It's different this time... Church, SCOTUS, Charleston

Dear Friends,

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 have often talked about the "new thing" God is doing in this world over the course of our struggle for the Gospel of Justice, Mercy and Love. And, here we are! - entering into a "new thing" many thought would never be seen in their lifetimes: a new again time manifesting the presence of God in astounding and resilient ways!

• The Presbyterian Church (USA) and its decisions on ordination, marriage equality, and the revised definition of the definition of marriage in our constitution to "between two people"...
•  The Supreme Court of the United States' ruling on marriage equality, the upholding of the Affordable Care Act and recent decisions in challenges to housing practices for folks who have low incomes...

All of these -  "great victories" of profound impact; policy decisions that will change (have changed!) this society and the world  in ways we have yet to imagine. Celebrate? Oh, yes! Celebrate, indeed! With time for pause that honors the celebration...knowing as we do...

the enormous sacrifices of arriving at this shore;
the violence;
and the many who are not with us because they did not live long enough to see it -
or lost their lives getting us here.

Celebration calls for remembrance, always, so we pause and honor all those who have placed in our hands "the wonderful key" that has the promise to set us free.

Even with that "key in hand," we know that once the legislative work is done, the work of changing hearts and minds continues. The planting of love and the withering of violence toward each other continues with new and robust laws and polity on our side.

I suggested this to someone yesterday, and they responded that I shouldn't be so quick to "draw a rainbow" over the world, just yet!

But there is something different this time. It is palpable...

It's not that so many positive things are happening, but the confluence of it all - against the landscape of the faith, spirit and hearts of our sisters and brothers of Mother Emmanuel in Charleston...

President Obama was right in his eulogy when he said our eyes have been opened by the Grace present in our community, yes our community, of Charleston. How simple they made it for us who are too complicated to see: at the core of every dream and hope and promise we have is the willingness and practice to forgive and love one another no matter what. No matter what. No matter who. No matter why.

Have we been and can we be loving and courageous in the face of such tragedy? Clearly, the answer is, "Yes." Yes, or we wouldn't be this far. But we're in the new stratosphere of our dreams and aspirations with these changes that we have worked to attain - and the assailants who might hope to deflate us are even more determined to do so; too often in revolting and despicable ways.

But opponents' actions, no matter how heinous and wrong cannot change our greatest saving grace, our amazing grace, if you will - that we are loved by God and called to love one another no matter what. Whatever others may do, they must be...

Held accountable and loved;
Challenged and loved;
Taught how wrong the are and loved;
Stopped from doing harm and loved -

And forgiven, no matter what. I know...

I don't know if I can do this, honestly, certainly not by myself. But when we do it together, when Mother Emmanuel does it, when victims of crime time and again forgive their oppressors, when the saints of our progressive movement have done it time and again... when congregations, families, communities and more embrace and accept nothing less than love, it seems I can, as well.

"Love God with all you have -and  love one another as you love yourself."

It really is different this time - not the message but the possibility that we have heard it in ways that will clear the path for the "new thing" God is doing. A "new thing" that will take hold with doves and a rainbow such as we've never seen before!

Peace,

Ray

More at www.tamfs.org 

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Being taught to love

Mother Emmanuel AME Church


Being taught to love from Ray Bagnuolo on Vimeo.

Emmanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC

Our Arms and Prayers Around Emmanuel AME Church, Charleston, South Carolina.

SCOTUS, Jim Anderson, James Dale & Now...

Editor's Note: In the days ahead, an historic decision on marriage from Supreme Court of the United States will be announced, that began with with courage and commitment of folks like these. I asked Jim if he would write up an intro to his own involvement with the Supreme Court as an advisor to Jim Dale and his challenge before the Supreme Court following his expulsion as a Boy Scout leader, because he was gay. Here is a link to a documentary of the struggle, which includes the two James', produced almost 40 years ago! (Plays better on some browsers than others.) See Jim's Bio here at LGBTRAN

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From Jim Anderson:

I was “out of the closet” at Rutgers when I arrived there as an assistant professor in 1977.  Later when I became a full professor, I was the only out gay man that anyone knew about (of course there were others, but they didn’t flaunt it like I did), so I reaped many benefits.  When we had homophobic strife on campus the president appointed me chair of his President’s Select Committee on Lesbian and Gay concerns. We produced a landmark report that was copied widely around the country.

When I became associate dean of our school, my main management principle was Jesus’ turn the other cheek and take the blame.  I found this to be the most effective way to get past controversies and begin to deal with them.  It never hurt me to take the blame!  My dean knew what I was doing and supported me all the way.  He left all the internal administration to me.

At the same time, I became the faculty advisor to LGBT students and the main LGBT organization.  I met many promising young LGBT students in this role, and one was James Dale, whom I believe was president of our LGBT group for two years.  It was during this time that he got kicked out of the Boy Scouts, after achieving Eagle Scout status and becoming an assistant Scout Master. There was no explanation, so I encouraged him to enquire.

