John 13:34-35
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I have, throughout my lifetime so far, been attached to a number of different church denominations – all Christian – but different from each other in both theology and ecclesiology – the ways in which churches order their worship.
Some of you hearing this message may have had similar church journeys, some of you may have been raised since childhood in one setting where you remain to this day. Others of you may have been raised with no particular teaching and have only recently come to your current faith. This is one of the reasons I find church so interesting – because together we are such a vibrant hodge-podge of different beliefs and practices.
Until fairly recently most church goers seemed to choose one and stick with it. It is only in more recent years that many have felt free to change around at will. I suspect that the advent of the internet has had a lot to do with this. It’s easy today to find other voices speaking of their beliefs and practices when all we’ve ever heard before is the voices in our own denomination.
Granted, most Christians share the same base beliefs but we can differ widely in the ways we choose to live out those beliefs. I, for one, am delighted that Christians of different denominations are speaking out in different settings and sharing their ways of living out their faith.
We can learn so much from each other. Will we have differences? Yes, I suspect we will, but I also believe we will find many more similarities. When Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde offered the sermon at services for the president’s January inauguration, she asked for mercy on those who were feeling frightened by Trump’s newly declared war on immigrants. When Trump demanded an apology for the “insult” she did not cave – she responded simply that she would not apologize for the teachings of Jesus.
I was proud to share her faith even if it wore another name, and I can only hope I could share her courage.
There are several people I follow online and benefit from their hearts and their wisdom. Until the last handful of decades it was harder to do this because first I had to find them (usually in an academic setting) and then order any books they may have written, not knowing if their works would speak to me or not.
Now it is easier to see something brief they’ve written online that moves me and teaches me and draws me to learn more.
Nadia Bolz-Weber, for instance, is Lutheran. Mark Sandlin is Presbyterian. Joseph Yoo was raised and ordained Methodist but has recently transitioned to the Episcopalian priesthood. John Pavlovitz was raised Catholic, but served many years as a Methodist pastor before leaving parish ministry to focus on his writing career and his deep passion for social justice issues. These folks are familiar voices online.
Diana Butler Bass has been a Methodist, an Evangelical, and an Episcopalian and, in addition, is currently studying traditions from Buddist and Hindu settings, and Frederick Buechner, who my church knows I’ve probably quoted more than anyone else on the planet, was Presbyterian.
I could go on all day listing people who are from denominations that differ from our Disciples of Christ – yet are clearly our brothers and sisters in Christ’s love and service. People who have taught me, and then, by extension, taught you, as I pass on what I’ve learned from them to you in my preaching and teaching here.
As for the Disciples of Christ – we are proud to proclaim ourselves as Part of the One Body of Christ. Furthermore, we describe ourselves as “a diverse group of Christ-followers across the United States and Canada. We worship in old sanctuaries, living rooms, coffee shops, and online. We’re called to do justice. We read and wrestle with the Bible. We believe God loves the whole world, everyone included. We’re doing our best to follow Jesus.”
Two specific statements tell us a lot about who we are: first, We are called to study and read scripture for ourselves. Rather than having tests of faith and creedal statements, we critically and thoughtfully study scripture, taking into account the history and background – the context – in which it was written. Second: We honor our heritage as a movement for Christian unity by cooperating and partnering with other faith communities to work for bringing about wholeness – healing and justice – in the world.
We study scripture for ourselves rather than just accepting what someone else tells us is biblically true, especially when what we are told does not fit with the loving God we believe in.
We work with each other because we learn from each other and we can accomplish more to work for justice and spread love and kindness in this world when we work together.
Because that is pretty much at the heart of it all. Jesus taught us to love each other. That’s our calling. That’s what it’s all about. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
Regardless of which denominational name we claim, it is Jesus we follow. In that regard, we all speak the same language. Some of us may get the message a little garbled yet, but it is still the teachings of Jesus we seek to follow.
So let us willingly learn from each other. Share what we’ve learned. Lift each other up. Our differences enrich us.
