How did they let this one slip by?

May 4, 2009 by Pastor Dan.

Yesterday it was my privilege to preside at the baptism of a little girl, on the occasion of her first birthday. May 3 will truly be a memorable day in her life. Surrounded by her parents—good and thoughtful young adults—and four sponsors, and other children, it brought back memories of these special family celebrations from past generations.

Baptism for many Christians is not a big deal. Almost a superstition to some who are not particularly active in church, baptism is something that parents “have done” to their child, and then most often because grandparents are breathing down their necks.

For LGBT Christians, however, Holy Baptism is something we should be genuinely excited about, because it is one of the foundation blocks of our claim to a place at the table of the Lord, even if some groups have developed strange views along the margins of this ancient rite (”Aborted Babies Go to Limbo“).

Baptism is the true entrance rite into the Christian faith. There are no other layers or levels of membership. For most all Christians, Baptism is where God takes a risk on human beings who may or may not turn out to be what God expects. It doesn’t matter if the church practices “infant baptism” or “believer baptism” at the age of discretion or discernment as a young teen, no one except God above can know how the person who is baptized will turn out.

[photo: infantbaptism-Lutheran.jpg]

Will this young life blossom or wither? Will this new member of the body of Christ wander, or become lost in life, or stay obediently close to home? Will this person be a heterosexual “conformist” or a sexual minority?

For those right-wing Christians who insist that homosexuality is a choice, for example—and many of those church groups also practice “believer baptism“—maybe they should move the age of accountability up to the mind-20s when many people finally come out. At least you would know if the newly baptized person is gay or straight!

The point of course is that God knows, and yet no thunderbolts seem to zap anybody’s church steeple or baptistry — not the traditional and liturgical churches who inch by inch are moving toward openly welcoming LGBT people, and not the born-again churches who think that God hates us, and not the super-mega-churches, either.

Regardless of denomination, we all accept people for baptism without performing a litmus test on their sexuality. That’s because we don’t know when and where sexuality is first discerned in the individual’s spiritual and emotional development. And we all think our baptismal practices are the correct ones even if other Christians get it wrong. We all offer prayers and blessings to the effect that God receives this new person into the fold as a precious daughter or son in the faith, and so as a sister or brother in Christ.

I think God laughs! I think God has a big belly-laugh at those who believe that can keep out or push out or freeze out or disfellowship anyone who is baptized into Christ. Because it just isn’t possible. All who believe, and are baptized, are part of the household of faith. ” There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4–6).

So for all the quarreling and posturing and angry schisms because somebody is trying to let the homosexuals into the church of Jesus Christ (or consecrate one as a bishop!), it might be best just to remind everyone at once that it’s too late for noisy arguments and rants and ultimatums. We’re already inside!

We were born in the church, and baptized in the body of Christ. We are not clamoring to get in to this troubled, archaic institution. We are already here, already baptized, already part of Christ’s missionary force in the world. Those of us who are LGBT have already “infiltrated” every Christian denomination there is, simply by being who we are and who we have been since we grew up—lesbian/gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or anything else.

So relax. God knew it all along!  And, by grace, God lets each one slip by!

—Pastor Dan Hooper, Los Angeles

Posted in Doctrine, Ecumenical Issues, LGBT Christian, Living by Grace | Print | 1 Comment »