Changes

I think we are all, at least at some level, wary (if not outright afraid) of change.  Change is threatening.  A single change may affect very little, or it may appear to affect our entire way of life.  I certainly struggle with this myself.  I am highly resistant to anything that might alter the way I live or the lives of my friends or family members.

Recently, the Presbyterian Church (USA) made a change in its stated policy regarding ordination of clergy.  The change was minimal.  Language related to marriage was removed and replaced with non-specific terminology about living a godly life.  For some people, this represents a positive change, a move in the direction of greater inclusiveness.  For others, it’s a heavy blow against what they consider to be a more Biblical, faithful perspective.

I’m not here to judge either side.  This is a debate that has been raging for many years, and this blog post won’t resolve anything.  What I do want to see, however, is more respect for people’s viewpoints.  Not everyone is going to see this issue the same way.  It won’t do any good to accuse the other side of being “narrow-minded” or “unScriptural.”

The good that I see coming out of this decision is that hopefully, the dialogue has been opened.  The ordinary people who sit Sunday after Sunday in the pews may not have had a specific voice or vote in the decision.  But they do have the power to speak and listen with kindness and love.  I hope that instead of creating a culture of fear and anger, church members can help to create a culture of patience and love with one another.