There are few issues today that are as divisive or discussed in the media as the topic of homosexuality. The same is true of Christianity. Churches have to face the complex questions surrounding what the appropriate and most faithful response really is.
At the heart of the debate in religious institutions are questions of inclusion. In this paper, I will focus on the question of inclusion in terms of ordination. It is my belief that on the basis of its own literature and Christological foundation, Community of Christ must move forward and allow ordination of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people if the church wants to live out its vision and mission and remain relevant in the context of the ever-changing 21st century.
In order to understand what the appropriate response of the church is, one must first have an understanding of what exactly the issue is that must be addressed. The issue of ordaining LGBT people is a topic that evokes a lot of emotion from people with differing beliefs. While I am in no way suggesting that there are simply two black and white polar opposites at the ends of the spectrum of belief on this issue, I will present and address the two most commonly expressed views. Since it is important to have clear and appropriate terminology, I will use the phrases “people in favor of/advocating ordination of LGBT people” and “people opposed to ordaining LGBT people”
As I stated before, there are two commonly expressed perspectives in regard to ordaining LGBT people. I begin here by discussing those who are opposed to ordination for such people. In a church that is culturally diverse, it is important to note the belief of those outside the United States. To understand what the opinions are in another country/culture, I corresponded with Arthur Smith, a translator for the church, who shared with me what people opposed to homosexuality in Brazil believe. He spoke about the importance of the concept of machismo, “In general, in all of Latin America, ‘machismo’ or the culture of the man as ‘tough guy’ dominates and somehow homosexuality seems to be seen as a threat to this world view.”[1] This concept not only shapes and affects the theology of Brazilian members; it reinforces negative stereotypes of LGBT people that contribute to their exclusion in faith communities. Another important aspect of what influences opposition to LGBT people in Brazil is a very literal understanding of scripture; Arthur Smith writes, “In general the church in Brazil and around Latin America places a high level of emphasis on what the Bible says. …When traditional Biblical interpretations reinforce existing stereotypes people tend to cling to those traditional interpretations rather than being open to new ones.”[2] It is important to note that Smith also told me, “In Brazil, I have not heard particularly unique arguments that you would not also hear in the Bible belt in the USA.”[3]
This last point made by Arthur Smith is important; it connects the theology being expressed by people opposed to ordination in Brazil to people with similar theology in the United States. This connection and understanding of the Bible is expressed in the documentary For The Bible Tells Me So that interviews people from the United States who hold both perspectives discussed in this paper. One of people in the film is Brenda Poteat; Mrs. Poteat expresses her belief about the Bible when discussing her relationship with her daughter, who is lesbian, “It is an act of abomination, that’s what the Bible says, and that’s what I believe.”[4] For people opposed to ordaining LGBT people, the issue comes down to their understanding of what the Bible says, and for them, such ordinations are against the will and word of God.
A very specific issue for those opposed to ordination in the Community of Christ is the 1982 statement issued by the Standing High Council entitled “Homosexuality.” This document is important because it remains the current policy of the church on the issue of ordaining LGBT people. Those opposed to ordination believe it should remain the church’s policy. The statement in part reads,
“In the critical matter of ordination, the church should not admit a practicing homosexual to the priesthood. It cannot sanction homosexual acts as morally acceptable behavior… If a member of the priesthood admits to, or is found to be engaged in homosexual behavior, the administrative officer having jurisdiction should institute procedures for silencing according to church law.”[5]
The statement goes on to say that “non-practicing” (i.e. celibate and single) LGBT people can be ordained, “There will be instances in which those in leadership positions will become aware of individuals who are non-practicing homosexuals and who are seeking help in the area of sublimating their sexual impulses. For such persons, the possibility and opportunity for ordination should be kept open.”[6] For those opposed to ordination, this was and is the appropriate action for the church and should not be challenged or changed.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who advocate for the ordination of LGBT people. These people base their perspective on the belief that all are gifted and called by God to serve. In communication with me on the topic of why she advocates for ordination, Anita Mortimer responded, “Basically, people are called (all are called) based on their own unique gifts. …And because our refusal to do so denies the body the benefit of priesthood service by some very gifted (and I would argue clearly called) individuals who are present, willing, and so capable.”[7] For those who support ordination for LGBT people, the issue is whether they are capable and willing, not what their sexual orientation is. These people believe that God calls the church to minister to all, and that in doing so, should ordain LGBT people. People supportive of ordination believe that the church loses valuable ministry as a result of largely excluding LGBT from serving in the priesthood. Another point argued by people advocating ordination is that the church must walk the walk and live out what it proclaims. Lauren Hankey wrote to me saying, “I think that a church that preaches about acceptance and communities of love, joy, and peace should accept all of its members equally and not exclude some of them from such an important foundation of the church, lay ministry.”[8] Advocates want to see the church do more than talk, for them, actions speak louder than words.
