| 5th Sunday of Easter, Year A Canterbury Northwestern |
I love being an Episcopalian. I know – I get paid to stand up here and say that. But I really do. I’m also have a great time as chaplain here at Canterbury. The community here is Episcopal in nature, but reaches out beyond that identity to provide a place for any student who is questioning religion, faith, and God.
In my experience, the Episcopal Church works very hard to allow for questions and questioning. There are not a lot of “right” answers – not a lot of hard and fast rules dictated by clergy and theologians. It allows for people to come in and reflect and learn and wonder about God and how God is working in our lives. It lets us have discussions where we can share faith and understanding of theology or share our experience of what God has done through us in the last week.
I think that this ambiguity – this living with questions – allows us a place to share and learn without feeling shame for not knowing the right answers. We can be open to all who are searching, welcoming them into our space of questions and discussion. Those who regularly attend can also feel the safety of questioning past assumptions – and know that it’s okay to change one’s mind. As we learn more about God and ourselves, we find new ways of articulating our faith.
I think that it is important to be open to the Spirit moving among us as we articulate our faith. However, having no answer is as dangerous as having all the answers. Friends might ask, “what do you think about this?” Some answer should be giving – and not just “I’m still processing that.” When we have thought about and talked about our faith in safe places, we are able to talk about what we believe – and the faith struggles that we might also be having. We can openly share with our friends what we believe and what are questions are. It’s always good to talk with a community of faith about beliefs. Community is the place where we share our ideas and check them out with others. It ensures that we don’t slip too far into heresy. The community helps us articulate questions and thoughts in order to share them more easily with others.
One place to begin thinking about beliefs is to think about relationship with God. God desires our friendship, our closeness. How has God been working in your life this week?
Answering this question brings us back to the Scriptures that we hear, the prayers that we pray, and the creeds that we say in this service. Combining personal experience with communal worship helps us articulate our faith.
Looking at Scripture, today’s Gospel has Jesus saying, “I am the Way and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is a great creedal statement! The verse has been used to condemn people outside of the Christian Church. Instead, let us embrace these words as an understanding of who Jesus is to us. Jesus is our Lord and Savior – raised from the dead, ascended into Heaven, preparing a place for us to come. John writes these words to have the Christian community reflect on their priorities – that God comes before human desires. It assures us that God loves us and desires relationship. We can reach out to God, even when, and maybe especially when, we question or doubt.
To help answer or create questions, we say the Nicene Creed. This confession of faith has been around since the Council of Nicea in the 300’s. We’ve said it in community for a very long time. It is used as a basic understanding of what we believe, but one of the great things about being Episcopalian is that I know plenty of people who struggle and question this. I’ve talked several times in the past couple of months about the cycle of faith and doubt. Canterbury is one of the first places that people often name their doubt – “Is this what I really believe? Can I really proclaim this?” The doubt comes up, and is discussed and shared with a community. While in that moment of doubt, the person is held up in prayer by the community. All can be together and allow for the questioning and searching that occurs, and then celebrate the reaffirmation of faith.
College is one of the most common places to search about faith. Suddenly, a person is in a new space with new expectations and new people who challenge the past. College is the place to try new things, learn new things, explore new ideas. Students are able to set their own schedule, working out the best way to do the work that is needed for classes while also getting in some social and reflection time. It’s not an easy process.
Canterbury is working to be a place for respite – a place where people can take a moment out of the busy schedule to reflect and breathe. A time to gather and worship and pray together.
Our prayers throughout this service talk about the love that God has for all creation. We pray that God be with us – cleansing our hearts, being with those that we love and care for and those in pain and suffering that we may not know. We gather around the table and pray that God feed us with spiritual food to make us whole – to help us see Jesus in ourselves and in each other – and help us to proclaim His love to the world.
We are called not just to stay here – but we are called to some action – to do great works as Jesus did. This might include serving others – several of us went to St. Leonard’s House yesterday. It’s an Episcopal ministry who works with men transitioning out of prison. It might be any other ministry – clothing people, feeding people, speaking for the poor or the oppressed in society. We might be called to talk with others. We meet people all the time who are seeking and struggling with faith. We might be called to simply sit down and reassure them – let them know that they are not alone as they search for God in their lives.
Sometimes the action that we are called to is to STOP.
Our society gets awfully busy. College keeps us moving with classes and activities and requirements and expectations. Sometimes, I think that we are called to just sit and reflect on how God has been working in our lives.
After time to reflect, we can share our thoughts and ideas with our communities. We can recognize that the Episcopal Church is a place where people can come to hear the Word of God but not be shamed for not thinking or believing in the exact same way as another person in the church. Being here, participating here – even if, and maybe especially if, you’re not an Episcopalian, or even a Christian – means that you have a safe place to discover what it is that you believe. Sharing in the community might help you better articulate where God is working in your life – and what you are called to do because of that experience.
Welcome to Canterbury. Welcome to an open and safe space. What has God been doing in your life and what are you going to do about it?
Posted by Heather Voss at April 24, 2005 12:15 PM