jQuery Slider

You are here

The Call to Craziness for The Episcopal Church

The Call to Craziness for The Episcopal Church

By Ladson F. Mills III
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
July 31, 2015

If the recent General Convention of the Episcopal Church began with a yawn then it ended in a coma. There is little excitement in rehashing the same used up old issues every three years. Even the approval of same sex unions and the election of Michael Curry as the first African-American presiding bishop failed to generate much in the way of interest. Both were a forgone conclusion and those outside the church no longer much care. Whatever moral authority the Episcopal Church once held has long passed.

It is often impossible to distinguish between the craziness of the world from that offered by the Church. As one cynic observed why waste time and money in support of a church when all one receives is what the world offers for free.

Walker Percy in his book The Second Coming observed, "As unacceptable as believers are, unbelievers are even worse...The present day Christian is either half-assed, nominal, lukewarm, hypocritical, sinful or if fervent, generally offensive and fanatical. But he is not crazy. The present day unbeliever is crazy as well as being an ass..."

While the language may be a bit colorful his observations are spot on. Christianity has somehow allowed the culture to convince the world what if offers is sane.

Curry himself addressed these challenges with similar imagery during his 2012 address to the General Convention: We need some Christians who are a crazy as the Lord. Crazy enough to love like Jesus, to give like Jesus, to forgive like Jesus, to do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God, like Jesus. Crazy enough to dare to change the world from the nightmare it often is into something close to the dream that God dreams for it. And for those who would follow him. those who would be his disciples, those who would live as and be the people of the Way? It might come as a shock, but they are called to craziness.

These are very powerful words. But just as there is a difference in being a "fool for Christ" and simply foolishness there is a distinction between the craziness of the world and that of the Gospel. The craziness of which Curry was speaking is the upside-down kingdom. In this kingdom to die is to live, to be great is to serve, to be first is to be last, and it stands in direct contrast to the world.

The craziness of the world is to grab all that you can as fast as you can and as often as you can. It embraces that we are masters of our destiny even as the façade crumbles. It denies the insidiousness of evil by suggesting that it can be negotiated or regulated away. It dismisses sin by pretending it can be reasoned out of existence. In short it asks us to repeat the same behavior over and over again and expect a different result.

The Episcopal Church has often been more of the author than alternative for the insanity which the world proclaims as normality. Under the guise of tolerance and inclusiveness it has systematically eradicated the orthodox and the conservatives. Sacraments are treated as rights rather than privileges, and respect is reserved only for those who are like minded to whatever is the current party line.

The world teaches if you are hit then you must hit back harder. If insulted respond with a vengeance. More often than not the church has reflected this rather than to stand in contrast.

If Curry is serious in his challenge that the church is called to "Christian Craziness" the ruinous policies of Chancellor David Beers must be repudiated. The Orthodox perspective must be respected rather than treated with contempt. Curry's high toned rhetoric preached in 2012 must be reinforced through actions in 2016. There is no time for delay.

For over fifty years the Confederate battle flag flew over the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse causing deep division. Politicians politicked and activists rallied but the flag remained. The NAACP boycotted and the NCAA sanctioned but no one really cared. Both of these organizations abdicated their moral authority in exchange for power long ago.

But the family members of nine innocent victims chose to honor their Lord Jesus Christ by forgiving the man who murdered their loved ones. They chose the Christian way and not the way of the world. The power of their witness accomplished something that politicians and activist could not do in more than five decades. The flag was removed within a week.

Bishop Curry if you are serious in your call for Episcopal Church to be "crazy" you have your example in the witness of the family members of the nine.

That is how Christian Crazy is done.

Ladson F. Mills III is a priest with over thirty years pastoral experience. He is retired and lives with his wife in South Carolina. He currently serves as Scholar in Residence at the Church of Our Saviour, Johns Island. He is a regular contributor to Virtueonline.

Subscribe
Get a bi-weekly summary of Anglican news from around the world.
comments powered by Disqus
Trinity School for Ministry
Go To Top