I’ve been thinking about a classic “blonde” joke. Two blondes are on opposite sides of a river. The first blonde shouts to the second blonde, “Hey, how’d you get on the other side of the river?” The second blonde looks a bit confused and shouts back, “What do you mean? YOU’RE on the other side of the river!” These days my church is much divided. I am an Episcopalian – the American branch of the Anglican Church. Should you follow the bits of information that actually make it into the news, you will know that globally, there is tension between churches in the global south and the churches of the US and Canada; within our own church (ECUSA) there are dioceses that are “leaving” to realign with some of these other churches; even in this diocese, The Diocese of Northern Michigan, there are debates occurring over who and how we will select our next bishop to replace the late Jim Kelsey. What does this have to do with blondes along a river? Well, it seems to me that both sides see the other as being on the wrong side of the river, as it was. Dialogue does not seem to occur. We are rapidly losing our “middle way.” The end result may very well be schism. It wouldn’t be the first and probably won’t be the last. The Anglican Church was formed by schism. It was under the guidance of Elizabeth I, trying to end the bloodshed in England and move forward, that the concept of the middle way took root – in her case between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants maneuvering for power. This division that plagues the church is evident in a number of blogs I visit. It makes me wonder how the internet affects this pervasive division. Even beyond the scope of the church – think red state vs. blue state, Obama vs. McCain. The same intense divisiveness is present – “No, YOU’RE on the wrong side of the river!!!” As wonderful as the internet is for linking us up – I am regularly communicating now with folks in England, Louisiana, Mexico, etc. -- perhaps it also makes it easier for us to form opposing camps, pass along our own propaganda, laugh at our own witty jokes at the other side’s expense, and feel superior. We are all doing it. I challenge any readers I may have to strive to maintain an open and accepting mind – that doesn’t mean mindlessly agree, but rather, to work hard to keep the humanity present in your opposition – the country desperately needs this way of thinking, my church especially needs this, but in the end we all need this – the future of humanity is dependant on reconciliation and community. Peace.
1 week ago
