{"id":19798,"date":"2020-02-20T08:29:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T13:29:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/?p=19798"},"modified":"2020-02-20T09:11:17","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T14:11:17","slug":"st-michaels-centre-for-faith-action-annual-deans-lecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/st-michaels-centre-for-faith-action-annual-deans-lecture\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Michael’s Centre for Faith & Action Annual Dean’s Lecture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Presented by The Very Rev. Sean Major-Campbell in <\/strong>
The Frank Collymore Hall, Bridgetown, St. Michael
Barbados, February 11, 2020<\/strong>
Topic: The Christian Faith in the Public Square: Justice, Compassion, Humility  <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A COPY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction: Rastaman\nChant by Bob Marley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is such an honour\nand a special privilege for me to accept this generous invitation to share in\nthis distinguished lecture series. The advancement of public education and\nreligion is, indeed, a necessary component of the development of people in our\nCaribbean region.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We do this reflection within the context of the Judeo-Christian framework of theological reflection. However, it is to be noted that this goal of the St. Michael Centre for Faith and Action, says \u201creligion\u201d, and not necessarily which religion. This, in my view, is a good thing; since we live in a world with different religious views, practices, and perspectives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the challenges I often see, where I come from, is the assumption\nthat the only authentic religious expression is Christianity. Maybe a good\nfoundation for this lecture is John Hick\u2019s Copernican revolution. You remember\nCopernicus. He had the audacity to suggest that the Earth is not at the centre.\nInstead, he boldly asserted that the sun is at the centre, and that the planets\nrevolve around the sun. Students of history will recall that he was condemned\nby the church. How dare him, to suggest that man was not at the centre? And as\nis often the case, we in religion are prone to pontificating as if we alone\nhave all the answers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Hick invites us to a philosophical engagement that we do well to\nexplore this Copernican revolution applied to religion. We have been socialized\nto see our various religions at the centre. We must now rethink that schema and\nconsider God at the centre, with all the religions like the planets which\nrevolve around the sun, revolving around God! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it is also important in this kind of reflection to affirm freedom\nfrom religion, even as we affirm freedom of religion. This does not take away\nfrom our advancing religion and the values that we wish to teach, practice, and\npromote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the most beautiful persons whom I have met, with positive and life-enriching energy, have never been Christian or even religious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been asked to present theological perspectives on current public\nlife challenges in the Caribbean. My question for you though is, \u201cWhat are some\npublic life challenges that you are aware of in the Caribbean?\u201d  And this is not a rhetorical question. I\nexpect responses\u2026..  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Christian Faith in the Public Square: Justice, Compassion and\nhumility. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What comes to mind when you hear a topic such as: \u201cThe Christian\nFaith in the Public Square: Justice, Compassion and Humility\u201d<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe some persons do a snicker. \nMaybe some do an Lol. Maybe some ask the question, “why should\nChristian faith be in the public square? Still there may even be those who ask,\nhow dare you call the words justice, compassion, and humility with the\nChristianity that we encounter today, and even in history? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, let me declare at the outset that since we live in a plural world, characterized by various cosmologies, it is of necessity that we engage, and be engaged by religious perspectives and varying philosophical positions in the public square. Silencing Christian faith in the public square will not be the way to go. If anything, challenging Christian faith in conversation, will be a more beneficial experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us consider some definitions re the topic:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Faith, for the purposes of this lecture, must be clearly\nseparated from the crass American Evangelical movement that serves political\nagendas versus living under the inspiration of Jesus the Christ who understood\nhimself to be one who fulfilled Isaiah\u2019s prophecy: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke 4:18 \u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to\nproclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the\nprisoner and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favour.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Christianity I speak of, is the Jesus Movement that sought to\ninspire through living the mission of Jesus Christ in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public square is any space where civil society engages people. It\nmay be in a school, in the parliament, in the workplace, on the internet, in\ncyberspace, anywhere people are engaging matters of human interest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word \u2018justice\u2019 is an interesting one. It has been mentioned several\ntimes in the Book of Common Prayer, within the context of intercessory prayers.\nIt is largely informed by two Hebrew words, mishpat and tzedakah, with a\nparticular focus on tzedakah regarding right relationships. It is about\nrighteous living. How we live in relation to God, and to our fellow human\nbeings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compassion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because\nthey were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

