Becoming Community

Meeting in the Intersection of Truth and Love

Olivia A. Phillips

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9781666716375
  9781666716382
• eBook ISBN:
  9781666716399
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

How we minister matters--especially to those who have already been hurt by the church. Instead of ministering out of God's love and compassion, the church has often ministered to the Queer community out of a deep-rooted fear. Why do we administer hatred instead of allowing the balm of the Holy Spirit's tender care to define our actions? The integrity of the gospel message has been hurt by the way many of us have wielded the power we have been given. Becoming Community is a call for us to renew our Christian commitment to social responsibility and justice as a primary focus of the church. We must challenge the practices and visions which we hold most important in our communities. Are our ministries truly inclusive to all who would seek to find solace at the feet of Christ? Regardless of whether a person might adopt a philosophy of affirmation or denial of queer practices as God-honoring, one trait must remain in our response: inclusion. Without intentionally inclusive language, care, and practice, can the church live up to the higher calling that we have been given? Is it possible for every individual to be genuinely included in our communities?

Part One

Setting the Stage for Informed Ministries

Chapter 1

Sexual Identity and the Church

A Historical View of Sexual Identity and the Church

Church, State, and Matters of Sexual Identity

Moral values within North American families and relationships have been deeply influenced by the role of the church in our communities. Families seeking to hold celebrations of new life and marriages look to the church out of tradition and expectation. As two nations founded by the former citizens of Christian nations, we have experienced a great leisure in the general perception of the church.

North American churches are unilaterally facing changes in their role of social governance. There is a space between Canadian and American values that must be addressed as we set the tone for our discussion. The expected moral compass of the church continues to be a relatively consistent pattern within much of the United States, but the standard in Canada has long since ventured from this traditional and expected role of the church. In Canada, other religions have stepped into the forefront of our communities, and it is no longer only our voice in the vacuum of spiritual care. This was most notable during the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic when it was not Christians, but Sikhs who rose to the challenge and fed thousands in Toronto who had no income to support themselves or their families.

Two major differences exist between the Canadian and American relationships of church and state. In addressing the nature of their interactions in each country, it can primarily be noted that unlike the Unites States, Canada was not founded on religious principles, but rather on the independent values of diversity, freedom, and equality. This intrinsic separation of church and state has come more naturally in Canada than what is currently happening in the United States. This fundamental difference likely contributes to the impression that Canada is far more progressive or liberal as a nation.

The second fundamental difference that exists between these two North American nations is the sense of social responsibility that is inherent in Canadian culture—a practice which is often misidentified as socialist. While the broader American culture venerates heritage, the broader Canadian culture embraces culpability and makes reparations for the past atrocities that have been committed in the name of diversity, freedom, and equality.

These differences are not shown to paint one nation as a utopian society—clearly that would not be a vision of reality. Instead, I simply mean to highlight the common practice that exists in each nation within each context of ministry. More importantly, this comparison helps us to identify the kind of responses that we must address moving forward in our ministries to communities which we have isolated and ostracized because of their sexual or gender identities.

History is not without examples that can be applied to the current question of sexuality and the church. Dr. William Webb, among other scholars, has suggested that issues of sexual identity should be compared scripturally and socially to the historical issues of slavery and women’s rights.1 These may seem to be strange connections to make, but when we look at their progressions or patterns of teaching within Scripture, they can foster...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Part One: Setting the Stage for Informed Ministries
• Part Two: Avoiding Ministries That Kill Community
• Part Three: Ministries That Make a Difference
• Conclusion
• Questions for Personal Reflection
• Bibliography