What should Christians think about disagreements of faith?
I had a lovely conversation recently with a young woman who was worried that her baptism "didn't take." Why? Because her new church told her that the specific words uttered by the Pastor were out of order and therefore, God would not receive her baptism as legitimate.
In response to this anxiety, she would like me to "secretly" go down to the river with her and get it right. As a Pastor who has spent a lot of time immersed in the recovery community, I am far more concerned with her shame, need for secrecy, and willingness to accept someone's word that her baptism was illegitimate. But these are not her concerns, and so, they cannot be mine. At least not on that day.
I took her to this scripture, out of the book of Isaiah.
And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21 NRSV
I asked her to sit quietly and dig deep. When she was baptized, what was that experience like FOR HER? What did she think? How did she feel? What did she believe? What did she do about her baptism - as in, how did it change her life? And she knew, very quickly, that her baptism was one of the most real and true decisions she had ever made.
After she left, what remained was my hard, cold, judgy heart. What in the world was that guy thinking? I understand differences of opinions about the rituals of faith, but did he have to say, "Your baptism was illegitimate and until I fix this, you could go straight to hell if you die?" I judge this. And then I went to lunch and read a good book. Imbedded in that book I found my big open heart. Here is what I read.
The tender flesh itself will be found one day - quite surprisingly - to be capable of receiving, and yes, fully capable of embracing the searing energies of God. Go figure. Fear not. For even at its beginning the humble clay received God's art, whereby one part became the eye, another the ear, and yet another this impetuous hand. Therefore, the flesh is not to be excluded from the wisdom and the power that now and ever animates all things. His life-giving agency is made perfect, we are told, in weakness - made perfect in the flesh. St. Irenaeus (c. 125-c.210), translated by Scott Cairns
I'm not sure what St. Irenaeus had in mind when he penned this poem, but here is how my body, mind and heart received it. I moved away from judgment and marveled that a collection of eyes, ears and hands EVER agree on anything. And, if WE are made perfect in weakness - who am I to judge another's perfection?
Look, I wish the pastor had not said what he did to this young woman, who I happen to know has issues around the concept of "illegitimate." But I say dumb things all. the. time. And I never intend to say dumb things, but I have only one way of seeing the world - through one pair of green eyes, two ears that hardly work anymore, and impetuous hands - that are prone to reacting rather than responding. And yet, we are told, "His life-giving agency is made perfect..in weakness - made perfect in the flesh."
You probably do not need any suggestions from me, but may I offer one? "At the beginning the humble clay received God's art." And so it goes. We will struggle to agree on lots of issues from religion to sports (and don't even get started on politics). But maybe it will be helpful if we all remember that when we struggle, we have been provided much biblical commentary that is not all that complicated. Love one another. Forgive one another. Make peace with your brother. Make restitution when necessary. Care for the widows, orphans and vulnerable among us. This sounds like a pretty full day to me - and leaves no room for rumination over how others are experiencing God's life-giving agency.