splagchnizomai: to be moved in the inward parts, i.e. to feel\ncompassion. … have compassion. Middle voice from splagchnon; to have the\nbowels yearn, i.e. (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity — have (be moved\nwith) compassion. see GREEK splagchnon <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humility | Definition of Humility by\nMerriam-Webster<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humility: Its Use and Meaning. Humility means \u201cthe state of being\nhumble.\u201d Both it and humble have their origin in the Latin word humilis,\nmeaning “low.” Humble can be used to describe what is ranked low by\nothers, as in “persons of humble origins.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use humble to mean not pompous. Not grandiose and imperious. To put it\nin a Jamaican way \u2013 not behaving like a bull and duppy conquerer \u2013 or a bull in\na china shop. There are people who have weaponized religion and the bible. They\nfeel that if they can wave around a big bible and hit you over the head, then\nthey have secured their ticket into heaven. However, we are seeing a generation\nof young people who are reading and researching and they know that the church\nwith all its pompous preaching, has walked through the history of the\ntransatlantic slave trade and the attendant crimes against humanity during the\nholocaust of slavery, while holding the bible piously and feasting on holy\ncommunion, and still oppressing and hating and abusing and disregarding fellow\nhumanity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we are going to do justice, and act with compassion, we must humble\nourselves. There is enough evidence to prove that having religion is not a\nguarantee against the practice of injustice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will lean on reflections I have done in other areas, and not so much\non heavy academic quotes from a host of other thinkers; so please blame me for\nanything that sounds crazy. I will comment on such matters as various anti\nhuman rights stances \u2013 namely anti-sexual and reproductive rights positions,\nantiLGBT marches, stigma and discrimination, fashion show in church, and so\non\u2026.  So here goes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Church of England Comedy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some recent confusion in the Church of England may have been avoided, if\nonly the starting point were a responsible engagement of Christianity in the\npublic square, informed by justice, compassion, and humility.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Guardian (International Edition) of Thursday,\nJanuary 30, 2020<\/a>, states, \u201cThe archbishops of Canterbury and York have apologised over a\nstatement issued by Church of England bishops last week which declared that\nonly married heterosexuals should have sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin Welby and John Sentamu said they took responsibility for\nreleasing the statement which \u201cjeopardised trust\u201d. They added: \u201cWe are very\nsorry and recognise the division and hurt this has caused.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The archbishops\u2019 statement did not retract the substance of the \u201cpastoral\nguidance\u201d issued by the bishops, but implied it should not have been issued\nwhile the C of E is in the midst of a review of its teaching on sexuality and\nmarriage.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day there was a crude, unthoughtful, and crass heteronormative\npresentation in service of patriarchal biases. The next day, there was a\nrecognition that an apology was in order. Interestingly, on the day of the\nrelease, I posted the news item to my page, under the words, “Bishop’s\ncomedy”.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a reason why I do not engage the media when asked to comment on\nthe matter of gay marriage. I do not, because to do so in Caribbean contexts is\nto derail a necessary conversation around the broader, if not more important\nsubject of human sexuality.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is difficult to speak to matters that have not been sufficiently\nexplored with the latest available information in the areas of gender and\nsexual diversity.  We are calling on\nclergy and church leaders to navigate spaces of critical thinking which have not\nbeen engaged outside of just a traditional view. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saying that sex is just for straight married couples is at best a joke.\nIn truth, it is okay to hold this as a faith position if one wishes to do\nso.  However, in the public square, where\npeople already know that the morality of an individual may not be correctly\ndetermined by that person’s marital status, gender, or sexual orientation, we\nrun the risk of affirming an already held view of irrelevance on the part of\nthose who speak in the name of church.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More of us in church should remember that one of the earliest converts\nto Christianity was a sexual minority \u2014 the Ethiopian Eunuch \u2014 who was not\nmarried; never had a woman; never had children, and would have met with much\ndisdain in our Caribbean church. In accordance with the Kingdom of God ethic of\nimpartiality, God’s family would be incomplete without those deemed queer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We in the church cannot expect to be taken seriously when we make\ncomments such as some of those seen in a protest held in Port of Spain under\nthe name, \u201cTrinidad Cause\u201d. I wrote to the Trinidad News Day to share some\nreflection on expressions which Christians use in the public square, which are\nnot helpful. Even worse, these statements fail to make sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ref to Trinidad Cause<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is with sadness that I reflect on the state of the Caribbean\nchurch as I look at the march staged by TT Cause against a minority group which\nbelongs to the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At best, the march is an excellent affirmation of democracy being\nalive and well in TT. It is also good to see members of the church being\nconfident in expressing their views publicly in a country that clearly protects\nreligious freedom and the diverse nature of their plural society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, it is embarrassing to see fellow Christians\ngetting so much wrong with regards to what were supposed to be Christian\nmessages. Some of the placards betrayed the ignorance prevailing in the church\nand the willingness of genuine believers who get led astray as they support\nmessages which they have not critically assessed themselves. Let us have a look\nat some of these unfortunate statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProtect children; keep the buggery law.