Forging a Conversation, Reviewer: Timothy V. Olson
An Exercise in Faithful Conversation, Reviewer: Juli Thompson

Forging a Conversation
Reviewer: Timothy V. Olson

Faithful may not be the first description that jumps to mind when the conversation is about homosexuality. I think about the kinds of conversation I fear, like an emotional conversation, a one-sided conversation, or an uninformed conversation. Even more, I fear a divisive conversation that leaves people polarized and being anything but the body of Christ.

Fears aside, this will be a risky conversation. It might lead to loss and broken relationships of a deep and abiding nature. Yet, this is a necessary conversation. Not because we have a deadline to meet, but because the issue is real. Our local newspaper recently chronicled the story of one parish that fired a musician for being openly gay, while another, in response, made a point of calling him to serve. In the Episcopal Church U.S.A., the New Hampshire diocese both elected and consecrated Gene Robinson, an openly gay bishop. Will & Grace remains on television, and Brittany and Madonna are kissing in public. Conversation about homosexuality can’t be ignored.

Faithful Conversation: Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality is a book about the issue of homosexuality. More important, it is a book about how we talk about homosexuality. In fact, it is more about the conversation than about the issue. It came about through the eight presidents of the ELCA seminaries. In the Foreword, they lay out their hopes. First, they hope the contributing authors “would argue with each other…” and that “these trusted teachers of the church would respect each other and know how to keep the unity we share in Christ Jesus at the center of their conversation” (p. vii). Second, they hope that the ELCA might “follow the examples of these teachers” (p. vii).

The contributors set a good example. They don’t pull any punches, nor do they end up declaring anyone a heretic. They even claim to have learned from one another. That is exactly what I hope happens in my congregation. Yet, my congregation is not made up of academics who argue with one another for a living. It remains to be seen whether the example set will in any way fulfill the hopes that drove the book’s creation.

This book will not only help avoid the conversations we fear, but it also makes clear the one kind of conversation we must work most carefully to avoid: an unfaithful conversation.

Meaning of “Faithful”
In the introduction, Jim Childs lays out what it might mean to call the conversation about homosexuality “faithful” when all is said and done. He says that the discussion must be “faithful to the mission of the church” (p. 1). He explains that to meet this mark, our decisions should reflect not only “our commitment to the gospel, but also our commitment to preserving the unity of the church for the sake of its mission (Ephesians 4:1-6)” (p. 1). He goes on to describe three other qualifications that contribute to a faithful conversation. He says they must be faithful to Scripture, to the Christian tradition, and to one another (pp. 2-3).

Given the rancor and rhetoric often demonstrated, faithful conversation may seem impossible. However, I think this project is pointing to a standard that takes us beyond where we are. Though it is never really stated, this book challenges us all to realize that what has passed for conversation to date has not been faithful. We must strive for something more. We will have to do better than “prooftexting,” mudslinging, and entrenchment.

Mark Alan Powell’s contribution to this conversation is not the usual “Bible-says-exactly-what-it-means” or “Bible-doesn’t-mean-what-it-says” discussion. Powell acknowledges that the Bible has a basically negative view of same-sex relations, and places it in tension with the interpretive minefield surrounding the application of these texts. He carefully lays out what he sees in Scripture and then refuses to let the Bible be either dismissed or abused. His conclusion frames the issue in the ever-present scriptural dialectic of mercy and sacrifice, which does not allow us to ignore what Scripture says but drives us to life in Christ. His work is clear, direct, and provocative.

The voice of the tradition, especially the Lutheran Confessions, is presented by James Nestingen. Justification and vocation are the two primary principles he leans upon as the core of the tradition. He offers a great deal of helpful insight on both in his meandering style. His discussion of the communal nature of the sexual relationship is a valuable consideration. Occasionally, some of the comments seem a bit offhanded. He points to ecumenical isolation (p. 56) that might result from the debate and decision without much explanation. While he makes a good case for the view that imposed celibacy results in a negative outcome in human life, this doesn’t seem to play into his ultimate conclusion. In the end, he seems to close off conversation by asserting that no positive notion of ordination or same-sex union is possible under any circumstance if we are to be faithful.

