Joined At The Hip?
Sermon
We all eagerly followed the progress recently of Siamese twins from Iran who were joined at the head. The twenty-nine-year old women had obviously spent their entire lives almost as one person, although they were very clearly two distinct individuals with individual thoughts and preferences. Now they felt that the time had come for a separation, and they were prepared to risk death as a result of this long and delicate procedure, in order to become two separate people. An eminent and skilled work force of six international experts and 18 specialists and around 100 support staff worked together to effect the separation, but it was still a very dangerous procedure, and both twins were aware that it could mean death for one or both of them. The separation hadn't previously been attempted because it was too dangerous. Surgery lasted several days, and supporters held a prayer vigil at the hospital throughout the surgery.
Apart from the danger, nobody doubted that it was a good thing to separate the women, that they should be separated. We're all individuals and although close relationships are both necessary and desirable, we also need our own lives and our own privacy. Life for two people joined together at the head, must be unthinkably difficult. Sadly, the operation was unsuccessful and both these courageous women died. And it's only in retrospect that questions are being asked about the ethics of performing such a dangerous operation when neither twin had a life-threatening condition. But the twins had made their choice very clear and were ready to accept the consequences of their choice.
The twins were joined and wanted to be separated, yet we in the Church often throw up our hands in horror because we're not joined at the hip, so to speak. Because we all worship differently, we're seen as a sign of disunity and we're told that disunity amongst Christian churches is a scandal. Certainly back-stabbing and hostility amongst Christian churches is a scandal, but perhaps it's not only natural but desirable to be separate from each other.
Just as the twins would have continued to lead close but separate lives after their operation if all had gone well, so all branches of the Church should lead close but separate lives. Those who enjoy informal worship should be free to enjoy informal worship and those who enjoy more formal worship should be free to enjoy that worship, but we should all be supporting each other and working together despite disputes.
Unity isn't about sweeping disputes under the carpet, but is about remaining in close touch with each other and certainly in communion with each, while we openly discuss any differences of opinion we might have. Those discussions should be within the framework of love, because Christianity is based on love. Those who love don't ditch other family members at the first sign of conflict. More than that, those who love never ditch others with whom they disagree. We're all safe in that God never ditches us, no matter what we do or say or think, because God is always loving and always forgiving.
Yet on the same day that the operation was started on the twins, news came through that the Bishop of Reading designate, Canon Jeffrey John, had "resigned" his calling to become bishop because those who oppose him had threatened to split the Anglican Communion if his installation went ahead. Jeffery John had openly admitted that he was gay but that he's been celibate for ten years, and will remain so for as long as the House of Bishops requires gay clergy to be celibate.
At the same time, the retired Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, revealed that he had installed two bishops whom he knew to be gay but celibate, but who hadn't openly acknowledged their homosexuality.
When St Paul faced similar huge issues in the early Church, he was very clear that Christian love meant listening to each other with sufficient openness to allow a change of mind, if necessary. Those on both sides of the debate about whether or not Christians should be circumcised, were sure they were right. It was unthinkable for Jewish males to be uncircumcised because circumcision was the sign of God's covenant with his people, and uncircumcisions meant that the covenant was broken. So the Jewish Christians had a huge weight of scripture and tradition on their side.
Those who were working with the Gentiles soon became aware of how unrealistic it was to demand circumcision for adult males, with only primitive health care available. Many would not survive such an operation in adulthood. Paul and others working with Gentiles knew all about the tradition and scripture, but felt that God was doing a new thing which was beyond the covenant, and set out to explain their thinking to others. In order for the Church to survive, both sides had to listen to each other and respect each other's views, even though they didn't hold to those views themselves. Some people had to be so open in their listening that they accepted a change of mind, and so the Church moved forward.
In today's reading from Ephesians, Paul reminds his gentile readers that they were once regarded as completely outside God's love, but that Jesus Christ showed that God's love was for all people. He says, "For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us." He goes on to say, "He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it."
It is a disgrace that some groups of Christians today are now holding so fast to the law that they are reinstating the barrier broken down by Christ and creating two humanities instead of one. Whatever anyone's views on homosexuality and gay clergy, no-one has the right to destroy the unity which Christ built up through his death on the cross.