\u201d<\/strong> Even conservative thinkers would agree that this makes no sense.\nChildren should always be protected, whether or not there is a buggery law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t remove the buggery law. Consider the children.\u201d<\/strong> This is another excellent example of post hoc fallacy. It\nsuggests that having the buggery law causes the protection of children. One\ndoes not have to be a progressive thinker to understand that correlation is not\ncausation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also one that paraded, \u201cGod\u2019s law is truth.\u201d<\/strong>\nMaybe it is time for the church throughout the Caribbean to appreciate that the\nrole of democracy in a plural society is never to determine \u201cGod\u2019s law\u201d or\n\u201cGod\u2019s truth.\u201d Our governments do not do governance by theocracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like how this provides an excellent example of, yet again, the\npost hoc argumentation used by TT Cause. \u201cWe are a nation under God. We\ncannot go forward without him \u2026 Keep the buggery law.\u201d<\/strong> Anyone who is into\nchurch language and culture will readily find appeal in the first two statements.\nHow many will however realize that the last statement has absolutely nothing to\ndo with the former two?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there is, \u201cProtect the natural family. Keep the buggery\nlaw.\u201d<\/strong> What is the natural family? Is it the extended family or the blended\nfamily or the nuclear family or the mixed family? What is this? How does \u201ckeep\nthe buggery law\u201d protect any family? By the way, which families produce a gay\nchild?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By now readers would have got the trend of the fallacies. I will,\ntherefore, not elaborate on \u201cFamily first. Keep the buggery law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPoliticians defend our freedom and our constitution.\u201d<\/strong> Yes. This should always be promoted. Note though, that this\napplies to all the citizens of TT. The call to \u201cProtect freedom of speech\u201d must,\nof necessity, apply to all citizens too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did the holder of this placard \u201cNo to cultural colonialism\u201d<\/strong>\nmake any sense of it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The time has come for us to bring critical thinking to our\nChristian heritage and seek more to follow the early Jesus movement versus the\ncrass fundamentalism being spread by American evangelicalism which has lost its\nway.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PLURAL\nSOCIETY <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I carry a burden which I would challenge my sisters and brothers\nin the space and experience of Church to consider with me. We see what has been\nhappening in a world gone mad from irresponsible conservative thinking which\nhas used religion as a bedrock for right wing politics. We see the increasing\npain and confusion from the unbridled drama within the arenas of various\npolitical leaders across the globe.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is for a time such as this that in contexts where the Church\nhas a loud voice it ought to seek intentionally to be a source of healing and\nstrength, in the midst of division and confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some hold the view that human rights are antithetical to the Bible.<\/em>\nOthers hold the view that human rights came from the Bible<\/em>.\nHow might we in a plural society, though, act for the good of all,\nregardless of views<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the Church’s role in any democracy is an interesting\nexercise, given its history of being inclined more to a preoccupation with\nbeing dogmatic, theocratic, autocratic, and if we are not careful, even\ntyrannical in an effort to present a bias that has been accorded divine status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, there is the matter of religious extremism which also\nobtains in various expressions of the Church. Let us not forget that the church\nhas been alive and well in places where racism, slavery, apartheid, and various\ncrimes against humanity have also been alive and well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pre-modern political thinkers were enthused with the notion of\n\u201cthe good\u201d and what characterized this \u201cgood\u201d. They also tasked themselves with\nthe challenge to identify those whom they considered were in possession of the\ncapacity for this good, the objective being to get these individuals into\npositions of power and influence as they sought to create change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came the problem of the realization that there may be\ncompeting ideas about \u201cthe good\u201d. It is not a secret that, certainly in terms\nof Protestantism and Catholicism, the definition of good was determined by the\nside on which you stood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you imagine? Pre-modern thinkers such as Plato, St Augustine,\nAristotle, St Thomas Aquinas, and Luther did not always agree on what was the\ngood. Imagine, Aquinas thought it was okay to have stubborn heretics put to\ndeath. John Calvin was comfortable with the execution of dissidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without going into too much history, I am sure we see that a\nnumber of our pre-modern political thinkers were not tolerant at all with\nregards to a plural society. The idea of toleration, which informs the notion\nof tolerance we speak of today, is informed by democratic political theory\nwhich invites thinking in the interest of a plural society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the Church is to be a credible voice in national and regional\ndevelopment it will, of necessity, have to be a critical voice that is informed\nby critical thinking which seeks not to promote one’s bias regarding \u201cthe\ngood\u201d, important though that bias may be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The area of political thinking, which is to serve the interests of\na plural society, should never be preoccupied with questions of the ultimate:\nDoes God exist? What happens after death? Which day is Sabbath? Where does evil\ncome from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put this another way, the critical voice of the Church in\nnational and regional development must, of necessity, be focused instead on how\nwe may facilitate a respectful and protected space for all members of the\nsociety in so far as they do not breach the rights of others in terms of\nliberty and justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating change is an act of necessity in every age. However,\nnecessary change is often affected by the pace and dictates of dominant voices.