Baptism’s Role
Martha Ellen Stortz underscores the role of baptism in our conversation. Like Nestingen, she sees that sexuality is not an individual matter, as the culture may insist. Instead, baptism makes it public. Further, she outlines how baptism, as a covenantal relationship, frames all relationships. She calls upon the conversation to deal with how this might impinge on the decisions we make about homosexuality. Her insights are refreshing and very helpful.

Contextual considerations are brought to bear by Richard Perry and José David Rodríguez. They call for recognition of the cultural and contextual realities that fuel the divisiveness of the issue. They also point out that attitudes about this issue are not monolithic. They use their experiences in dealing with ethnocentrism as a means of seeing the debate about homosexuality anew. At times this is helpful, though in other places I had trouble following their arguments.

Reading Daniel Olson’s essay was a little like popping what you thought was a peppermint in your mouth, only to find it was a Sweet Tarts® candy. I was hoping for clarity on the science of this issue and the experience of gay and lesbian people. What Olson says on that subject is brief. Essentially, he submits that there is no definitive science about homosexuality. However, the first several pages of the essay do offer an excellent outline of the whole notion of communal discussion. Once I realized it was a Sweet Tarts® candy, I found that what he had to say offered critical insight to my leadership in this conversation. Olson offers two central points. First, how we listen is a critical step to healthy debate. Second, the fundamental call to unity that is expressed in Scripture and the tradition must guide us.

This book will not only help avoid the conversations we fear, but it also makes clear the one kind of conversation we must work most carefully to avoid: an unfaithful conversation. In a generation or so, when our children look back on what is so hard for us now, I hope that they will see a people who bear witness to the miracle of the Holy Spirit to bring unity out of division. I also hope that they will see us as a people who had a faithful conversation and then moved forward in the unity of the Spirit. This book is one small step toward how we can bear the risk, engage what is necessary, and do so as the people of God in faith and in hope.

Timothy V. Olson is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Belvidere, Illinois.

An Exercise in Faithful Conversation
Reviewer: Juli Thompson

When he was first elected bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod, Peter Rogness went on a series of congregational visits. At one of the first of these, he was asked if the Bible condemned homosexuality. His answer was simple. “I don’t know yet.” While his answer didn’t at all satisfy his questioner, it is consistent with the arguments presented in this series of essays. The authors, all professors at ELCA seminaries, all argue that we can’t simply look at the surface meaning of the text but need to dig in and engage in a series of faithful conversations. Those conversations have just begun, and the result is not yet clear. As a church, we don’t know yet what the Bible says about homosexuality.

This book is intended to facilitate such conversations. In his excellent introduction, James M. Childs Jr. uses the image of a Russian doll to illustrate the elements that need to be considered. The largest dolls are Scripture and the tradition that we use to interpret Scripture. These contain culture, which is always part of the conversation, acknowledged or not, and science (or reason).

Finally, there is also the question of moral deliberation, what it means to explore these issues as the church, the body of Christ. All of these conversations come together around this issue, as around many other less emotionally charged issues.

The authors consciously designed this book to illustrate such a conversation. Each essay refers to others in the book, in some instances agreeing, in some instances stating a difference. The authors by no means agree about what the Bible says to us about homosexuality, but their conversations are always respectful. In the Authors’ Forum at the end of the book, the authors discuss the process of working together and the rich rewards to be reaped from grappling with this issue rather than closing off the discussion. Each chapter contains several discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.

Interpreting Scripture
In his chapter on the Bible and homosexuality, Mark Allan Powell (Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio), includes a very useful section on interpreting Scripture. He gives examples of the principles of interpretation generally used by Lutherans and, as he goes through the biblical texts that mention homosexuality, shows how one can put them to use.

He also makes the important point that biblical interpretation is often an issue of the relative weight given to different factors and that people of faith can disagree on this. He stresses the importance of considering more biblical passages than just those that mention homosexuality.

