Same Gender Marriage: We Will Not Split Over This!

Address delivered by Nancy S. Taylor, Minister and President
To the 205TH Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Conference
of the United Church of Christ on June 11, 2004, South Hadley, Massachusetts

Let me begin by sharing with you one of the things that I passionately believe. I believe that the United Church of Christ is a precious, unique and distinct expression of the church. I believe we are light hid under a bushel – not enough people out there know about the unique characteristics and qualities of our denomination. NOW is time to let our light shine.

The United Church of Christ was born out of a passion to heal the divisions in the Christian Church …we were born with a particular purpose: to be a living response and a living answer to the prayer of Jesus: that they may all be one.

Today and in the days to come, we have a unique opportunity and challenge to cherish and claim the calling of this united and uniting church.

Let me spell this out. Today, many mainline Protestant denominations are stretched, many of them nearly to breaking point, over the ordination of gays and lesbians and same gender marriage. Nearly every day I read or hear talk of schism and splitting, particularly with regard to the Episcopal Church in America, the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and the Methodist Church.

At an ecumenical meeting a few months ago, a local Episcopal Bishop said in anguish: “These issues are ruining the Episcopal Church.” That Bishop echoed the feelings of a great many Episcopalians, as well as of many Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians.

What I want to say this afternoon is this: the ordination of gays and lesbians, and same gender marriage are not ruining our church. The United Church of Christ will not split over these matters. We will not split because, while we are not of the same mind, the polity of the United Church of Christ is uniquely elastic and supple. Our polity allows for striking, even passionate, differences of belief and practice to co-exist, side-by-side in this one family of Christians.

Let me give you a specific example. A month ago I was in a meeting of 50 UCC clergy in Massachusetts. We were talking about same-gender marriage. I asked: “How many of you intend to officiate at same gender marriages?” Ten raised their hands. I then asked: “How many of you will not officiate at same gender marriages?” Fifteen raised their hands. That left twenty-five clergy, fully half of the room, who did not raise their hands. (Ten yes. Fifteen no. And 25 …well, who knows?) Friends, this is the United Church of Christ! This is who we are and how we are, in our splendid and confounding diversity.

What's more, there is no bishop to instruct the ten that they can’t, or the fifteen that they must, or the 25 that they better decide. (From my personal perspective, there’s never been a better time not to be a bishop!)

During this Annual Meeting delegates will vote on a resolution on same gender marriage. Some of our brothers and sisters from different parts of this Conference of Churches have prepared this resolution for our consideration. Whatever the outcome of the vote, it will represent the resolve of the delegates of the 205th Annual Meeting, but is not binding on our churches and clergy… although they are asked to take seriously the discernment of this body.

We should not be surprised to find that we will not all agree about this resolution. Nor do we have to. The stuff from which the UCC is woven is flexible and does not split easily like trousers when the wearer suddenly bends over. The stuff from which the UCC is woven is strong and expansive, allowing this diverse body of Christ to move in more than one direction at once. Is it comfortable to move in more than one direction at once? No! It is profoundly uncomfortable. But it is the unique genius of the polity of the United Church of Christ that allows for this …allowing us to tug at each other and pull in different directions without splitting.

We will not split over the ordination of gays and lesbians. How can I be so confident? Because some UCC churches and Associations have been ordaining and calling openly gay and lesbian clergy for over three decades. And, during that same three decades, other churches and Associations have determined that they will not move in that direction. Our polity allows us to differ on this.

Similarly, we will not split over same gender marriage …something some of our clergy and churches embrace, while others do not.

What we are facing today, and facing together, is not like the Unitarian Controversy of the early 1800s. That was a genuine church-splitting controversy. That controversy had to do with the nature of Jesus Christ; it had to do, in other words, with a matter about which we, in the United Church of Christ, must achieve a primary and fundamental consensus. The Unitarian Controversy was church-splitting because it had to do with Jesus Christ, the sole Head of the Church. It had to do with He, in whose name we gather, whose prayer we pray, to whose teachings we attend, and by whose grace we are saved.

I am not suggesting that same gender marriage is unimportant. It is manifestly important. However, I am saying very clearly to you: it is not going to split our church. That is not to say, that we will not lose some churches…

Many of you may have heard that last Sunday, the First Congregational Church of Wethersfield, Connecticut voted to leave the UCC. They cited same-gender marriage and acceptance of gays and lesbians as unbiblical. Their pastor was quoted as saying that he saw "no hope" that they could effect change in the UCC. It is a shame that they left, but they have been actively working towards this vote for many years. Some churches, like the Wethersfield church, may choose to leave the UCC. I will deeply regret it if any do. I will work to demonstrate to any churches that may consider such an action that the UCC is wide enough to include them as part of our diversity. Nevertheless, every year we see some churches choose to join and leave the UCC. But a single church voting to leave is quite a different thing than splitting our denomination. It is my understanding that the Wethersfield church is not joining or creating any other body. It has become an independent, unaffiliated congregation.

The Apostle Paul, who was intimately acquainted with the disagreements and controversies of the earliest churches, encourages us to "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." (Rom. 12.15) With regard to same gender marriage, we have weepers among us and we have rejoicers among us. Admittedly, it is difficult to rejoice and weep at the same time. It requires a kind of flexibility that frankly strains our spiritual muscles. Yet, I believe that is what is needed if we are to be a united and uniting church.

We are not a perfect church. Nor do we propose – as many of our sister churches do – that we are the true church. Yet, in the mid-20th century, the proliferation of Christian churches, the constant splitting, dividing and multiplying became an embarrassment and a disgrace to the name of Christ. It was in this context that the UCC was born. We were born out of a sincere desire to witness to, and reclaim, the unity of Christ's church.

The UCC is a young church …not yet 50 years old. We are a laboratory, an adventurous experiment in unity. No other Christian denomination was born out of the union of such diverse predecessor bodies. Despite our differences, this is an experiment in Christian unity to which we remain profoundly committed.

Relying on the help and grace of God, may it continue to be so. Amen.