\nMay we steer clear of prejudice and stereotyping, popular though this might be\nwith normative positions and political biases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Another topical issue\nacross the Caribbean is that of the sexual and reproductive health rights of\nwomen. It is not sufficient for us to just close the conversation with\nanti-abortion statements. Maybe terms such as pro-life and pro-choice should\nremain in their political categories, since they are often used to determine\nmutually exclusive positions.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good starting point might be some questions which are not new,\nbut which have not been sufficiently engaged. Is the foetus’ integrity\ncompromised by a genetic illness? Is the foetus deformed? Is the mother’s life\nat risk? Is an underage mom ill-equipped to care for a baby? Is a pregnancy the\nresult of rape? Is a pregnancy the result of incest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who would best determine the choice of a woman whose health, life,\nsafety, human dignity, and autonomy are honoured when it comes to making a\ndecision regarding the mother, concerning abortion? Should the life of the\nfoetus ever take precedence over that of the mother?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to challenging ethical and moral decision-making,\nthere is value in seeking the collective wisdom of different disciplines.\nMedicine, psychology, theology, law, human rights, and gender concerns, for\nexample, ought to contribute to this conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If access to safe abortion is denied, and statistical data\nindicate that, in such instances, the likelihood of a mother’s dying is\nincreased, would this not amount to a potential threat to her right to life?\nIf, after professional counselling, and any objective considerations, should\nnot the woman’s right to making a decision be protected?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seems most appropriate for the woman to be the final\ndecision-maker in the matter since she is the greater burden bearer; since she\nreally bears the challenge alone; since her physical, psychological, and\nemotional investments would far outweigh that of the father, doctor, pastor,\nand so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The place and voice of the woman’s conscience ought to be\nrespected. The wider community of health professionals, faith leaders, and\npolitical stakeholders have an obligation to educate and empower her with any\ninformation which would assist her in making a choice in what she understands\nto be her interest – physically, mentally, emotionally, economically, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In matters of faith, dogma has no interest in the position of\nconscience. At any rate, dogma and various theological platitudes seek to speak\nfor, and on behalf of, some philosophical\/faith position which, in the final\nanalysis, does not have any interest in the lonely road of a woman who is faced\nwith all the challenges leading her to seek an abortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transcends\nreligious boundaries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no Caribbean territory that is a theocracy, and as such,\nlaws ought to be determined by the State and not by any religious group. The\nconcerns facing women and their reproductive health rights transcend religious\nand cultural boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they had an informed choice, enhanced by legislative support,\nwould 78,000 women die annually as a result of unsafe abortion practices or\nlack of medical accountability or ‘open’ post-abortion care?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they had legally undergirded choice possibilities, would any of\nthe 78,000 women who die annually as a result of unsafe abortion practices\nattend clinics which do not have the benefit of any governmental oversight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they had protected reproductive rights, would any of the 78,000\nwomen who die annually as a result of unsafe abortion practices have sought\npost-abortion care – since the risk of criminal charges would have been absent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To deny a woman access to safe and legal abortion is clearly an\naffront to ethical health practices; respect for self-determination; and most\nof all, the woman’s right to life. Safe and legal abortion ought not to be just\na physical procedure exercised under law. It should, of necessity, include the\nbenefit of informed counsel with the possibility of a multidisciplinary\napproach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I add my\nvoice to advocacy, not for ‘abortion-on-demand’, but for promoting the\nreproductive health rights of women, promoting the voice of reason, promoting\nthe dignity of life, and promoting respect for the ability of the oppressed to\nmake their own choices. After all, these are some of the most Christian things\nwe may do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your plans for Holy Week in 2020? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Christians will celebrate the Passion of the Christ. Many\nwill recall the accounts of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a time when movies, plays, sermons, and liturgies speak to\nthe crucifixion with all the gore of beating, nailing, bleeding, and dying.