Love one another as Jesus has always loved us – with open and giving hearts.
AMEN
Some of you hearing this message may have had similar church journeys, some of you may have been raised since childhood in one setting where you remain to this day. Others of you may have been raised with no particular teaching and have only recently come to your current faith. This is one of the reasons I find church so interesting – because together we are such a vibrant hodge-podge of different beliefs and practices.
Until fairly recently most church goers seemed to choose one and stick with it. It is only in more recent years that many have felt free to change around at will. I suspect that the advent of the internet has had a lot to do with this. It’s easy today to find other voices speaking of their beliefs and practices when all we’ve ever heard before is the voices in our own denomination.
Granted, most Christians share the same base beliefs but we can differ widely in the ways we choose to live out those beliefs. I, for one, am delighted that Christians of different denominations are speaking out in different settings and sharing their ways of living out their faith.
We can learn so much from each other. Will we have differences? Yes, I suspect we will, but I also believe we will find many more similarities. When Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde offered the sermon at services for the president’s January inauguration, she asked for mercy on those who were feeling frightened by Trump’s newly declared war on immigrants. When Trump demanded an apology for the “insult” she did not cave – she responded simply that she would not apologize for the teachings of Jesus.
I was proud to share her faith even if it wore another name, and I can only hope I could share her courage.
There are several people I follow online and benefit from their hearts and their wisdom. Until the last handful of decades it was harder to do this because first I had to find them (usually in an academic setting) and then order any books they may have written, not knowing if their works would speak to me or not.
Now it is easier to see something brief they’ve written online that moves me and teaches me and draws me to learn more.
Nadia Bolz-Weber, for instance, is Lutheran. Mark Sandlin is Presbyterian. Joseph Yoo was raised and ordained Methodist but has recently transitioned to the Episcopalian priesthood. John Pavlovitz was raised Catholic, but served many years as a Methodist pastor before leaving parish ministry to focus on his writing career and his deep passion for social justice issues. These folks are familiar voices online.
Diana Butler Bass has been a Methodist, an Evangelical, and an Episcopalian and, in addition, is currently studying traditions from Buddist and Hindu settings, and Frederick Buechner, who my church knows I’ve probably quoted more than anyone else on the planet, was Presbyterian.
I could go on all day listing people who are from denominations that differ from our Disciples of Christ – yet are clearly our brothers and sisters in Christ’s love and service. People who have taught me, and then, by extension, taught you, as I pass on what I’ve learned from them to you in my preaching and teaching here.
As for the Disciples of Christ – we are proud to proclaim ourselves as Part of the One Body of Christ. Furthermore, we describe ourselves as “a diverse group of Christ-followers across the United States and Canada. We worship in old sanctuaries, living rooms, coffee shops, and online. We’re called to do justice. We read and wrestle with the Bible. We believe God loves the whole world, everyone included. We’re doing our best to follow Jesus.”
Two specific statements tell us a lot about who we are: first, We are called to study and read scripture for ourselves. Rather than having tests of faith and creedal statements, we critically and thoughtfully study scripture, taking into account the history and background – the context – in which it was written. Second: We honor our heritage as a movement for Christian unity by cooperating and partnering with other faith communities to work for bringing about wholeness – healing and justice – in the world.
We study scripture for ourselves rather than just accepting what someone else tells us is biblically true, especially when what we are told does not fit with the loving God we believe in.
We work with each other because we learn from each other and we can accomplish more to work for justice and spread love and kindness in this world when we work together.
Because that is pretty much at the heart of it all. Jesus taught us to love each other. That’s our calling. That’s what it’s all about. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
Regardless of which denominational name we claim, it is Jesus we follow. In that regard, we all speak the same language. Some of us may get the message a little garbled yet, but it is still the teachings of Jesus we seek to follow.
So let us willingly learn from each other. Share what we’ve learned. Lift each other up. Our differences enrich us.
Love one another as Jesus has always loved us – with open and giving hearts.
AMEN
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