I have thoughts.
This is likely to be quite a long post, and it is acting in lieu of last week's weekly wrap as well as this week's update. It's hard to do a blog post when I'm not here on Friday, which was the case last week and will be the case again this week. Last week, I took the day to do some deputation work and also get some things done around my apartment that I have been neglecting. This weekend, I am headed up to Huntington to spend time with my parents, a few supporters, and also do a little camping before the season ends.
But I have been thinking about a lot of things lately that I feel the need to expel in some form. A lot of it is the type of stuff I really can't do anything about besides pray. And let's face it, I'm not the best prayer warrior out there. This morning I prayed that people would just stop being dumb. It was a genuine prayer because I think a lot of people are being dumb, sometimes myself included, but I doubt it's the most productive prayer that has ever been prayed. So I think this post will be part rumination and part pouring out to God. You're welcome to follow along on this journey.
The first thing I want to talk about is the Queen. Honestly, she doesn't need much more identification than that. The UK has the most identifiable monarchy in the world, and for my entire life, there was just one Queen. I'm not a big royalist or anything, but I do love history, and the USA was a product of Great Britain, like it or not. We are intrinsically tied to one another. Plus, my oldest sister was (is) obsessed with Princess Diana, so I know more than my fair share about The Firm by association.
I said the other week that I was hoping Elizabeth would live long enough to beat Louis' record as the longest-reigning monarch. That was more of a 'it would be cool if' than any real investment in the monarchy. If I placed myself in her shoes, I would have wanted to do it just out of spite. I do think she was happy to outlast Victoria. Not that I think anyone will forget her soon, but it's those kinds of things that cement your place in history, and for some people, that's the goal.
Anyway, I watched a lot of the coverage of the queue (the word with the most unnecessary letters in the English language), the vigils, the funerals, and all of the other hullabaloo. There were endless commentaries on her life, her legacy, the future of the monarchy, the purpose of the Commonwealth - the list could probably go on forever.
One thing that struck me is just how few people actually knew her as a person. She was a figurehead, a symbol, an ideal, but she was also just a human being. I've always leaned heavily toward the freedom and personal responsibility side of things, so it's hard for me to treat someone with any more respect or deference than I would anyone else. Birth, titles, wealth, or whatever other status symbols mankind has created mean very little to me. I'm much more interested in someone's soul and what they are doing to contribute to the betterment of society. In the unlikely event that I am in a position where it is required to curtsy or bow to someone, I'm not sure I could do it in good conscience.
I would not have fared well in the feudal system. Or most of history in general.
As I was watching the funeral in Westminster, listening to the Archbishop of Canterbury, I was reminded that one of Elizabeth's titles was Defender of the Faith. She was the head of the Anglican Church (thanks, Henry VIII). What that meant in practicality I'm not sure, but from everything she has said over the years, she took her faith seriously. She didn't just speak in generic terms about God - she spoke very specifically about finding salvation in Jesus Christ. I don't know how much people noticed that. But I think they will notice the lack.
I can only speculate on the views of the new King Charles III, but based on what he has said in the past, he has no particular religious leanings. He has said he wants to be a Defender of Faiths - as in, all paths are valid and equally respectable. I do not share this view. Jesus said, "I AM THE WAY." One way. Not a way. Not part of the way. THE way. I'm almost positive there were other monarchs who didn't care one way or another about the Church they led, but they were 'Christian' because it was the accepted thing. This is no longer the case. It is not in vogue to be even a nominal Christian. The name of the game today is tolerance and diversity. Elizabeth's death means Christianity as lost one of its most staunch, PUBLIC evangelists. (I'm using evangelist here to mean more of an advocate than the preachy converting kind.)
(I have never watched The Crown on Netflix, but now I'm wondering how they portray Elizabeth's faith, or if they even mention it at all. I often find myself thinking about these things in films and TV shows because religion if so rarely talked about, and when it is, it is either portrayed inaccurately, with obvious bias, or incredibly milquetoast. And yet, faith is such a huge part of people's lives. This is probably a conversation for another time.)
This is a nice segue into another topic I have thought about a great deal. In chapel this morning, we had prayer time for several of our partner churches. As I read through the list, I noticed that several of them were former United Methodist congregations who were going through the disaffiliation process to either join the Global Methodist Church or become an entirely independent entity. As you may know, the GMC came into existence earlier this year when the UMC decided to embrace LGBTQ+ and gender ideology.
Look, I can talk about denominational splits, church constitutions, and all of the church history stuff all day long. I don't think I've made it a secret that I despise having so many different denominations and fractions within the Global Church. I don't think it's a surprise that it happened because human beings are involved in church leadership and that inevitably leads to problems. We are fallible. I would love to be back in the days of the early church when Jesus had just ascended and his followers were united in belief and purpose.