James Arne Nestingen (Professor of Church History at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota) looks at the Lutheran Reformation to shape our response to homosexuality. He works within the Lutheran dialectic of law and gospel and the two kingdoms to discuss sexuality, not simply as a personal choice between two consenting adults but as a public act that has implications for society as a whole. He asks readers to think about what sexuality means within the community of faith and suggests that it can become a form of self-justification, in contrast to the justification of Christ by grace through faith.

In her chapter, Martha Ellen Stortz (Professor of Historical Theology and Ethics at Pacific Lutheran Seminary, Berkeley, California) starts with baptism. She shows that the four components of moral discourse (Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience) are all centered in baptism and then asks what it means to consider sexuality from the perspective of baptism. She asks her readers to work though the issues of promise, of relationship, and of support for marriage in their capacity as members, through baptism, of the one body of Christ.

Culture’s Influence
Richard J. Perry Jr. and José David Rodríguez (Professor of Church and Society and Urban Ministry, and of Theology, respectively, both at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago) consider the impact of culture on our moral deliberations as a church. They ask readers not only to talk about the relationship of church to culture but also to consider the issue of “which culture?” They argue that different ethnic and social groups have different cultures, which respond differently to some of the questions surrounding homosexuality. By being respectful of these differences, they suggest that new understandings and considerations can be brought before the whole church.

In his chapter on ethical discourse, Daniel L. Olson (Professor of Pastoral Care at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa) offers some very helpful observations. He starts with examples of different kinds of listening and moves on to talk about anger and its effect on relationships. He also discusses what scientists can and can’t tell us about sexual orientation and why it is important to include science in the debate.

A year or so ago, a pastor colleague who had attended a seminar by the Alban Institute told me that Alban was recommending that congregations and denominations not vote on the issue of homosexuality. All that voting did was create trouble. There were winners and losers. Everyone got angry. Whoever “lost” the vote felt unwelcome in the church. Each side accused the other of hypocrisy and failure to follow Christ. Best to not vote, but to simply remain in conversation.

This book is a good illustration of a different way to remain in conversation about a contentious issue.

In some ways, it seems that the ELCA has taken this advice. Although we have voted on this issue in congregations, in synods. and at the Churchwide Assembly, we remain in conversation, talking about it, studying it, and bringing it up again for further discussion. There are some who have interpreted this negatively. These people feel that “they” are just going to keep sending this issue back to be voted on again and again until “they” get the answer “they” want. From this point of view, remaining in conversation accomplishes nothing, changes no one’s mind, and simply creates tension and animosity.

This book is a good illustration of a different way to remain in conversation about a contentious issue. In particular,I think the chapters by Stortz and Olson can serve as very useful starting points for just about any contentious discussion. A deeply meaningful discussion could be held, for example, on the issue of how much weight to give to our understanding of salvation through grace versus our status as members of one body, which has many members in cultures throughout the world.

Also, what does it mean when we say that sexuality is a public matter, not a private one? Do we offer a self-consciously countercultural critique of the relationship between public and private? What if we examined (for example) our spending patterns in the light of our baptism? or our role as citizens? One need not reach agreement on any of these issues to appreciate that such a discussion can foster deeper and more authentic community in the church.

Conversation’s Benefits
In the introduction, James Childs lists some advantages of conversation: “enhanced relationships through fair communication; learning the skills of listening; seeing more clearly the complexity and ambiguity of matters in dispute; overcoming fears, suspicions, stereotypes and prejudices through interpersonal encounter; growth in mutual understanding, trust, respect and friendship; growth in self-understanding by critically examining and clarifying our values and stances.”

In the Authors’ Forum at the end, Martha Ellen Stortz says, “We have tried to offer elements of a faithful conversation but – and I think this is equally important – we have tried to offer it as an exercise in faithful conversation…. My experience in this project is that we have each learned from one another, respected one another’s positions, and come out in a different place than where we were when we entered.” These comments offer appropriate bookends for a very provocative work.

Juli Thompson, an ELCA pastor on leave from call, works part time as a neighborhood minister at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is also working on a doctorate in church history at the University of Virginia.