@nate_nims Amen. My heart just breaks when incidents like Pittsburgh happen. Where is Jesus when you are breaking a chalice on protest?
— Shawn Foles (@sfoles) April 25, 2012
This led to a 15-20 minute discussion in which folks very appropriately and respectfully submitted how they felt it was not inappropriate. After having the discussion, I don't feel any differently about the action itself. I still think it's reprehensible, but I am better able to understand the motivations of someone who would do such a thing. I don't agree with it, but at least see why they would feel led to do such a thing.The discussion about this action led to discussions about the nature of communion itself and why the church does it. I found myself being first drawn back to the Bible. The point was discussed that the church made it a sacrament which I oppose on the grounds of 3 of the Gospels as well as Paul's letter to the Corinthians. After the Bible I found myself coming back to the beautiful words of John Wesley
it would be useful carefully to read over those passages in the Gospel, and in the first Epistle to the Corinthians [1 Cor. 11], which speak of the institution of it. Hence we learn that the design of this sacrament is, the continual remembrance of the death of Christ, by eating bread and drinking wine, which are the outward signs of the inward grace, the body and blood of Christ. It is highly expedient for those who purpose to receive this, whenever their time will permit, to prepare themselves for this solemn ordinance by self-examination and prayer.
I say that not to say that I was right, but that this conversation forced me to dig into my Bible and to dig into the words of John Wesley who Methodist claim a heritage with. I was feeling the Spirit move amongst us. Despite our differences, I think all involved came away with a further appreciation for all sides of the issues. I wish such a level of Holy Conferencing occurred on a daily basis at General Conference.At the end of our discussion the gentlemen still disagreed with me and I with them, but that's part of Holy Conferencing. You don't have to come in with the attitude you have to fix each other. You come in open to ideas and willing to listen to someones views without thinking about how you can convince them you are right and they are wrong. We have lost that ability. The UMC I love seems a lot more like Congress where one side has to win and one side has to loose rather than moving as close as we can to the middle ground and getting to a point where we say "this is as middle as I think we are going to get. I respect your opinion but disagree, blessings to you". Back to the earlier story. The chalice sat broken all weekend. Eventually it was mended and placed back together on the table. Dare I say it served just as powerful a message as the message of communion itself. It says that we are all in need of forgiveness. We all occasionally act drastically when we are passionate about something without thinking how it will affect others. It says we are all broken.
Photo by Mike Dubose from UMNS
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