As Christians, let us encourage honesty and openness, even if we feel uncomfortable with what's being revealed. Let us discuss issues with humanity and integrity and love, so that we remain close but separate. Let us work together for good in the same way that the vast team of international medical staff worked together to try to give separate life to conjoined twins. Let us show the world that we respect and love each other because that's what Christianity is about. And let's have no more unpleasant threats about ending communion between Christians.
Apart from the danger, nobody doubted that it was a good thing to separate the women, that they should be separated. We're all individuals and although close relationships are both necessary and desirable, we also need our own lives and our own privacy. Life for two people joined together at the head, must be unthinkably difficult. Sadly, the operation was unsuccessful and both these courageous women died. And it's only in retrospect that questions are being asked about the ethics of performing such a dangerous operation when neither twin had a life-threatening condition. But the twins had made their choice very clear and were ready to accept the consequences of their choice.
The twins were joined and wanted to be separated, yet we in the Church often throw up our hands in horror because we're not joined at the hip, so to speak. Because we all worship differently, we're seen as a sign of disunity and we're told that disunity amongst Christian churches is a scandal. Certainly back-stabbing and hostility amongst Christian churches is a scandal, but perhaps it's not only natural but desirable to be separate from each other.
Just as the twins would have continued to lead close but separate lives after their operation if all had gone well, so all branches of the Church should lead close but separate lives. Those who enjoy informal worship should be free to enjoy informal worship and those who enjoy more formal worship should be free to enjoy that worship, but we should all be supporting each other and working together despite disputes.
Unity isn't about sweeping disputes under the carpet, but is about remaining in close touch with each other and certainly in communion with each, while we openly discuss any differences of opinion we might have. Those discussions should be within the framework of love, because Christianity is based on love. Those who love don't ditch other family members at the first sign of conflict. More than that, those who love never ditch others with whom they disagree. We're all safe in that God never ditches us, no matter what we do or say or think, because God is always loving and always forgiving.
Yet on the same day that the operation was started on the twins, news came through that the Bishop of Reading designate, Canon Jeffrey John, had "resigned" his calling to become bishop because those who oppose him had threatened to split the Anglican Communion if his installation went ahead. Jeffery John had openly admitted that he was gay but that he's been celibate for ten years, and will remain so for as long as the House of Bishops requires gay clergy to be celibate.
At the same time, the retired Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, revealed that he had installed two bishops whom he knew to be gay but celibate, but who hadn't openly acknowledged their homosexuality.
When St Paul faced similar huge issues in the early Church, he was very clear that Christian love meant listening to each other with sufficient openness to allow a change of mind, if necessary. Those on both sides of the debate about whether or not Christians should be circumcised, were sure they were right. It was unthinkable for Jewish males to be uncircumcised because circumcision was the sign of God's covenant with his people, and uncircumcisions meant that the covenant was broken. So the Jewish Christians had a huge weight of scripture and tradition on their side.
Those who were working with the Gentiles soon became aware of how unrealistic it was to demand circumcision for adult males, with only primitive health care available. Many would not survive such an operation in adulthood. Paul and others working with Gentiles knew all about the tradition and scripture, but felt that God was doing a new thing which was beyond the covenant, and set out to explain their thinking to others. In order for the Church to survive, both sides had to listen to each other and respect each other's views, even though they didn't hold to those views themselves. Some people had to be so open in their listening that they accepted a change of mind, and so the Church moved forward.
In today's reading from Ephesians, Paul reminds his gentile readers that they were once regarded as completely outside God's love, but that Jesus Christ showed that God's love was for all people. He says, "For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us." He goes on to say, "He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it."
It is a disgrace that some groups of Christians today are now holding so fast to the law that they are reinstating the barrier broken down by Christ and creating two humanities instead of one. Whatever anyone's views on homosexuality and gay clergy, no-one has the right to destroy the unity which Christ built up through his death on the cross.
As Christians, let us encourage honesty and openness, even if we feel uncomfortable with what's being revealed. Let us discuss issues with humanity and integrity and love, so that we remain close but separate. Let us work together for good in the same way that the vast team of international medical staff worked together to try to give separate life to conjoined twins. Let us show the world that we respect and love each other because that's what Christianity is about. And let's have no more unpleasant threats about ending communion between Christians.
