Today we enter a section call "confessing as martyria" - by Robert Bertram.
The term "confession" in the context of Augsburg, as in dominant biblical contexts, connotes not just any declaration of one's faith - the sort of declaration, for instance, made by a candidate for baptism or in response to some friendly inquiry about "the reason of the hope that is in you." No, " a time for confessing" is more embattled than that. It is an adversary situation. In such a context confessing implies that the confessors are on trial for their faith before a superior critical tribunal from whose higher authority they must nevertheless dissent. The dominant metaphor is forensic: the confessors are defendants on a witness stand (in statu confessionis), martyres, and their confession inn that case is a martyrological act.
Within much of the church today, brothers and sisters in Christ who are LGBT saints are "on trial." Though they are baptized in Christ, Jesus, they must not allow their true self to be alive and free to live within the covenant of their baptism. Many in positions of authority have made it clear that who they are and who they love and who makes up their family and with whom they share the fullness of a committed relationship...is not acceptable among us. Is it that they do not leap into the promise of the future of our Lord, Jesus, as Lord of All? No. Is it that they are unwilling to have Christ be the shape of their relationships with friends and enemies" No. Is it that they are more "turned-in-on-self" than any other saint who counts on the grace of God to bring them to life eternal? No. Than what is the charge being brought against these baptized saints within the church?!? What is the charge that is used to throw them out and down and forbid them to take part in the full life of the ministry and mission of the church? It appears as though the tribunal that raises up their voices against them have let themselves focus on something that is not central to the faith. Rather than accusing our GLBT saints of following another way, they are shunned and pushed aside for being who they are. Yes, they may be a minority population...they may see relationships differently than I may see them...they may be attracted to people of the same sex....they may find themselves most complete as a son or daughter of God when in a loving relationship with someone of the same sex, but they, like I would hope all of the saints, trust in Jesus, Christ, alone and live within the grand domain of grace upon grace that is the Church of Jesus Christ. So why are they defendants on a witness stand - day in and day out...with grace withheld until they act differently from that which makes them whole. Odd is seems. The community of truth and grace prefers to live within the community of the world where lies and conditions are upheld rather than the radical news of the Crucified and Risen Lord, Jesus that bring light to the all peoples.
Connection: We have sisters and brothers who are embattled and living as though they must hide rather than be free within the realm of God's grace. What are we to do within such a system that has so much power over us all?
We give you thanks, O God, for the witness of those who know whose they are and are convinced of you never-ending love that brings shape and meaning and character to life. For as they are pushed away, they return again and again facing ridicule and brutality in the same manner as the one we call Lord, Jesus, when he was all that he was created to be and nothing less. Remind us all of the beauty of your gracious love so that we who are not confounded by the the powers around us might step up and stand with those who are being beaten down and denied the fullness that is already promised to all the baptized. Amen.
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