Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Why We Are Episcopalian

I preached on Sunday about God's mission to reconcile all things to him, and the church which Jesus formed to live out and enact God's mission.  Reconciliation to God and each other through repentance and forgiveness of sins is God's mission for which he formed the church. 

We in the Episcopal may not be uniquely situated to fulfill that mission, but we are certainly well suited to the task.  Many churches kick members out for not living up to various standards of morality or for not believing particular doctrines without doubt.

In the Episcopal Church, we uphold both morality and doctrine, but we do so while acknowledging that both are simply tools to help us be reconciled to God and each other.  We uphold morality, and we sometimes behave immorally.  We believe in our doctrine (the core beliefs of the church), and we sometimes doubt.

When we doubt and behave immorally, we are not exiled.  We are not removed from Jesus' body.  We are loved and upheld in prayer.  We are offered correction to our behaviors and made aware of the damage we have caused, through love and compassion.  Reconciliation is a sacrament, part of our prayerful way of life.  Our mission is not to be perfect and blameless.

Many have been beaten up, hurt, and bruised by churches who seem to offer very little grace to those who make poor choices in their lives and those who have difficulty with faith. 

We are here to welcome them in.  We are here to live out God's mission of reconciliation.  For those who have stopped believing through the harm caused by other churches, we are here.  We are here to seek them out and to invite them.  When many churches offer strict morality and unyielding doctrinal obedience, we are here to offer them Jesus. 

We are here to invite folks to come with their scars, with their doubts, with their messy lives and meet Jesus.  Through our worship, through each other, through our prayer and witness, come and meet Jesus.
Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ:  Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.
                                                                                          - Book of Common Prayer p. 816

The Lord Bless you and Keep you,


Brad+

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