But let's be real about this - how long did that actually last? Almost immediately, you had Jewish believers clashing with Gentile believers. Should we follow Paul's teachings or Apollos'? What counts as Scripture? There was a reason for the big Church Councils. I can even see how the Pope became a thing because they needed a physically present figurehead to keep things on track. Except the figurehead became something more until the Pope suddenly had authority to forgive sin. And then there were cultural differences that led to the Great Schism. And then Martin Luther looked at the Roman Catholic Church and said, "I got 99 problems, and I'm gonna nail 'em to your front door because you are absolutely all of them."
BAM. Protestantism.
But there were different flavors. Some people thought tulips were cool, so they followed Calvin. Some people thought free will made more sense so they followed Arminius. And on and on it went until in 1889, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ split because of disputed amendments to its constitution. Yes, this is my denomination. My people are old constitution, primarily because the new constitution allowed people to be members of secret societies. We didn't truck with that.
I'll point out here that the COTUBIC still exists (though I'm honestly not sure for how much longer) while the new constitution people eventually became the Evangelical United Brethren who merged with The Methodist Church to become The United Methodist Church. So, you know, still causing problems.
I jest, but it's also extremely sad. I can understand why a church splits (if it's on theological or certain doctrinal grounds - if you're doing it because of the music, I have zero time for you); but I certainly don't have to like it. It does not give us a good look around the world if people look at a bunch of people who supposedly believe in the same thing but have to have 57 thousand options to keep the peace.
(I made up the number, and then I felt bad so I had to look it up. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, the breakdown of 'world Christianity' looks more like this:
- Independents: 22,000 denominations
- Protestants: 9000 denominations
- Marginals: 1600 denominations
- Orthodox: 781 denominations
- Catholics: 242 denominations
- Anglicans: 168 denominations
The list of what comprises independents and marginals can be found here if you so choose to go down that rabbit hole.)
None of this is really what I wanted to talk about except it apparently was. What I really wanted to focus on is the gender ideology and, for lack of a better term, the gay agenda.
Brace yourselves.
These ideologies are some of the most destructive agendas in the Church. And it is in the Church already, as witnessed by the UMC most recently. I'm not going to say that women in leadership started this trend, but it did allow for a foot in the door. I realize that my saying this may be somewhat controversial, but as a woman, I'm allowed to say it. Really, you can trace this back to any dumbing down or relaxing of principles. We have allowed culture and social pressure to move the hard lines and water down our faith until it is hardly better than the unitarian church that exists for some reason I cannot comprehend.
All these years, and we still can't get past that first lie. "Did God really say...?"
Yes. He did. Shut your face.
I'm getting off track.
Look, I believe strongly in personal freedom, personal responsibility, free will, the right to make choices for ourselves and live with the consequences. In political terms, I would most align with a libertarian mindset. But I can't be completely Libertarian because I also believe in God. I believe in a higher authority who has placed certain limits on that freedom. As a disciple of Christ, there are certain choices I should not make because they are not in keeping with biblical teaching.
The idea that there are more than two genders and that sexuality is fluid is ABSOLUTELY not biblical. It's just not. From the very beginning, God made it clear. Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 2:24 - This is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife; and they become one flesh.
This is the biblical description of human beings - made in God's image, either male or female.
This is the biblical description of relationships - one man, one woman.
You can prevaricate, equivocate, make whatever excuses you want - this is it. This is reality. Truth. Affirmed by Jesus and supported by all of Scripture. Sorry not sorry.
This right here is why I prayed this morning that people would stop being dumb. I want people to realize that whatever void they are trying to fill in their lives by trying to change genders, have sex with anyone and everyone, compete for the most niche gender description - none of it is going to satisfy.
If you're searching for meaning, if you're searching for what makes you unique - it's you. God made you to be yourself, he wants you to be the best version of yourself, and following his commands is the way to achieve that. There has never been another person like you in the history of the world. You were made in the image of God! Why throw that away?
But we don't want to offend anyone. We don't want to hurt people's feelings. We don't want to be seen as backwards or irrelevant or evil.
Newsflash: The Gospel is offensive. Scripture is unyielding. We have an Enemy that will tar us with every vile thing in the world to make our message as unappealing as possible to those he wants to ensnare. Which is everyone. Including you.
Don't let him. I implore you, don't get caught up in all that the world has to offer. It is temporary.
What God offers us is eternal. Whatever suffering we have in this life is nothing compared to the glory and majesty of an eternal life with Jesus Christ.
I feel like I end with the following verses a lot, but that's just because I find them so powerful and pertinent to my own life. I think what I long for most is to be fully known; maybe that's what Elizabeth, who lived her life in a gilded cage, truly wanted as well. I believe she is experiencing that now.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
