The Reformed Pastor

It’s been a long time since the United Church of Christ has been a serious religious organization, at least on the national level. I’m sure there are many faithful, evangelical congregations in the UCC, but its national leadership evinces little interest in anything other than political activism of a far left variety. It is especially fixated on advocacy for gay rights, and in the interest of doing so has launched a bizarre campaign to get lesbian comedienne Ellen DeGeneres to agree to be the keynote speaker at its 2011 convention. On a FAQ page, these questions are posed:

Why Ellen?

Many visible personalities have addressed General Synod in recent years, including Barack Obama, Bill Moyers, Eugene Robinson, Marian Wright Edelman, Andrew Young and the late Lynn Redgrave.  As a television icon, Ellen’s constructive use of humor, her sensitivity toward others, and her ability to touch and lift the spirits of millions everyday is something we can affirm as a sacred calling.

At a time when religion is often used to divide and exclude people, Ellen’s address before a major religious body could send a powerful message to the world: “Imagine What’s Possible” if we could set aside our need to be right and focused instead on bringing hope and healing to one another, if we could lighten up — and love instead.

What are we doing?

We are asking UCC members and churches to unleash their inner Ellen, by creating funny, inviting photos and videos — and submitting them so we can upload to YouTube & Vimeo and send them along to her.  Learn more.

Our message to Ellen is succinct:

• At a time when religion is often used to divide and exclude people, Ellen’s address before a major religious body could send a powerful message to the world, a message of hope, inclusivity and acceptance — and the need for more love and laughter.
• We’re a church that resonates with Ellen’s personality.
• We’re a church with a sense of humor, even as we advocate for justice.
• We’re a church that offers extravagant welcome and changes lives.
• We’re a church that loves to dance!

Out of curiosity, I tried to find out whether DeGeneres was UCC, or even Christian, and discovered that she was raised Christian Scientist, but has no known religious affiliation as an adult. Sounds like a perfect candidate to address a denomination that no longer has any known religious convictions.

Oh, and you don’t want to miss the video that the geniuses in Cleveland put together as part of the effort:

Now, I’m not a fan of DeGeneres’s, so I don’t watch her talk show. I take it that fans of hers do a variety of goofy things to try to get her come take her show on the road to their communities. If, however, they are unable to get DeGeneres, I’d like to suggest that they consider these folks instead:

So let’s say you’re a single person who would like to have a roommate–someone to help with expenses, talk to in the evenings, that sort of thing. You go to the church of which you’re a member, you put a notice on the bulletin board in the foyer letting folks know you’re looking for a roommate, and so that people won’t steer people your way that you wouldn’t want to live with, you specify that you want a Christian. No big deal, right? The Grand Rapids Press says, think again:

The 31-year-old nursing student was looking to keep her expenses down when she decided to invite someone to share her home.

But when she posted an advertisement for a Christian roommate on her local church’s bulletin board, the Grand Rapids woman landed in the middle of a civil rights debate that has her facing a complaint of alleged illegal housing discrimination.

The advertisement contained the sentence, “I am looking for a Christian roommate,” said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, which represents the woman.

Someone saw the ad over the summer and anonymously filed a civil rights complaint with the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan. The complaint was then filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, and the woman was notified at the end of September.

“I think it’s a clear violation on its face,” said Nancy L. Haynes, executive director of the local Fair Housing Center. “It’s an advertisement that clearly violates the Fair Housing Act.”

The problem, according to Haynes, apparently wasn’t that the woman wanted a Christian for a roommate, or that she wouldn’t have rented to a non-Christian. It’s that she said so out loud:

Although the woman might choose a roommate based on religion, say, after interviewing the person over coffee, she cannot publish an ad with that intent, Haynes said.

“She can choose to rent to a Christian, that’s her prerogative,” she said. “It’s a separate violation to make a discriminatory statement, to publish a discriminatory statement.”

So you can discriminate, but you can’t say that you’re planning on doing so. This could become a really big problem for the woman, according to an official from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights:

The MDCR might talk to witnesses, do site visits and request documents. In some cases, depending on the cooperation of the parties involved, a person found to have committed a civil rights violation might have to reimburse another individual who suffered damages, [director of public affairs Harold] Core said.

Except that no one could have suffered damages simply by reading the ad. The damage, if you want to call it that, would be if a non-Christian sought to rent the space and was turned down. But according to Haynes, the woman can do that, as long as she jumps through the right hoops. And the state will make sure that when it says jump, this woman will ask how high:

The Fair Housing Center of West Michigan might ask for an initial reimbursement of $300 for time spent on the issue and training for the woman, in addition to pulling down the ad, Haynes said.

“Our interest really lies in her getting some training so that this doesn’t happen again,” she said.

Geez, at this rate the government will soon be trying to decree who can come to your house for a friendly gathering to study the Bible. Oh, wait…

Our house is a very, very fine house, at least until the state barges in, as Graham Nash and friends explain:

(Via the Christian Post.)

I find the theological statement an improvement, but not yet quite there. I yearn for a clarion trumpet call. This theological statement, I believe, reflects some of the lukewarm-ness of the church. The clarity about making disciples of Jesus Christ – the phrase isn’t even in our theology of mission. The word “salvation” is not even in the Theology of Mission.

Let us not forsake, in the time of doing all the tremendous things we are doing, the gift of the Bread of Life, the One who I believe is Lord and Savior. And that language is not even here. I believe that we need to be bold enough to say it in our Theology of Mission somehow.

–United Methodist Bishop Peter Weaver of Boston, speaking at a meeting of the General Board of Global Ministries about a theological statement that was not made available to the press