\nThere is much focus on the death of Jesus the Christ on the ancient symbol of\ncondemnation, shame, and death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wonder, though, if we have become so focused on the death of\nJesus, while ignoring the death of our fellow citizens, fellow sisters and brothers,\nwho die, or worse, suffer their whole life under oppression?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is mind-boggling that some who cry while watching a movie on\nthe Passion of Christ could not care less about violence against women and\nchildren, or the law’s negligence in having not defined rape in gender-neutral\nand object-neutral terms; or the gross disregard for the reproductive and\nhealth rights of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a likelihood that religion satisfies in some persons a\nneed to cry about pain and death, while they ignore the present reality of\npeople in their suffering, confusion, loneliness, pain, and dying?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without denying the historical account of Jesus’ crucifixion, I\nwonder if the time has come for the Cross to be tagged with some post notes\nbringing focus to the current pains and struggles of people living with and\namong us? Maybe in the veneration of the Cross, we might be more realistically\nmoved if we placed some notes on that cross or at the foot of that cross. Notes\nwith words such as: abused children, forgotten homeless, stigmatized gays,\ncondemned transgender, oppressed LGBT persons, abused men, abused women,\nbattered wives, battered husbands, your name, my name, Jamaica, Barbados,\nGuyana, those in prison, those falsely accused, molested children, children in\nneed of care and protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Who are the oppressed here in Barbados? Who would complain\nmost about being treated with disregard, and a lack of compassion? Who will\nwalk the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday? Who will be in tears? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who speaks up for Rastafarians when the church school wants a\nchild\u2019s locks to be cut off? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who speaks up for the protection of those folks who wish to use\ntheir medicinal cannabis in peace? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you see the tears of women who have been robbed of the right to\nmake challenging decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health\nrights? Do you hear the cry of children who continue to be victims of corporal\npunishment, and incest, and rape, emotional abuse, etc.? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Via Dolorosa is trodden by children who are crying out for\nhelp, screaming, and you hear, since you are just next door. But you remain\nsilent. You will, however, cry on Good Friday for Jesus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your practice of religion or spirituality or politics or civil\nsociety work is not helping you to become a better person and equipping you to\nbuild a better human community, you are wasting your time and that of others!\nPrayer and piety are nothing without love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

May we, indeed, wash the feet or serve in love, all those we\nprofess to love, remembering that in as much as we have done it unto the least,\nwe do it unto Christ and, indeed, for the good of all humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A timely reminder from Christine Mowry\nLaCugna, writing in 1991, God for us: The Trinity and the Christian Life. San\nFrancisco, Harper Collins) <\/a>is \u201cLiving the Trinitarian faith means living as\nJesus Christ lived: preaching the gospel; relying totally on God; offering\nhealing and reconciliation; rejecting laws, customs and conventions that place\npersons beneath rules; resisting temptation; praying constantly; eating with\nmodern day lepers and other outcasts; embracing the enemy and the sinner; dying\nfor the sake of the gospel if it is God\u2019s will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you speak Christianity in the public square, what does it\nsound like? What does it look like? How liberating is it? Recently we saw a big\nshake from a 7.7 earthquake which rocked Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the\nBahamas, even part of Miami, Haiti, Belize and other places. Did you hear the\nresponse of one Legislator in the Cayman Islands? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Caymanian Compass reported that \u201cMLA Eden calls earthquake,\ncoronavirus \u2018warnings\u2019 over gay lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legislator Anthony Eden moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly on\nFriday to affirm Christian values, an action he described as a direct response\nto debate over same-sex partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He advised that natural disasters and disease could be viewed as\n\u201cwarnings\u201d against expanded rights for same-sex couples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Speaker, once the flood gates are opened, what will happen in\nCayman? How are we going to stop it? A little population of less than 70,000\nbuilt on Christian values. We have been warned over the years,\u201d Eden said on\nFriday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He then listed hurricanes Gilbert, Ivan and Paloma as having been such\nwarnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust earlier this week, Mr. Speaker, an earthquake \u2013 the strongest\ntremor that I\u2019ve known in my 75 years \u2013 hit these islands. There\u2019s SARS. AIDS\nhas been there over the years, gradually taking out many people. And now we\nhear of the coronavirus, recently declared a global emergency by the World Health\nOrganization,\u201d Eden continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve seen what\u2019s happened. We better take warning of what\u2019s going\non.