Erwin McManusMosaicLos Angeles,California
Deal with it!
When something big happens in the world, I stop what I’m teaching and we deal with it. If we don’t, we make ourselves irrelevant. The church often avoids controversial issues, but people want to hear meaningful issues discussed.
I don’t think you’ve dealt with an issue intelligently until you can articulate both sides in an honest and respectful way, so people on both sides say, “Yeah, he gets it; he’s saying it the way I say it.” Even if their position is not “biblical” and you disagree, you get a fair hearing.
As Christians we often take good positions in poor ways. The answer is not “the Bible says so.” Absolutely I believe in the authority of the Scriptures, but that answer is superficial; it indicates you really haven’t thought through why the Bible says so.
I don’t try to answer the questions we’re asking, but the questions they’re asking. I start with the position farthest from a biblical position. I take that to its ultimate conclusion, help people process that, and then move to why God says what he says. Handling divergent opinions in that way, I help people understand that God’s position is healthy, and it’s right.
Cheryl SandersThird StreetChurch of GodWashington, D.C.
Public vs. pulpit debate.
Because I am also a professor of Christian ethics at a university-related divinity school, I engage divisive issues in the classroom, in the pulpit, and in the public sphere. I do not feel compelled to preach about every social problem I address as an ethicist. However, I try to be aware of the impact of such issues on my parishioners, and where relevant, I address them in church.
For example, I took a position against the proposed pre-emptive strike against Iraq several months before the invasion. I participated in an international press conference on the issue, and I signed a petition bearing the signatures of 100 Christian ethicists. I informed my congregation of my public position, but I did not preach a sermon on the issue of war. Instead, I searched the Scriptures and spoke to the war question in our weekly Bible study, and I consistently mentioned the conflict in my pastoral prayers.
I informed my congregation I had written a letter to the President. Once the war began, I responded to prayer requests from several parishioners whose loved ones were engaged in the conflict. So in my public prayers I pray for peace and for the safe return of the troops.
Ken FongEvergreenBaptist ChurchRosemead, California
Discourse on non-essentials.
Folks come to our church from many different traditions, so we have diverse ideology in our still-forming redemptive community.
Given the limitations baked into addressing such controversial issues from the pulpit, we rarely do so. Instead, we promote special forums apart from the worship service, where potentially divisive outside items can be discussed in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect.
This means ad hominem attacks—denigrating a person rather than disagreeing with a point of view—are off limits.
It’s easier said than done, but we encourage the understanding that, as Christians, we may read the same Bible but come to different conclusions on some matters.
When an issue directly affects church life, I will speak to it. One time I preached a pointed message on women in church leadership roles. Until I spelled out my position from the pulpit, there was much confusion and occasional conflict around this subject. I needed once and for all to state our church’s stance.
No one gave me grief after that. We’ve moved forward coherently.
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