As I stated in my introduction, the Community of Christ should ordain LGBT people based on its literature. I will discuss five documents/statements that I believe should be the basis for ordination of LGBT people. The church must begin by articulating what its standard for ordination is. I believe this standard is clearly expressed in Doctrine & Covenants 163:6a-b,
“Priesthood is a sacred covenant involving the highest form of stewardship of body, mind, spirit, and relationships. The priesthood shall be composed of people of humility and integrity who are willing to extend themselves in service for others and for the well-being of the faith community. Truly authoritative priesthood ministry emerges from a growing capacity to bring blessing to others.”[9]
It is clear that emphasis here is on what one can bring to the community, and does not say anything that would prohibit one from serving based on their sexual orientation.
Further support of the above mentioned standard for ordination is expressed in a description of the sacraments that can be found on the church’s website, “Ordination grants the authority to perform certain duties. The authority is given to the individual by God and by the church. Although God’s call is primary in the ordination process for the church, the individual’s own sense of call is also important.”[10] This statement clearly states that the in the issue of ordination, whether for LGBT or heterosexual people, the belief of the church should be given to the movement and calling of God. If this is to be the case, as I believe it should, there is no adequate reason to deny a qualified and capable LGBT person from being ordained.
The next three statements that speak to why LGBT people should be ordained come from the same document, known as Enduring Principles. The first statement comes from the Worth of Persons statement, “God views all people as having inestimable and equal worth. …We seek to uphold and restore the worth of all people individually and in community, challenging unjust systems that diminish human worth.”[11] Community of Christ has said that it is committed to being on the forefront of challenging systems that diminish human worth, and it seems that excluding people from ordination only serves to perpetuate such systems.
Another statement from the Enduring Principles entitled Unity in Diversity, which reads, “The church embraces diversity and unity through the power of the Holy Spirit.”[12] Community of Christ has a richly diverse heritage and membership; this diversity must be expanded to include all people who desire to be a part of the community the church seeks to create without exception.
The third statement from the Enduring Principles is entitled Blessings of Community and states, “True community includes compassion for and solidarity with the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. True community upholds the worth of persons while providing a healthy alternative to self-centeredness, isolation, and conformity.”[13] It is of important note that this statement mentions alternative to isolation and conformity because this is exactly contrary to the way that many feel the church has operated; people have felt isolation exactly because they do not conform to statements like the Standing High Council document that I discussed earlier.
The final document I examine is World Conference Resolution 1226: Human Diversity. World Conference approved this document on April 10, 1992 and reads,
“…[H]uman beings often fear, hate, and abuse each other because of ignorance about…sexual orientation… Such prejudicial behavior undermines the personal and spiritual development of both abuser and abused, and denies the benefits of mutual shared giftedness. …[W]e accept the responsibility to resist fear and hate in all forms and to strive continuously to eliminate expressions of prejudice and discrimination. We declare our belief that ‘all are called according to the gifts of God to them.’ We therefore acknowledge and affirm human diversity by creating a spirit of openness and peace within our congregations where all persons may find acceptance and the opportunity to share their giftedness. We commit ourselves to work with all people of goodwill to promote mutual respect, appreciation, and peace in all relationships.”[14]
It is not just some casual occurrence to be overlooked that the World Conference approved this statement, it means that the church is called to embody it fully.
All of these statements don’t just come out of nowhere, they come out of and are based on the life and inclusive ministry of Jesus. This is the foundation on which Community of Christ must move forward with the ordination of LGBT people. Community of Christ expresses its belief in the centrality of Jesus in its mission statement, which reads, “We Proclaim Jesus Christ and Promote Communities of Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace.”[15] The church further clarifies its Christology in a statement entitled We Proclaim Jesus Christ, stating, “He prophetically condemned injustice in the temple and proclaimed the good news of the coming reign of God on earth, preaching liberation to the oppressed and repentance to oppressors. …Jesus declared that all persons are of worth in the sight of God.”[16] This understanding of Jesus’ ministry is based in reading from the New Testament when Jesus reads these words in synagogue, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”[17] (Luke 4:18-19, NRSV).
It is clear from this passage that a central theme of Jesus’ ministry was that all were not only to be included, they were to be freed of the stigmas that society had placed on them.
Jesus not only ministered to the oppressed of society, he called them into ministry with him. This call is depicted in the New Testament, “As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea–for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him”[18] (Matthew 4:18-20). When this passage is understood in its historical context, the implication is made even clearer. Fishermen were some of the lowest in society, they would not have been the kind of people thought to study Torah and become rabbis. This would have been thought to be a radical action on both the part of Jesus and the fishermen; how could Jesus choose such people to follow him, and could they break society’s label on them! This just simply couldn’t be done! Jesus challenged the norms of his day because of his understanding that this is not the way they should be, God called Jesus then, and us now, to work for a whole and just world. Community of Christ has upheld this belief found in Doctrine & Covenants 163:3b, “Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God.”[19] If Community of Christ wants to live out its mission to the fullest extent possible, it must honor and follow the example of Jesus and not only ordain LGBT people, but also affirm their giftedness and support their ministry.