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eden\u2019s private members motion, seconded by MLA Alva Suckoo, seeks \u201cto\naffirm that expressions of Christian doctrine and scriptures by Christian organisations\nand individuals is a right protected by the Cayman Islands Constitution Order\n2009\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI brought this motion in light of the atmosphere of tension and concern\nin regards to same-sex marriage and what it could lead to in the Cayman\nChristian and religious community and the values that we have grown to accept\nover the decades and decades as taught by our families,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChristian preachers [abroad] are not allowed to refer to the biblical\nteaching as not supporting same-sex marriage and LGBTQ lifestyles, and it is\ntermed, as we hear so often, Mr. Speaker, \u2018hate speech\u2019 and can be prosecuted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen this propaganda in our own local newspapers when we try to\nspeak up for the values of what we\u2019ve been taught in our lifetime, that what\nwe\u2019re saying is \u2018hate speech\u2019. It\u2019s not \u2018hate speech\u2019, Mr. Speaker. It comes\nfrom the Bible that I read frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, before anyone rushes to quarrel with the Legislator, please note\nthat there are pastors who continue to teach that earthquakes are caused by lesbians!\nPlease do not ask me how they know that lesbian sex is earth-shaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homophobia and misogyny have no place in any country which seeks to\nserve the work of goodwill for all people within the community of nations. When\nsomeone has such a history of oppressive preaching, causing pain and insult to\ngender and sexual minority concerns, those with power and influence should seek\nto represent what is in the best interest of building community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prejudicial statements promote stigma and discrimination. Stigma and\ndiscrimination interfere with positive health and dignity for people living\nwith HIV\/AIDS. The prevailing evidence shows that where this is common, the\nfight against the spread of HIV is further challenged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FASHION SHOW IN CATHEDRAL<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An item of earth-shaking news was that of swimsuits in the Holy Trinity\nCathedral of Port of Spain, Trinidad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The swimsuit dimension to the designer show in the Holy Trinity\nCathedral of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, interestingly brings into\nfocus some perspectives which we may not be ready to hear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be clear, Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev. Shelly-Ann Tenia (a\nprogressive thinker by the way), did not agree to such a presentation. The\norganizers were aware of what was expected according to the Dean\u2019s comments. It\nis reasonable, then, to observe that as a matter of principle, they breached\nthe confidence that was so generously bestowed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are those who were quick to condemn and speak of desecration.\nMight we, however, take pause and ask, \u201cwhat desecration?\u201d In the scheme of\nthings, one understands that there is a time and place for everything, so to\nspeak. One does not expect the precincts of a church to be confused with a\ncatwalk or the beach. In the midst of all this though, might there be a deeper\nreflection to be engaged?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many from the space of church have, over the years, attended carnival\nand have also enjoyed the pulsating rhythms of the ever beautiful Calypso and\nSoca. Now the reverse occurred. The land of carnival and Calypso entered the\nspace of church. Did the appearances of nudity awaken the Judeo-Christian\nanxiety over nakedness and human flesh? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Might creative license have crossed a line that it does not know when it\nbrought nature into the building we know as church? Beautiful bodies made by\nGod, were adorned with beautiful couture made by human hands. With these they\npresented themselves, their lives, and their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I am not about to suggest a repeat of the event here, is it okay\nto acknowledge that the Cathedral was not desecrated? In the prophetic\ntradition, it is not skimpy clothing that offends the divine. Instead, it is\ninjustice! There are far worse things that take place in churches across the\nworld every day. And there is no outcry unless these things become public. In\nfact, even when they are public, many still try to do a cover up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cannot help wondering, what might have been the response if say a\ngroup of men did a dance, in the Cathedral, clad only in shorts? More likely,\nthis would not have evoked any anger. To what extent does this speak to our\nreligiously socialized contempt for femaleness and displays of the feminine in\nthe presence of patriarchal power and prestige? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clutching of pearls is understandable. May we, however, now step\nback, take our eyes off those beautiful abs, electrifying hips, quintessential\nboobs, and look at self (albeit less endowed), and enter within our thoughts.\nWhat really matters here? Does God care about our outcry if we remain silent on\nmatters of justice? May we, indeed, seek even more to act justly, love mercy,\nand walk humbly with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Caribbean region has had a long history of oppressive teachings in\nthe name of church and evangelism. We now need to facilitate healing and protection\nfrom further division, pain, and tragedy that is often motivated by characters\nwith a history of preaching hate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the things I have observed while doing services around the\nCaribbean, is that group that only sits in pews at the back of the church. I\neventually learned that some of them do that because they are in common law\nunions. When are we going to be honest and help people to understand that\nmarital status is not what makes love and commitment? When are we going to stop\ntreating people like second class citizens on account of their marital status? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until we recognize that morality has never been determined by marital\nstatus, we may find it difficult to accept that we should be holding men and\nwomen accountable for their families, whether or not they walked down the aisle\nand signed a piece of paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our bid to sound holy in the public square, we must beware of\ndiminishing the humanity of our fellow human beings. We have a message to tell,\nto the nations. However, we run the risk of losing the message when people are\nothered and despised.