It’s one thing to say that we trust God; it’s another to actually live in that trust.
News that ranges from ISIL to the disappearance of aboriginal women to natural disasters such as the recent earthquake in Nepal, leave us shaken and disturbed. We look forlornly to God and ask: “Why? Are you really there? You don’t seem to be in control.”
The questions can arise in the life of the church. At June’s General Assembly in Vancouver, commissioners devoted two periods of time to holy listening—small table groups where each person had an unrushed chance to share their hopes, concerns, fears, experiences and understanding around what we might call “other” sexuality, primarily same-sex relationships.
Some participants said it was their best experience ever in engaging others in a meaningful discussion of a difficult issue. For others, the process was flawed, pitting, they said, experience against scripture, with little or no theology to undergird the discussion.
But what is scripture if it is not a record of the physical, emotional, intellectual and prayerful experience of God interacting with people?
If we truly trust God, then the Spirit was moving in those table group discussions where there was lots of formal theology and where there appeared to be no theology at all. Just as surely as the Spirit moved among people in the past in recorded interactions we regard as holy—as scripture.
The discussions at assembly were quite rightly private, so the Record did not listen in on them. But afterwards the groups posted the highlights around the room.
Unsurprisingly, there was fear and anxiety, mostly that the denomination might split should a decision be made to permit blessing or marrying same-sex couples.
There was also hope: hope the church wouldn’t change its position, hope that it would and hope that whatever the decision, the church family would stay together.
In the end, assembly decided to refer all the formal discussion to the doctrine and justice committees. Material will also be sent to congregations so all levels of the church can engage in this discussion.
This year, as the church engages in holy listening across the denomination, it will be important to remember that God is always at work at all times and in all places, inside and outside the church.
That also means that whatever decision the church makes, God will continue to work in and through the Presbyterian Church as well as in the world outside the church.
Our challenge is to align our wills as closely as possible with God’s. That’s what we mean when we say we believe in the Holy Spirit or that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That’s also what the assembly participants interviewed by Andrew Faiz in this month’s cover story were saying about their spiritual journey—about God’s activity in their lives.
And if we are truly listening, we do it with an open heart, not prejudging what the right conclusion is, but trying to discern what is best for this church community at this moment in time.
In doing that, we’ll be saying, despite our human frailty, we do trust God. So the question remains, Do we?
