Who really uses that word anymore? Really?
Andy Oudman of Talk 1290 in London, Ontario, that’s who. A listener had alerted me to Oudman’s remarks about the United Church yesterday and said that the radio host planned to return to the topic today. So when he began to talk about the inappropriateness of my leading a congregation in The United Church of Canada, I gave him a call.
He was surprised but not put off his game enough to forget that he was incensed that the United Church would allow me to be a minister. In fact, that’s what he said was an abomination: that I was allowed to use a pulpit for my own purposes and that the UCC let me do it.
It was an interesting charge. I would have answered it but he hung up on me. Which was fine with me; I’d already said my piece and had to get on the road in order to make it to this evening’s presbytery meeting. But if I’d had the chance and the time, I might have challenged him further.
I am constantly alarmed at how little people know of the United Church and of the beliefs of the clergy who lead its congregations. Oudman was stunned to hear that I didn’t think Jesus was the divine son of God. I don’t know a minister in the UCC who would say they believed Jesus was the divine son of God without adding a few comments about what they meant by this word or that, literally parsing the statement until it wouldn’t at all mean what Oudman would argue it means.
It isn’t Oudman’s fault that he is ignorant of the beliefs of those who lead United Church congregations or whether those beliefs are similar to or different from mine. At presbytery tonight, as with every presbytery meeting I attend, I refrained from singing the songs chosen to augment the gathering. I won’t sing what I do not believe.* At the end of the meeting, a colleague approached me and noted that he had been singing with his fingers crossed. How can we expect anyone outside of the United Church to know what we believe when we won’t let one another know what we believe?
An abomination is something that should be shunned as evil. I’m sure there are many who believe that’s how I should be treated and, indeed, sometimes that’s what it feels like. But I believe the conversations I ignite, even those with opinionated talk radio show hosts, are worthwhile. After all, if you believe humanity is driving 90 miles an hour down a dead end street as I do, don’t you think it’s time to start talking about how we got here, why we’re speeding, and whether or not there’s another way?
*Brian Wren’s hymns are lovely, but I simply do not share in the three things presbyters pledged to cling to:
Three things I promise, Holy God,
in age and youth, in life and death:
to bless your Name, and cling to Christ,
and listen for the Spirit’s breath.
Copyright, Hope Publishing Company
Thanks Gretta for continuing to push all of us within the UCC to be honest and forthright on what we believe and don’t believe as we speed down that one way street. Your courage and determination continues to inspire!
I am so very sad to hear how the United Church doesn’t have the backbone to cast out, Greta, the wolf in sheep’s clothing . I lost sleep last night thinking of this blasphemy, this pure evil, right in front of our noses. Dear Sweet Jesus, help us in our hour of need.
Thank GOOD for spiritual leaders like Gretta Vosper and for the ministers at my progressive and /or expansive Southminster Steinhauer United Church congregation here in Edmonton. Without such leaders, I and many others would not set foot in a church without gagging on the old hateful dogma.
Alberta’s former Lieutenant Governor Dr.J. Grant MacEwan wrote in his Creed:
“I believe it is an offence against the God of Nature for me to
accept any hand-me-down, man-defined religion or creed without the
test of reason. I believe no man dead or alive knows more about God
than I can know by searching.
Why is organized religion so terrified of people who use their reasoning ability to search and question? Are people so brainwashed that they are afraid to think for themselves, or to question beliefs that may have seemed logical thousands of years ago, but now fail the test of logic and reason.
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”
― Galileo Galilei, Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina
Only a value system that withstands constant probing, testing, and re-evaluation is one worth holding on to.
Does Andy Oudman still think the Earth is flat?, that the Sun revolves around the Earth? that his god and the saved souls are floating around on the clouds in the sky? He probably does, and that’s why he appears so threatened by Gretta.
Gretta, it takes courage to speak truth to power, and I admire your courage.
Thank you so much, Rob. SSU is an amazing congregation, pushing barriers aside to create space where anyone is welcome and might find support for their journey. I so admire its leadership and the impressive work they have been at for so long. Thanks for taking the time to connect and reflect on this challenging conversation. I very much appreciate the support!