DownloadApril 6, 2009 issue
Open letter laments ‘exclusion' over sexuality
By Celeste Kennel-Shank Mennonite Weekly ReviewMore than 100 pastors and others who have ministered in Mennonite Church USA have signed an open letter calling on the church to fully welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The writers released the letter and a list of 106 signers online April 5, inviting anyone in the denomination to sign it.
“We are distressed by our Church’s exclusion of sisters and brothers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT),” the letter states.
“Our hope for a Church guided by the radical hospitality of Jesus compels us to invite us all to confession and healing.”
The letter states further that, “Through our unwillingness to extend full hospitality to LGBT people, we believe the Church has lost sight of this Gospel vision and, in so doing, has seriously compromised its witness… . We believe that now is the time for us to confess and be healed of this spiritual blindness.”
The letter’s authors are Sheri Hostetler, pastor of First Mennonite Church of San Francisco; Weldon Nisly, pastor of Seattle Mennonite Church; and Cynthia Lapp, pastor of Hyattsville (Md.) Mennonite Church.
“The church hasn’t taken stock of how much it’s hurting itself” through the exclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, Hostetler said. “That’s why our letter asks for confession and healing.”
The letter states that one of the benefits the church should offer to “all people” is “blessing for our deepest relationships of love and care.”
Hostetler said she would like the church to bless lifelong covenanted relationships of same-sex couples. She believes this position is grounded in a biblical ethic of inclusion and justice. She believes the church should have the same expectations for gay and straight couples.
Hostetler’s vision for the church is one “where no one’s a second-class citizen,” she said. “Here at my home congregation in San Francisco, we live that, and it’s so ordinary. People are trying to live their lives and be as faithful as they can be, whether they are gay or straight.”
Comments
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As a strong supporter of the ideas expressed in this letter, should I be encouraged, rather than as annoyed as I am, that the only two (albeit rather wordy) negative quotes come from brethren who had not even read the letter?
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Thank you for your critique, Lin. I welcome other critiques of the views expressed in the article in this comments space.
I conducted interviews last week in order for this article to appear in the print issue most people will see around April 5 — when the full text of the letter is available online. Many people in the church with other perspectives (I wasn't going for positive and negative, just several perspectives) had not read the letter. Having read the letter myself, I believe the two people I quoted who were not able to comment on the letter's text still offer views that contribute to dialogue on the letter's release.
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I joined the Mennonite Church in 1967 and became an associate pastor at Berean Mennonite Church in Youngstown, Ohio. When I came out about my own Gayness, I realized I had no home in the Mennonite church. I realized it was an institution full of self-righteousness and exclusivity as an all white country club in the 1950's. Mennonites are nice people, but I found greater love among other Gay people not tainted by self-righteous hypocrisy in the guise of Christ's love. I wish the churches were different, but they aren't and never will be as basically heterosexual organizations. Gays will always be outsiders in churches. We must rid ourselves of this sick neediness to try to fit in. It isn't necessary.
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Thanks Celeste, for your article! If you haven't yet, check out pinkmenno.org for some queer/GLBT Mennonite fun happening at convention!
feminist love, Jen
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Much is said in the LETTER supporting inclusion of practicing GLBT in MC USA to promote healing in the Church. Our hope is for a Church guided by the radical hospitality of Jesus compels us to invite us all to confession and healing.
This is a reminder that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one. They are the same yesterday, today and forever and they change not.
Therefore we can ask the following questions: Where was the hospitality of God when Sodom & Gomorrah were destroyed by fire? Where was the hospitality of God at the mass destruction from the Flood at Noah's time? Where was the hospitality of God at the destruction of all the people of Jericho except for Rahab and her family? Did King David welcome the hospitality of God when he sinned? Where was the hospitality of Jesus when he was on the cross beside the unrepentant thief, to whom he did not speak? Where was the hospitality of Jesus when he drove the money changers from the Temple? Where is the hospitality of the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write Romans chapter 1 which speaks very clearly to the GLBT issues and others?
I clearly sense that MWR Assistant Editor Shank is sympathetic with the LETTER. Jen Yoder's comments go a long way in revealing that. The release of the LETTER at this time reveals, to me, the strategy of the LGBT supporters and the PinkMenno Campaign. It sounds like the 2009, MC USA convention in Columbus will have some unusual excitement.
While the following quote from John Wesley, is directed to Methodists, could it also apply to MC USA? "I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out." To those who understand that quote, no explanation is necessary, To those who do not, no explanation is possible.
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I agree that Mennonite Church USA has to change its approach to homosexuals. Stereotypically, churches have not been the most welcoming places for our homosexual brothers and sisters and this needs to change.
I only wish the letter had not narrowed its scope so much. Jesus said, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:27-32 (NASB). The Church needs to accept and provide a supportive, nurturing community to help all sinners repent, not just homosexuals, but also the liars, fornicators, and so on. We need to commit to helping every Christian put their sinful lives behind them and pursue a closer relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
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Here is an Open Letter to my first cousin once-removed, Dale Welty, who is about a year younger than I am, in response to his comment.
Dear cousin Dale, you have taken me back to an evening of my childhood -- I was eight years old, sitting in revival meeting at the Salem Church near Nappanee that we both attended. I'm not sure who the evangelist was -- it may have been Clarence Ramer. But I remember being profoundly moved by his invitation, and I rose to my feet in response. What helped propel me to my feet was the invitation hymn that was being sung. Your comment, selecting the most Strict-Father models you could remember from the Bible, had the strange effect of highlighting what I still remember from that evening and that hymn: the many Nurturing-Parent, loving and compassionate Elder Brother and Companion, rescuing Shepherd stories that constitute my image of the Jesus I accepted to guide my life that long-ago evening.