As this drama, portrayed in the video, unfolded, I encouraged him to pursue it, but I did my best to tell him, do this only if you want to, NOT because I want you to.  But he was hot to trot.  So watch the video and enjoy.

Lots of the LGBT students came to me with relationship problems.  I always told them to take their partners as they are or leave them, but don’t try to change them.  They will change, but not the way you necessarily want them to.  I would use my Rafael as an example.  I have been trying to change him for 44 years, and he does change, but NOT according to my “plan.”

Hugs, Jim

Ratification's Challenge: The Good News

The recent ratification of Amendment 14F by greater than a 2/3 majority of presbyteries reflects a powerful statement by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and its members. Added to the the changes in ordination and marriage equality, this ratified revision of the description of marriage - erases the constitutional barriers to inclusion based on gender and sexual identity in the denomination.

It is almost a moment too great to contemplate. Forty years and lifetimes of prayer and sacrifice; decades of marginalization met with steadfast resistance; the resulting study of the bible and texts; the lifting up of God's glorious diversity in one another; and the refusal to let others define us: these reflect only part of the story of prophetic and courageous acts of justice and love by this denomination's members. We have truly made the way clear for the PC(USA) and others to follow in the evangelism that is now ours to share.

But we are not done.

Long before there existed any progressive movement or the advances that have been achieved, the treatment of our sisters and brothers who identified as queer -- was wrong, terribly wrong. And, recent legislation did not make us somehow, suddenly "right."

The changes we are witnessing have to be viewed as the acknowledgment that for years our and other communities of faith have been wrong, sinfully wrong in the way our sisters and brothers who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ have been unwelcome. The charges of inhospitality carry a heavy price in the sacred texts, and our queer community has borne the brunt of exclusion and the residual violence - simply because others refused to see what the majority of folks have now come to know.

While one could make the argument that these changes and levels of acceptance and understanding take time, and they would be correct to do so -- I would counter that the levels of love and hospitality, supplanted by fear and judgment is where the original error exists, not in who God created us to be.

Our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers have brought about more than a change in the constitution of the PC(USA), our sisters and brothers are bringing about a change in the way we love and accept one another. These forty years have been forty years of bringing the Good News to resounding levels that can now be heard by more people than ever before.

The question is: Is the church up to this new thing God is doing?

To be heard, institutions such as the PC(USA) cannot simply rely on legislative changes or practices to point to catharsis. Years of teachings and practices that have caused so much pain, suffering and contributed to the violence of so many -- have to be directly addressed at the highest of levels. It is such an acknowledgment of the wrongs and harms done as a result of the past positions of the denomination that first must be spoken -- before the new welcoming to those who have been shunned can be heard.

This ancient practice of amends and admission of wrongs done is now more critical than ever before. Any prospect for reconciliation that lay ahead will depend upon it, for this is the path that must be followed if we are to eliminate fear and judgment with love and hospitality.

It is a time to admit and acknowledge that the Love of God and one another has been renewed in ways by the Presbyterian Church (USA) that was long-lost and has now been found. A time to welcome, as never before!

Such an admission and invitation, spoken with courage and humility, will open our doors more widely than we could ever imagine. It will change the way the church and its teachings and practices have been misused to harm others for way too long.

This is what the ratification of 14F now challenges us to do.

And, my friends, this is the Good News. Good News for all.

~ Ray Bagnuolo

Coming out is not always easy...

"And he said to them, 'Is a lamp bought that is placed under a basket, or under a bed? Should it not be placed on a lamp stand? For there is not anything which is hidden that will not be revealed, and not anything existing in secret that won't be revealed. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.' And then Jesus said to the disciples, 'Watch what you hear. With that measure that you measure. It will be measured to you and it is increased to you, those who hear.' For to those who have, it shall be given. And for those who have not, also it shall be taken from them.'" Mark 4:21-25 [Aramaic English New Testament - modified for inclusive language]

Coming out is not always easy. It can happen in many ways and at any time. Still in places today, the threat of being "outed" is used to keep our "lamps" hidden away, held back from the darkness that so needs the light. The closet and the darkness continue to do untold damage, "measuring life" by the limited space in which our spirit breathes freely, constraining the light - never a good thing to do. Living in a complex of secrets riddled with fear obscures not only what we perceive but also what we hear; constraining the kindom of God that is within and what it calls us to do...in all the many ways we are called.

Attempting to hold back God never ends well. Whereas the opposite frees us to embrace more of "the measure" that is given us to participate in our world, loved by God and loving others in that measure and steadily growing free of fear. Living into our light dispels the darkness of oppression, revealing all - whether the marginalization of gender differences, the bigotry that thrives on fear, or any other form of domination.

Some might say we have a choice about coming out. In small ways, that is true. In the larger sense of who we are created to be and the lamp we have to shine so that others may see and hear and shine their lamp in the company of others who know the way... we have only the responsibility to be the light God created us to be.

To do otherwise is to be silenced and complicit in the darkness.

Never a good thing...

~ Ray Bagnuolo, May 9, 2015