Reflections on Freedom (July 4)

Today is July 4th and causes me a lot of reflection, as do most things these days. But it especially gives me pause especially about the Church that I have chosen to life my discipleship life in: The Episcopal Church. Over the past few months (heck, years) we have been derided for our independent spirit, and our revolutionary work. Be it the ordination of women, the consecration of Bishop Gene of New Hampshire, or the blessing of folks who are only doing their best to live the precepts of the Gospel, we are one revolutionary place to be. We are a mishmash of folks who range from seething fundamentalist all the way to tree-hugging revisionists, but we are all together. Most of us, fortunately, find ourselves on the via media (the "Middle Way"). No matter what we will always join together at the table.

Just a reminder to the folks who think that America's church is off kilter. We were founded during the revolutionary days of the United States, 1789 to be exact - just thirteen years after the Declaration of Independence, and only a few years after the signing of the Constitution. We were revolutionary even then. Our Church refused the demand for our Bishops to sign a loyalty oath to the Queen. What did we do? We figured it out. The Holy Spirit led us to the Scottish Nonjuror Bishops who didn't have to sign the loyalty oath. The American Church was condemned then. When in our 1789 Prayer Book we chose to include the Scottish Epiklesis (that is the invitation for the Holy Spirit to come into the Sacrament to make it the Body and Blood of Christ) we were branded as heretics. Then, some years later, Bishop Absalom Jones was consecrated, the first African American Bishop. We were resoundingly condemned then. And so the story goes. The Episcopal Church will always be what it is. Much as I don't like some of the revisionism and denial of fundamental tenets of Christianity by many Bishops, Priests and indeed laity, I am still committed to table fellowship with them. I still love them and appreciate them, even though I strongly disagree with them. Why? Because the Episcopal Church is the symbol of Christian Freedom in the World. We allow people to do what they need to do to live the Gospel as best they can. So, being revolutionary, being condemned is nothing new for us Episcopalians. We must charge forward into new territory and keep on being the Light of the World (Mt. 5:14).

Praise be to God for our Country, praise be to God for our Church!

Feast of Independence Day, 2008.