Currently, Community of Christ has entered a process to address issues pertaining to homosexuality, namely ordination and same-sex marriage in regions of the church where such action is culturally and socially appropriate, including the United States. At the most recent World Conference in 2010, the church approved Doctrine & Covenants 164, specifically verse 7c-d which calls the church to convene national/regional conferences,
“…[T]imely resolution of pressing issues in various nations is necessary for the restoring work of the gospel to move forward with all its potential. Therefore, let the proper World Church officers act in their callings–as already provided in church law–to create and interpret church policies to meet the needs of the church in different nations in harmony with the principles contained in this counsel. Where possible and appropriate, convene national or field conferences to provide opportunities for broader dialogue, understanding, and consent.”[20]
With this guidance now in place, the church in the United States has set a date in 2012 to hold its national conference. In a Herald article to be published in January 2011, President Steve Veazey writes, “A vital part of the decision-making process in some areas is the convening of national and multi-national conferences, where appropriate, to provide opportunities for broader discussion and determining levels of support for various options. The outcomes of the national conferences will be decisive in determining the direction policies will take in those nations holding them. “[21] The church is now committed to a process that will finally, after so many years, bring decisive action to the United States on the most divisive topic in recent memory.
The topic of LGBT ordination is a very personal one for me. As an ordained minister in the Community of Christ and as a gay man, this is something I am very passionate about. Having grown up in the church, I have always identified with the sense of family, community, connection, and diversity that I have experienced. At a time in society that so many churches are actively condemning and marginalizing LGBT people, I have questioned whether or not Community of Christ is the right place for me. These questions even led me to consider resigning from the priesthood in the summer of 2009 because I felt the church was becoming more about talk than action, and it pained me to write a letter to the First Presidency asking to be released from the priesthood.
In the time since the first letter was written, I reflected and discussed whether this was the action that I really wanted to take. As the months progressed, I realized that I couldn’t leave, I needed to stay and be a voice within the community for full inclusion. It was months before I wrote the Presidency again with my final decision. The words that I wrote then are as true for me now as when I first wrote them, “…I am part of a tradition that has never let injustice defeat and silence it; for my entire life, I have sensed the movement and presence of something sacred that calls me to this work of justice. Even as I continue to struggle with what where I fit in the Community of Christ, it becomes abundantly clearer to me that I was wrong, Community of Christ IS part my home… Does my choice to remain an active Teacher mean that I will be silent about the issues that impact me and I care about deeply? Certainly not! What I can be sure of is that the church continues to become, in every moment, the choices of people make the church what it is. I am here now because I see the potential, as I always have, but now I am even more aware that I have something to continue giving. May we journey forward, unafraid and excited, about the possibilities before us!”[22] Community of Christ can be the inclusive community that I envision, there are no guarantees that it will be easy, but it is necessary if the church wants to live out its vision and mission and be a church truly committed to justice for all people.
[1]Arthur Smith, "Homosexuality paper." Message to the author. 8 Oct. 2010. E-mail.
[2]Ibid.
[3]Ibid.
[5]Community of Christ. "Homosexuality." http://www.cofchrist.org/OnlineResources/issues/1982homosexuality.asp (5 December 2010).
[6]Ibid.
[7]Anita Mortimer, Message to the author. 3 Dec. 2010. E-mail.
[8]Lauren Hankey, Message to the author. 6 Dec. 2010. E-mail.
[9]Community of Christ. "Doctrine and Covenants: Section 163." http://www.cofchrist.org/D&C163/section163.asp (5 December 2010).
[10]Community of Christ. "The Sacraments." http://www.cofchrist.org/sacraments/default.asp (5 December 2010).
[11]Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs. Independence: Herald Publishing House, 2010, 13.
[12]Ibid.
[13]Ibid.
[14]Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience. William D. Russell, : John Whitmer Historical Association, 2008, 250.
[15]Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs. Independence: Herald Publishing House, 2010, 8.
[16]Ibid, 22-23.
[17]Coogan, Michael D., Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. eds. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha: Augmented Third Edition New Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
[18]Ibid.
[19]Community of Christ. "Doctrine and Covenants: Section 163." http://www.cofchrist.org/D&C163/section163.asp (8 December 2010).
[20]Community of Christ. "Doctrine and Covenants: Section 164." http://www.cofchrist.org/D&C164/ (8 December 2010).
[21]Steve Veazey, The Journey Ahead: Where We Are . Unpublished article emailed to author on December 3, 2010.
[22]Jonathan Hetherington, Letter to the First Presidency. Accessed December 8, 2010. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=171919033645
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