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Church in the public square should add its voice to affirming the\nplace of the Caribbean Court of Justice in the quest for a Caribbean that\nspeaks for the Caribbean, acts for the Caribbean, and pronounces justice in the\nname of the peoples of the Caribbean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity in the public square should be heard in advocacy for\nHaitians who were deported from the Bahamas in the aftermath of the\ncatastrophic hurricane, back to Haiti on a day when there was civil unrest and\nshooting in the streets of Port Au Prince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity in the public square should be calling on England to stop\nthe injustice of double punishment when it deports those who grew up in its\nsystem and served their time in prison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity in the public square should speak up for the strangers in\ntheir midst, especially refugees, who are only seeking safety as fellow human\nbeings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity in the public square then, must be a voice for the good of\nall. The church must be that organization that exists for those who are not its\nmembers. It ought, like Jesus Christ her Lord, to look at the multitudes with\ncompassion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Church is not called to partisan politics. It is on mission for the\nKingdom of God! For too long, the elite of the church has enjoyed an unholy\nalliance with Babylon. Whenever the church is selective about its preaching and\nteaching in sensitivity to civil politics, it is serving Babylon. Whenever it\nremains silent in the face of human suffering, it is serving Babylon. Whenever\nit is silent about the oppression of minority groups, it has lost its savour.\nWhenever it is silent about the abuse of children, maybe it should be closed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many years ago, I encountered a woman who walked into church while I was\nthere sitting alone, in preparation for Bible study. She was dressed in a\ntwo-piece bikini bathing suit. She came and sat directly in front of me. I\nengaged her in conversation and discovered that she was suicidal. Did she\ndesecrate the church upon entry into the building? I was able to facilitate a\ncourse of therapy and support for her. What if upon seeing her, I reprimanded\nher and directed her back through the door? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am not suggesting a change of wardrobe for church goers. However, I\nwould challenge us to see people and not clutch pearls over their garments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometime ago, I invited a transgender man and a sex worker to address\nthe congregation at Christ Church in Vineyard Town, Jamaica. On that occasion,\nI also washed the feet of two lesbians. The idea was to place a face on our\nfellow human beings. Too often in church we demonize others because we have\nfailed to follow Jesus in respectfully engaging the foreigner at the well, and\naffirming the good in the foreigner who is the Good Samaritan, and applauding\nthe foreigner who was filled with gratitude after being healed of leprosy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Jesus did most of his ministry in the public square. It\nseems to me that we would be accurate in suggesting that Jesus\u2019 ministry was\nabout justice, compassion, and humility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if we understood more about Paul\u2019s reflection with the Philippians?\nChapter 2: 5 In your\nrelationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God\nsomething to be used to his own advantage;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a\nservant,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

being made in human likeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming\nobedient to death\u2014even death on a cross! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus \u2013 preaching Christ. The mission \u2013 following Christ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A humble and repentant church has an important role to play in the\npublic square. We need to spend more time understanding our language and\nappreciating that there is good news that the church has, which a broken world\nstill needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I find pertinent, some words from Walter Wink in\nhis text, Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of\nDomination<\/a>, \u201cGod at one and the same time upholds a given political or\neconomic system<\/strong>, since some such system is required to support human life; condemns\nthat system<\/strong> insofar as it is destructive to full human actualization; and presses\nfor transformation<\/strong> into a more human order. Conservatives stress the first;\nrevolutionaries stress the second, reformers the third. The Christian is\nexpected to hold together all three. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Church has no more right to the public square than the rest of the\nhuman community. The public square as the term suggests is wherever members of\nthe public meet. The church has a message of healing and change for the world.\nOur alien language is worth engaging since, even in the church, we run the risk\nof forgetting what we are about when we become preoccupied with selfish motives\nand desires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who are not part of the church, do have the capacity to pause and\nhear that there is actually convergence of purpose. Sadly, much of what obtains\nin crass American televangelism has watered down what the faith really is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something that many have heard expressed in eloquent theological\nlanguage, is worth our simplifying in the public square. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incarnation. Kingdom of God. Redemption.