The hymn was "Just as I am," and the second verse especially still comforts me as it did then: "Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot...O Lamb of God, I come." And the other verses: "Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt," and "Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve. Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come."
The ordained brethren were very careful in succeeding weeks, as I underwent instruction classes, to make sure I understood what I was doing, and they finally concluded that I did indeed understand. The guidance in my life since then has always been there when I've bothered to pause and listen for it and pray for it. Among other things, it helped me find the blessing of 45 years of life with a beloved and loving companion.
Many things in your comment trouble me, but I'm especially concerned for the condition of your Bible. It seems to be a very mutilated copy, somewhat like the famous Thomas Jefferson Bible from which he cut out anything that referred to the Virgin Birth and the miracles of Jesus. If you really have a Bible that has only a single chapter of Romans, for example, please let me know and I will gladly send you a complete copy as a gift. I would point out that the first three verses of chapter two are the most important part of chapter one. If one uses chapter one to condemn anyone for anything, they say, one is condemning oneself. So chapter one is not available as a guide on how, or how not to, follow Jesus, and least of all as a guide to tell others how they should live.
I hope you will experience grace and fulfillment in your life -- from the tone of your Viewpoint letters it often seems unhappily lacking. That makes me feel bad -- we share so much history, including both joy and pain. It was kind of you to seek me out at the time of my sister's funeral last December -- thank you.
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An open response to comments from Lin Garber, my cousin once removed.
First, thank you Lin for your comments. Thank you for your offer to send me another Bible but my Bible is not mutilated and yes it is a complete Bible as I hope yours is also.
It is my desire and intent that all I write will be helpful and not hurtful. All individuals have to come to the cross of Jesus just as we are with all our sins. No attempt, on our part, to do any pre-cleansing of our past sins can make any difference. To me, it should be the desire of a true believer that Jesus should cleanse us of all our sins. Our life should reflect that we are now new creatures in Christ, old things are all passed away and behold all things are now new. Colossians 3 states we must put off the old nature before we put on the new. You see, the Holy Spirit takes residence in our heart and mind at conversion and helps us in removing all the old before putting on the new.
I think the following illustrates quite well my understanding of the Radical Hospitality of Jesus theology: A man goes to a pastor and expresses interest in joining his church. This man tells the pastor he wants to stop stealing, drunkenness, swearing, lying, repeating vulgar jokes, but he loves to play the lotteries and has no desire to quit. In addition he states he believes in evolution and believes Jesus was an excellent teacher but does not believe he is born of a virgin and that he is the only way to Heaven as some believe. Because this pastor believes in the Radical Hospitality of Jesus theology, he commends him for wanting to clean up and improve his life. At that point he readily declares him ready to be baptized and join church. Later the pastor suggests the man contact him when he is ready to deal with the lottery passion and who Jesus was, but no hurry.
As Christians, we do well to extol Jesus' love, but the Bible does not authorize us to apply his love to mean something that it does not mean. His love compels him and us to accept repentant sinners but it does not compel him or us to accept unrepentant sinners. Case in point are the two thieves on the cross.
I now address the GLBT issue from a Biblical perspective. Lin, I would have appreciated if your comments would have provided any scripture to support the lifestyle you have been living for the past 45 years as being acceptable to God. The Radical Hospitality of Jesus theology that is mentioned in THE LETTER is a reminder of the strong warning to us in II Peter 3:16 & 17. In Matthew 7:13 & 14, it mentions the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way that leads to life eternal. There is much evidence that too many religious leaders would have us believe the narrow way can, over time, be broadened to accommodate GLBT and other lifestyles that God states clearly in scripture as sin.
The Radical Hospitality of Jesus theology does not exist in Matthew 7:21-23 where he speaks to those religious people who believe they deserve entrance to Heaven because of the good religious things they did on earth outside of conversion, a new life in Christ and the residence of the Holy Spirit in their life. Verse 23 gets right to the point when he says "I never knew you, depart from me that work iniquity". It is interesting he does not say, I knew you at one time but somewhere I lost track and now, no longer know you. Those words to religious people would be a tremendous shock, therefore while we have opportunity and truly desire to know the truth of God's Word, we need to search the scriptures ourselves as stated in Acts 17:11. Searching for loopholes to support our theology reveals the problem of the heart and mind. Does not Romans 12:2 tell us that we are not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind? The mind is to the soul as the brain is to the body.
Calvary is meaningless if our life can be changed and we not know it. Something we may have and not know it is something we can lose and not miss it.
Lin, my prayers go out to you to achieve victory on this issue. Only then will you and others who are in GLBT bondage be truly free and at peace. May I suggest you go online to www.bbnradio.org. This is a 24/7 radio Bible teaching and music ministry of the Bible Broadcasting Network (no commercials). On that website you have opportunity to participate in BBN Chat and the teaching/study ministry of the Bible Broadcasting Network Bible Institute (www.bbnbi.org) at no cost to the student. Currently, I and approximately 52,000 other students are enrolled.
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Here are at least 10 excellent reasons why the Mennonite church should continue to discriminate against GLBT people:
1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
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Adam,
Thank you for your contribution. I know many people are passionate about the relationship between MC USA and homosexuals. This is a very important issue. That said, please do not be sarcastic or belittle others.
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Since my coming out as a Gay young man many years ago, and being a Mennonite by choice, I finally realized how I needed to rid my life of the burden of religion and free myself of the dogma and ritual and pressure to think and move with a blindness similar to Jim Jones and Jonestown. It took many years to be happy and not guilty of dumping Mennonitism and all other isms in the trash and live freely and responsibly with a clear mind as a seeker of real truth. Christianity in all it's forms has taught that no one can be happy without "christ in their lives." We need to offer people something of more substance than religion. People need to take responsibility for their lives.
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