interfaith relationships, “you have to hold them delicately.” 

The First and Final Frontier of Christian Love

“If churches can work together to build a house,

why can’t we get together to evangelize the world?”

—Rev. Ted Beam, Pastor of Petrie Memorial United Methodist Church, Elkton, KY

 

Churches of different denominations working together on acts of charity and justice is often the first thing that comes to mind when people think of ecumenism.  Indeed, some of the most longstanding and compelling witnesses of ecumenism have happened in those arenas.

The word "evangelize" comes to us from the Greek meaning: "To announce the Good News."  Some would say that joint acts of Christian service are indeed true acts of evangelization, as they give witness to the solidarity of all people sharing a common mission to love one another as commanded by Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40).  When people are so overwhelmed by God's gift of love that their proverbial cup overflows (Psalm 23), compelling them to share that gift of love with others and in thanksgiving to God with all the blessings spilling out from them, they fulfill this new commandment to love God and love their neighbors as themselves.  They announce the Good News with their hands and feet through their deeds, demonstrating that their lives have been transformed in light of it.

Still, it is a curious situation when groups of Christians share the fruit of their discipleship together but proclaim the source of that discipleship separately.

 

Pope Francis has reminded us lately:  "Divisions between Christians wound the Church and wound Christ. The Church – he said – is the body and Christ is the head."  He asks:  "Are we resigned, or even indifferent to this division? Or do we firmly believe that we can and we must walk together towards reconciliation and full communion?"

Indeed, John's Gospel offers an important twist on Jesus' commandment:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

(John 13:34-35)

This is a daunting challenge.  Jesus is speaking both to his disciples and about his disciples here.  A sign of true discipleship—perhaps even the truest sign—is whether Christians can love each other.  The most difficult challenge is often loving those closest to ourselves.  This includes not just those in our local parish community but also different denominations of Christians worldwide.  2,000 years of amazing Christian service work juxtaposed against bitter divisions in the Body of Christ itself attests to this difficulty.

John's Gospel is often not the immediate "go to" book for social justice activists looking for a passage to embolden their efforts.  All too often it is seen as focusing on internal relationships between disciples and less on those excluded and marginalized.  It is not easy to coax Christians who may have become all too comfortable in cozy church fellowships to turn their attention and reach out to the whole world with this passage.  However, it is usually a mistake to attach a simple interpretation to anything in John's Gospel.  This passage is deeply challenging when held up against the fractures in Christianity. 

 

 

 

 

Scripture offers many ways to understand love.  The famous passage above from 1 Corinthians is a favorite wedding reading.  It takes on a very different challenge when seen as a checklist for ecumenism.  Love is not just tolerance, but a full blossom of patience, kindness, humility and honoring and forgiving each other.  Can Christians protect, trust, hope and persevere in their relationships with other Christians?  Jesus calls us to love one another, and this is what love looks like according to Paul.

 

Evangelizing together is an ideal way to demonstrate this kind of love.  It would show trust and a hope held in common.  Christians would protect each other and persevere together.  We would honor each other by trusting each other to proclaim the Gospel.  We would take time to understand each other in patience.  We would be slow to anger and rich in kindness, like the God we follow (Psalm 145:8). 

 

At the beginning of this piece, Rev. Ted Beam asks a question which points to a glaring inconsistency in the Christian witness.  Yes, they will know we are Christians by our love, according to John's Gospel.  Rev. Beam's question subtly suggests a way that this love might be expressed:  This is a love which draws Christians together to go out and share the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The kindness, patience, trust and humility that Christians would need to manifest in their relationships with each other in order proclaim the Gospel together would become the witness that the world would see.  The medium becomes the message.  The Way shows itself to also be the Truth. 

 

Perhaps it is better to preach the Gospel through our deeds, using words only when necessary.  Love may be the only thing pure enough to reach beyond our fuddled words and understandings.  However, our inability to preach together in words gives witness to our lack of investment to listen to each other in patience and kindness, out of which a common language and a sympathetic ear would emerge to guide this common mission to proclaim the Good News.