The Saintly Sisterhood

An 81 year old woman has been asked to stop teaching Sunday School at an American Baptist church in upstate New York where she has been a member for nearly 60 years and has taught Sunday School for 54 years, reports CNN and other major news outlets this past Monday. The reason cited by the Pastor and the Deacons concerns their interpretation of 1 Timothy which states that a woman should not have authority over a man. This is also the principle text used by the new Southern Baptists who have approved in the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) that women should not be pastors. It was because of such actions (and others) the church I currently serve left the SBC.

Back then there was little outcry from more moderate Baptists, who while verbally endorsing women serving as Senior Pastors, have nevertheless been reluctant to hire them to do so. But even a soft-hearted conservative may question the validity of taking on a senior woman lay leader in the church. It sounds a little like being against; “Mom, apple pie and Chevrolet.” I suspect that down deep most men in ecclesial authority (both today and in the history of the church) know that women are better pastors, preachers and prophets. But what are we really afraid of?

Baptist Ethics reports that the woman, Mary Lambert was even chair of the Search Committee that called this Pastor Tim LeBouf, who led the movement to oust her. It seemed the church has tripled in size under his leadership over the past two years growing from just under 40 to over 150 at weekly worship service. Along with Mary Lambert, several older Deacons and long time members of the church have also been dismissed from leadership positions in the church. Church growth can become a mixed blessing, especially when a pastor “changes stripes” while courting success (see the article in Baptist Ethics).

This all occurs when the oldest living Christian I know turns 104 this coming Monday, August 28. Her name is Ida Lee Craig and she finally left her beloved home in Midway after the terrible ice storm of 2003. Prior to that event, we celebrated her 100^th birthday on her front porch when the local Firemen with sirens blaring, jokingly delivered her birthday cake in case the vast amount of candles proved to be hazardous.

In preparation, she was invited to tell us how she would like to celebrate her 100^th birthday. She told me she wanted to dance, even though a few more pious members of the community suggested she should spend time thanking God for her long life with a Bible study and prayer. She asked me, her pastor at the time, what I thought. I said I would be glad to dance with her. So with a band at the Presbyterian Church across the street and a great crowd from the town and church, Ida Lee sat on her front porch welcoming the smiling faces, blowing out her candles and dancing. I wonder what the misogynistic Pastor from New York would think about that.

Not long ago I attended a seminar on life insurance and retirement planning. I learned that by 2050, there will be over 750,000 centenarians living in America. If I’m around, I’ll be 91 and if I am able and believers are willing, maybe by then we will have a great many women serving churches as Senior Pastors. They certainly would be a tribute to the strong spirit of Ida Lee Craig and in keeping with our work with the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky that trains men AND women called of God. Together, we participate in the great dance of life and love with God and with equality between one another. Now pass me some more cake while I still have my teeth!

One of God's Very Own

During Vacation Bible School, one of the visiting parents was asking an older church member setting up the snack supper, details about the church. The parent mentioned that she had been raised a “strict Southern Baptist,” but was now seeking answers for herself and her family. While addressing her list of the “hot topics,” the parent asked about our church’s stand on the issue of homosexuality.

Our wise member offered a response that is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Even with 7 years of advanced theological training I could not have thought of a better answer. This wonderful lady of our church graciously pointed to one of the woman’s children and said, “If your son grew up and told you he was a homosexual, would you still love him?” “Of course,” the woman replied. “Well that’s the same way we feel around here.”

Before God, we are all equal. Leaving one to wonder why the church draws limits around God’s love? When we remove sterile abstraction from our moral discussions and allow ourselves the empathy possible within the heart of a loving parent, then we draw closer to the heart of God. Yes, the Bible draws distinctions on behavior including the bigots, gossips and swindlers. There are plenty of texts that speak to the exploitation of the poor and the problems of promiscuous and adulterous behavior. But if you listen to the rhetoric from most in the church, everyone seems to get a pass but the homosexual. We are more likely to have sex offenders in our congregation than an homosexual who is seeking to live with integrity and quality in a monogamous committed relationship.

This is where I see this issue to be one of prejudice: 1.) The moral instruction of the Bible is handled unevenly. 2.) Most scientific studies are showing that homosexual orientation is one of nature over nurture. 3.) There are clear and numerous examples of homosexuals who are moral, responsible citizens of our community. 4.) The emotional reaction of the judging and condemning community who are irrationally threatened by their very existence. Yet, if they were one of our own we would feel differently. Most certainly, they are one of God's very own. May we not be so quick to divide the human family.