Where Does God's Love and Power End?

Where does God's love and power end? Does it end with a certain leader? Does it stop before it gets to people who do not share our politics? Are people who don't worship like I do or believe what I do beyond the pale ... beyond God's power and love?

I ask these questions because I fear there are many people in church and other faith groups today who believe that there are such limits to God's love and power.

I remember being approached by a lady in my former parish who was extremely challenged by the thoughts I expressed in my sermons and in discussions. For example, in a discussion with her I said I wouldn't be surprised to meet a Buddhist in heaven. She was apparently very shocked by this and wrote to the Bishop complaining that as a Christian minister I should not have express such a thought. She also was upset that in my sermons I expressed my belief in God's love and acceptance of homosexuals. She went so far as to tell the Bishop that I had been ordered by the Vestry not to express such thoughts about homosexuality in my sermons any more. She finally said that she had never heard me preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This certainly gave me a great deal to reflect on and pray about. I certainly hope the individual sitting just beside this lady in church and whose spouse was Buddhist heard the good news in my message. I also hope that the gay couple who recently joined the church was able to find the good news in the message I believe God gave me for that day.

I wonder if two people can hear the Gospel message differently as they did in our Lord’s day. Is it possible for one person to hear the Good News and for another to find it threatening because it calls upon them to change some behaviour or attitude? Could it be that this lady felt uncomfortable because some core part of my message had called upon her to realize that her views were not necessarily God’s views?

Sadly, I don't think this lady with her dislike of my theology and beliefs about God sits alone in our faith groups. I fear there are many others out there in our faith communities who believe it is their duty to express an opinion about who God can love and how God can love.

My prayer is that one day this lady, a preci0us child of God will discover the true Good News of God, that the Creator loves recklessly and generously. God's love even extends to her and to me as we are all children of the Holy One.

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Jesus, who has been sitting next to you as you read this now turns to you and asks: “What do you think? How will you respond?

Help for Religious Leaders

Help Us Support Clergy Who Have Been Mistreated or Denied Justice

The Rocky Mountain Center for Progressive Faith and Works Ltd is in the process of developing a Canada wide resource base to assist religious leaders of all faith groups who have been abused, denied natural justice, bullied, or denied fair access to the internal justice structures of faith groups.

We invite lay and ordained members of all faith to communities to help us in developing these resources by:

• sending us copies of faith group laws, rules and structures which you consider to be unjust, abusive or discriminatory;
• examples of progressive faith representatives whom you believe have been silenced by religious authorities;
• encourage individuals who believe they have experienced first hand such unjust treatment to send us their stories and any supporting documentation;
• provide us with the names, addresses and other contact of lawyers and legal firms who have had experience representing individuals who have experienced such injustice or have been treated unfairly and may be willing to do so again.
• the contact information for other individuals and groups who are engaged in a similar work.

It is helpful if this information can be provided to us by email or in a pdf or doc format.

We can be contacted at:

The Rocky Mountain Center for Progressive Faith and Works Ltd.

Frank Doe, B.E.S., M.Div. Director

340 Hoodoo Crescent

Canmore, Alberta T1W 1A9

1-403-678-5503

faithtowork@yahoo.ca

Other Helpful Links:

Pastors in Pain: A web site to help Christian ministers in pain.

http://www.pastorsinpain.com/

Pastoral Advocacy Center:

http://www.gardenministries.com/pastoral_advocacy_center.htm

Bullied and Abused Lives in Ministry:

http://www.balmnet.co.uk/

Clergy Abuse Net

http://www.clergyabuse.net/resources.html

Rocky Mountain Center for Progressive Christian Faith and Works Ltd

Share your story and suggestions with us. Please let others know about our site.

http://centerforprogressivefaithandworks.blogspot.com/

CAW - United Church Clergy Initiative

www.caw.ca/unitedclergy

Objectives of the Rocky Mountain Center for Progressive Faith and Works Ltd

March 2, 2007

• To encourage the reading and study of sacred scriptures and teachings and to explore other texts as may be deemed appropriate.
• To provide spiritual counseling, quiet days, retreats and worship opportunities.
• To support the work of other individuals and groups working to end poverty, seek social justice and peace and to promote the health of ecosystems and wildlife.
• To educate society through regular religious, social, political and environmental commentary.
• To provide worship opportunities and to assist groups in designing their own worship experiences.
• To provide acceptance, opportunities for prayer, healing and new growth for those who feel they have been rejected by their faith group.
• To advocate and provide support and assistance to clergy who believe they have been mistreated by the religous body they have served as well as provide opportunities for them to share their stories.
• Although the Center will not be licensed to perform marriages, it will offer to bless same sex relationships and design the ceremony in conjunction with those involved.

themysticalkurmudgen

faithtowork@yahoo.ca