OCA “Statement on Marriage”: Orthodox Christianity and the Culture Wars

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit” (Luke 6:43-44).

Last week, the Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)* released a communique** to all OCA parishes reaffirming the jurisdiction’s stance on marriage and why it can never accommodate “gay marriage.” The OCA hierarchy further issued a directive that parish property cannot be used for receptions for same-sex marriages. One would anticipate that the legality of denying LGBTQI persons the right to rent a parish social hall that is available for general public rental will likely be tested and decided in civil courts.

One must question the timing of the release of this communique. Could its timing be more insensitive following the recent massacre at Pulse in Orlando? Not to mention that June is PRIDE month, the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (June 28, 1969) and the first anniversary of the Supreme Court Obergefell decision (June 26, 2015) legalizing same-sex marriage in all fifty states?

The OCA hierarchs whine that they face a culture that’s growing more and more hostile, but such insensitive and unloving actions justifiably embolden their critics. It’s no wonder the culture, especially millennials, don’t see much reason to listen to their message or seek them out when times get tough. As purveyors of judgment and condemnation, why would anyone seek their guidance when experiencing a crisis or time of trouble?

Given how obsessed the clergy are with homosexuality, one would think there must be hundreds of scripture passages on the subject. In fact, there are only six traditional (negative) passages, and none of them speaks to the situation of twenty-first century gay people who desire to live in loving relationships with the blessing of God. If all same-sex relationships were sinful, it would be readily apparent from the fruit of those relationships. But if you’re fortunate enough to know a Christ-centered gay couple, you’ll notice these relationships are bearing good fruit in abundance — love, joy, peace, patience, and all the rest.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, young Huck’s father is thought to be dead, and a woman named Widow Douglas takes him in. Widow Douglas is portrayed as a kindly Christian who takes care of Huck out of goodness, with no thought of reimbursement. The Widow Douglas tries to “civilize” Huck, teaching him Bible stories and urging him to live a good life and pray often. She is a loving woman who studies her Bible and wants to always do the right thing. She is also a slave owner. For all her kindness and goodness, Widow Douglas reads the Bible the same way most of her friends do. She believes slavery is an institution approved by God. She sees nothing wrong with buying and selling people because her interpretation of the Bible tells her this is the proper role of those of European descent. In short, she allows her contextual prejudices to mold the way she reads the Bible. Only the most bigoted Christian today would argue today that the Bible endorses slavery, but Huck’s story illustrates how thoroughly we are creatures of our culture and how that culture can create prejudices that get in the way of what God wants to teach us.

Perhaps instead of condemning the loving relationships of LGBTQI persons and issuing hateful discriminatory communiques against them, the Church could actually start loving unconditionally and doing such remarkable things in the culture that the world would take notice of who these Orthodox Christians are and who the loving God is that they serve?

The hierarchs can cite antiquated patristic canons and debate about the meaning of this or that scriptural passage; the fact remains that I know monogamous, Christ-centered gay couples whose relationships are living proof of God’s blessing on them. Let us recall the words of our Lord Jesus: No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. It was the deciding factor for the early Christians (Acts 11:15-18), and should be the deciding factor for the contemporary Church.

*The monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America (OCCA), not the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).

**For those interested in reading the actual communique, please click here

from WordPress https://orthodoxcatholicmonastery.com/2016/06/24/oca-statement-on-marriage-orthodox-christianity-and-the-culture-wars/
via IFTTT