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you attended a Festival of nine lessons and carols over the\nAdvent\/Christmas season, you would have heard that John reading that states\nthat the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. It is an interesting way of\ntelling us that in Christ, the physical and the spiritual are one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you hear someone treating spirituality as if it is some\nethereal kind of reality, that is flawed in terms of Christian theology. You\nare your spiritual self with all of who you are. You are not less because you\nare atheist, or deist, or agnostic, or religious, or HIV positive, or\ndepressed, or a sex worker, or drug addict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctrine of the incarnation is the most powerful affirmation that\nGod cares about the physical, and the here and now. God is not to be reserved\nfor some pie-in-the-sky destination. God must be at work now in and through you\nand me. And we have the capacity to accomplish the greatest good for humanity\nsince we bear the image of the one who is love in action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incarnation is about everybody. Incarnation affirms that God is right\nhere in every one of us, no more so in anyone than the other. Can you imagine\nthe difference it would make if we truly respected the divine in each other? There\nwould be less opportunities for god-complexes in some members of the church who\nare busy othering people and condemning those with different views. Wow! Just\nimagine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expression, \u201cKingdom of God\u201d is so potent. May I remind my friends\nwho may not be into religious speak, that the term describes what all\nself-respecting people and societies would want. The term which also means the\n\u201creign of God\u201d or \u201crule of God\u201d is not necessarily about church or bishops and\narchbishops and clergy and canon law, etc. No. It is simply about a world\ncharacterised by justice, peace, and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eucharistic liturgy is clear when at the greeting of peace, it says,\n\u201cThe Kingdom of God is justice, peace, and joy inspired by the Holy Spirit.\u201d\nPeople outside of Christianity should challenge the church to live up to what\nit preaches about the Kingdom of God! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is another much misunderstood word. In fact, it has even been\nweaponized in the context of some evangelistic programmes where the hearers are\nmade to feel that they are the worst sinners in need of being saved. The word\n\u2018redemption\u2019 is a beautiful word. It is saying that God does not give up on\nanyone. No matter how irredeemable a person seems, so long as they are\nfacilitated with the grace and patience and respect that is consistent with the\nkingdom of God, they can become new creations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept of redemption is full of hope. When you have been condemned\nby parents and school and church and society as a whole, the gospel is saying, \u201c<\/em>hey there is redemption.\u201d You can\nchange. You can be redeemed. You can start realizing your best you, that you\nactually have deep within you. You may start being in charge of you, and make\nwholesome choices which are life enriching because when you are open to the\npower of the indwelling Christ, the indwelling light, the indwelling wisdom,\nand the inner power of love. Yes, you may be redeemed from the old ways of being.\nYou may be redeemed from the ugliness and the bitterness, and the condemnation\nthat you meet in others. You may be freed from the oppressive people and\nsystems that have been against you. You may be redeemed from self-hate that you\nhave come to live with. Yes, in Christ, there is redemption.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incarnation is that union of God\u2019s presence with humanity. The spiritual\nand physical are working together in the here and now. The Kingdom of God; the\nrule of God; the reign of God \u2013 are all expressions that speak to the divine\nwill of justice, peace, and love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suh mek we chant dung Babylon. Mek wi big up we Caribbean. Mek wi imancipate\nwiself fram mental slavery. Wa mi se? Mek wi liv justice an compassion an umble\nwiself; an memba se, God a God! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing: Redemption Song, by Bob Marley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prepared and presented by Fr. Sean Major-Campbell, Rural Dean of\nKingston, Jamaica<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References \/ Sources <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob Marley. Rastaman Chant<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob Marley. Redemption Song<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong’s Greek: 4697.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/biblehub.com\/greek\/4697.htm\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Merriam-Webster https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/humility<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Guardian (International Edition) of Thursday, January 30, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hick, John. Copernican Revolution <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LaCugna, Mowry. 1991, God for us: The Trinity and the Christian Life.\nSan Francisco, Harper Collins) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wink, Walter. 1992, Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a\nWorld of Domination. Minneapolis, Minn: Fortress Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible, NIV<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Book of Common Prayer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Caymanian Compass, Kayla Young, February 4, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jamaica Gleaner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trinidad & Tobago News Day<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Presented by The Very Rev. Sean Major-Campbell in The Frank Collymore Hall, Bridgetown, St. Michael Barbados, February 11, 2020Topic: The Christian Faith in the Public Square: Justice, Compassion, Humility  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A COPY Introduction: Rastaman Chant by Bob Marley It is such an honour and a special privilege for me to accept this…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":19799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources","ctfw-has-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/610"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19798"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19804,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19798\/revisions\/19804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}