by Gordon W. Gritter, M.D., F.A.P.A.
Chair of the Deputation from El
Camino Real
"Why is it that the trend toward inclusivity of gay people (a subject on which Jesus was resoundingly mute) in ECUSA has generated a response which seems to point towards schism, while the trend towards inclusivity of divorced people (a subject on which Jesus was quite eloquent) a number of years ago caused hardly a ripple in the Anglican world? Both subjects do, after all, deal with the 'sanctity of marriage', etc. Ed Friedman taught me that when an issue generates as much heat as this one has we need to look below the 'content' to the underlying emotional dynamics. What might those be, I wonder?"
Forty years as a practicing psychiatrist, with a special focus upon issues of human sexuality, prompt me to respond.
The "gay" issue is being framed and debated as if it were essentially a theological matter, like divorce, about "the sanctity of marriage" and about sin. I suggest that divorce is indeed a theological issue, but homosexuality is different. The divorce issue was brought to Jesus as a theological matter, and his response was essentially: 'You people are handling divorce with technical correctness according to the Law of Moses, but I'm telling you that you are dodging the real issues which are the sins of lust and injustice. Shape up!' That set the pattern for the church for a long time, until marriage had changed in the Western world, and people were no longer persuaded that divorce was a matter of lust and injustice. Then there was a theological flap, and the church changed its stance.
Homosexuality (an unfortunate labelling word, but a broader subject than "gay") is a much different matter. In many (not all) of the world's cultures it is a very deep taboo, it is perceived as a violation of fundamental male and female identity, it is unspeakably loathsome, "perverse", "unnatural", and deeply threatening to individuals and to organized society.
Consider, if you will, that the accurate analogy, in church history, is not to divorce but to circumcision. The people of the early church, steeped in Judaic purity laws, had a deep visceral understanding of the symbolism and effect of circumcision. It had been instituted by God to mark His people as having been made uniquely and pervasively clean, covenanted, acceptable, beloved. To them, uncircumcised people were filthy, disgusting, untouchable, a menace to the sanctity of God's people.
But when the Gospel was brought to the Gentiles there soon were uncircumcised believers. That, I suggest, precipitated a situation parallel to what we see today. Some insisted that circumcision was absolutely as necessary as it had always been. Others said that in the new community of believers circumcision was obsolete and irrelevant. Imagine the dilemma of those who may have been theologically persuaded that circumcision was no longer required, but who could not set aside their bone-marrow-deep reactions of revulsion and fear, and who now found themselves sharing the holy meal and receiving the sacraments from the hands of uncircumcised people!
The answer is indeed to be found in "the underlying emotional dynamics", and they are very strong. Although stated in apparently rational debate, the homosexuality issue in today's church is fueled by vast reservoirs of fear and revulsion.
Note that the scriptural citations most commonly chosen, both from Leviticus and St. Paul, convey strong feeling that homosexuality is evil and that homosexuals cannot possibly be clean, healthy, and holy people. At that point theology is really irrelevant - it's the 'gut feeling' that is overwhelming, and it sweeps aside any attempt to point out that those scriptures are addressed to situations other than human relationships in today's world.
It is, of course, possible to construct a rational theological position against both divorce and homosexuality, based upon one's concept of sin. Perh aps some very rational people are able to do so. But that's not what is fueling the current conflagration in the church!
Fortunately, there is reason to hope that as the early Christians learned, by experience, to live with and love the uncircumcised, today's Christians can have parallel exerience with those who are now perceived as loathsome and intolerable. As that gradually happens, the theological storm will subside. What is now driving some people mad is that in fact it's already happening, and they can't stand it!
Be merciful.
Gordon W. Gritter, M.D., F.A.P.A., Gwgritter@aol.com
Chair of Deputation to General Convention, Diocese of El Camino Real
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