That issue is the spirit of division, competition, and judgment between denominations and branches of Christianity. I remember even many years ago being concerned at the fact that my Catholic friends and neighbors, many of whom could clearly articulate the Gospel and were trying to live it out, were not really considered Christians according to what I've been preached. I'm not Catholic. I can't say that I agree with every point of doctrine. But I have met too many Jesus following Catholics to believe that they aren't doing God's work. The same goes for many denominations or branches I have never been, including Presbyterian, Anglican, Orthodox, and United Church of Christ.
Why am I writing this now when this is an age old problem? Because I have been seeing news lately about Third Way (churches that agree to disagree on some tertiary points of doctrine in order to keep serving Jesus together) and gay affirming (churches that interpret the semantics and historical context of the Bible not to condemn the current practice of same sex marriage) being labeled not Christian. Some of these groups have filed amicus briefs in the marriage equality cases to support same sex marriage and been decried for not upholding Scripture.
I commend careful interpretation and respect for the Bible. I am thankful to have grown up in a church that taught me its value and to have been involved in a parachurch organization in college that gave instruction in exegesis. That said, throughout the centuries, the church has allowed the beauty of the central narrative of the Bible - one that can richly inform us about the nature of God and humans and the relationship intended between them - to be undermined or ignored in favor of argument over details. Same sex marriage is but the most recent flavor. Eschatology (the study of end times), circumcision, alcohol use, and many other issues have been points of contention in the past that in some cases caused whole new denominations to pop up.
I understand the interpretation of those who believe my marriage is a sin and am familiar with the proposed Scriptural support for that position. Obviously, I don't agree, but I am able to see the argument. Too often, I get the feeling that people believe that this discussion is intractable, often because neither side is willing to keep an open mind until all the evidence is presented. In some cases, the stances I hear are untenable compromises, are not clearly explained, or rely on cliches that don't advance the discussion or the Gospel.
I hope to share a separate post soon on my church seeking experiences and ways to compassionately reach out to the LGBT community (hint: lambasting them about sexual sin immediately upon meeting them isn't it). I'm not saying there are no gay Christians. I count myself both gay and a Christ follower, and I truly see no conflict according to the teachings of Jesus. I am saying that many members of the LGBT community are understandably leery of the church. Some have remained unchurched because of past experiences. It is more productive to welcome them into the fold than to play musical chairs with those from slightly different backgrounds that we have convinced, one way or another, to change attendance.
If we believe that the central message of the Bible is one of a God who did not turn his back on humanity regardless of their behavior, and we believe that we are called to partner as a body to share that narrative, to me, the denominational divisions fade out of focus, like the background of a photo. They don't have to cease to exist, but neither do they deserve the same attention as the subject of our faith - Jesus.
I will leave you with a favorite quote from Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children (yes, I see the irony in this choice of source):
Do not let this happen! Do not permit the endless duality of masses-and-classes, capital-and-labour, them-and-us to come between us! We must be a third principle, we must be the force which drives between the horns of the dilemma; for only by being other, by being new, can we fulfil the promise of our birth!
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