This weekend I will begin a two week sermon series at BWCOB on sexuality. The sermon this week (10/18) will focus on sexuality in general, and the second (10/25) will deal with how the church responds to homosexuality. It is not the first time I have preached on these topics, and I am sure it will not be the last. They stem from two basic convictions: 1) that the church (generally speaking) is/has been sorely negligent in addressing these topics in honest, helpful, and relevant ways and 2) that the church has more to say in the conversation than "thou shalt not". It is my hope that these sermons will help to engage at least our congregation at BWCOB (and maybe some beyond) in a healthy and ongoing conversation about issues of sexuality, sexual ethics, inclusion, justice, morality, biblical interpretation, and more.
I will be posting links to the sermons which will be posted online at the church website after they are delivered, with the hope that this blog will be a place where the conversation can develop and continue. While I have been slow in posting on this blog to date, the opportunity to have continuing coversations in this way is one of the primary reasons I decided to give blogging a try.
I hope you'll be a part of it...
Hey Dude, We give you credit for presenting this topic. Takes some courage! We are looking forward to next Sunday's sermon. Roma Jo and I have been wearing the rainbow scarves to church since Annual Conference. We are surprised how many people have no idea why we are wearing them. Gives us a chance to say, "We beleive that all of God's children should be welcome in the Bridgewater Church as in all churches. We also beleive that the gifts given to all people by God should be welcome in our church, local and national.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
R. Jan & Roma Jo Thompson
I, too, am looking forward to next week's sermon. This St. Augustine background for the church's take on sexuality was new to me! I found some info on the web for biblical support he used for this idea, but nothing about his personal reasons. Fascinating what influence one person can wield!
ReplyDeleteTo the Thompsons and Lori -- thanks for getting started with the comments!
ReplyDeleteLori - the best source for insight into Augustine's personal context for his treatment of sexuality is his autobiographical "Confessions". It is pretty candid about his own wrestling with lust and sexual sin, and it's pretty easy to connect the dots between his personal struggles and his views on sex and sin.
Jan and Roma Jo, your mention of the scarves raises the interesting idea of the role of the symbols we choose to display (or not to display) in our communities of fath (and elsewhere). I believe greatly in the power of symbols, and yet wrestle with the inherent complexities of them in community. For instance, would my wearing a scarf indicate to someone that I am no longer "open" to new insight on the issue, havig already chosen my "side"? Would not wearing a scarf indicate a lack of willingness to be publicly supportive? I know that I form quick stereotypes based on symbols (like when someone comes to the mic at Annual Conference with a Bible in hand). When it comes to sexuality, the scarves are only the beginning.
Hey dude, This is my third time to try and post a comment to you. I can't get past the Post Comment menu. What do I do about URL?
ReplyDeleteGreat sermon today. Takes lots of courage to state your believes but glad that you were able to do that. Wanted tp print off the manuscript for Roma Jo since whe was in the nursery but can't find it on your sermon site. Have you posted it as yet?
I believe the Church is for sinners. I also believe you can justify anything you want to happen. The ones that push the most will most likely get what they want just as prayer was taken out of the schools. By the sermon this morning, if you take it one step futher, alcholics will always be alcholics because they cannot help what they do. I do not believe homosexuals are born that way. The government took cigerate commercials off TV because they did not want it to become common place for children to see the commercials and think it was cool. Chris, you read this morning what the bible said. As I stated before you can justify anything you want to happen but that does not make it right. Oh, and I happen to think gossips are sinners also.
ReplyDeleteAll sinners should be in the church but not as leaders or Sunday school teacher. To reach another subject. The Brethren Church stands for peace. Yet Soldiers who fight for our country are made to feel like sinners when they are in our church. Are you homosexuals should be in the church more than soldiers?
Dude, thanks for the thoughts this morning relative to the issue of sexual orientation. My hope is, that as individuals and a church, we can be loving Christians and be open to all persons of faith. May our own orientation not get in the way of seeing all persons as children of God with gifts for sharing the Good News.
ReplyDeleteThanks to those who have commented here thus far re: the sermon on homosexuality. I wanted to offer a few comments and thoughts in response:
ReplyDelete1.When/if we want to continue the conversation re: homosexuality specifically, lets move to the new post labeled "Homosexuality". That way folks know where to find conversation specific to that topic/sermon.
2. In the interest of continuing conversations, please tell us who you are when you post! Its hard to respond directly to "anonymous".
3. I wanted to briefly respond to the more extensive critical anonymous comments above, but I am going to do it on the other post. Please check in there to keep this conversation going…