BWF Voices Concern to North Texas
October 25, 2006 – A vote to welcome of Cathedral of Hope, self-identified as the largest gay church in the World, into the United Church of Christ is on the agenda of the October 28 meeting of the North Texas Association of the South Central Conference. In the following letter to delegates and others at the meeting, BWF Executive Director David Runnion-Bareford voices many of the concerns around the country regarding this decision. Issues include questions about the congregation’s theology, the impact of its founding vision for the UCC, and its potential for changing the historic character of the denomination, as well as concerns about the UCC being a “church stealer” and other circumstances surrounding the Cathedral’s leaving the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches denomination.
October, 2006
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We share with many of you deep concern about the application of the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, Texas, to join the North Texas Association. This concern is rooted in part in our long history of working for the renewal of the United Church of Christ as the voice of the voiceless, challenging and encouraging churches to remain within the United Church of Christ. Dissident churches who leave our fellowship come under strong criticism from our Conference and Denominational leaders, especially when they are courted by another denomination. The term “church stealing” has been used many times. Clearly, Cathedral of Hope, however, is engaged in this very behavior as a dissident congregation in its previous denomination being courted by the UCC. Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Cathedral’s previous denomination, was quoted as saying in reaction to this decision, “I take it as a personal slap when a congregation decides to leave.” www.glaad.org/publications/archive_detail.php?id=3465
Moreover as you are aware from the public media, the Cathedral of Hope Dean Michael Piazza resigned his credentials just two days before the finalization of a disciplinary investigation by his previous denomination over a broad range of allegations related to insurance fraud, misuse of funds, extravagant parties thrown in faux fund raising events, and other irregularities. The decision by the Cathedral to sever ties from their denomination stopped public disclosure of the details of this investigation. The North Texas Association would do well to call for full and complete disclosure before taking any action that would, by covenant, involve them in any liability. The Cathedral has in its communication to its members and others on this decision expressed their dissatisfaction with what they perceived as the higher standards of accountability and control in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and the greater freedom they anticipated in the United Church of Christ to do as they willed.
While justification for this decision will cite “unity” in the church, in reality acceptance of Cathedral of Hope moves the UCC closer to a “realignment” in which churches who share the core faith of our founding are increasingly alienated and forced to leave while churches embracing sexual license as religiously legitimate take their place. This decision to move toward realignment violates our covenanted ecumenical identity by which, the “United Church of Christ acknowledges as its sole head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. It acknowledges as kindred in Christ all who share in this confession. It looks to the Word of God in the Scriptures, and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. It claims as its own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers” (Preamble to the UCC Constitution).” It will only hasten the movement of the UCC out of the Christian mainstream.
The Cathedral has made their intentions and contrasting view of who we are very clear. Self identified and publicly identified repeatedly over the last two decades as “the largest gay and lesbian church in the United States,” Sr. Pastor Jo Hudson has said, “The Cathedral of Hope and the United Church of Christ seem like a natural fit . . . by becoming the first mainstream denomination to support equal rights for same gender couples, their values are our values and we look forward to joining in partnership and continuing the work for which God has called us together.” (www.cathedralofhope.com/ucc/index.php). In their statement of core values, they tell us, “We believe Jesus was the incarnation of God’s grace. Jesus was the ultimate liberal, who resisted the status quo of oppression and showed us the way to the abundant life God intends for all people.” Their founding vision is:
· �To change how the world thinks about lesbian and gay people;
· To change how lesbian and gay people think about God;
· To reach people, especially teens living in isolation in small towns; and
· To redefine Christianity as an including faith rather than an excluding religion.”
In identifying themselves as ‘progressive Christians,’ the Cathedral says, “By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who: 1. Have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus; 2. Recognize the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God’s realm, and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us;” (www.cathedralofhope.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=230&srcid=305)
As you approach this decision it is important to be confident that our Lord Jesus Christ by dying for our sins, offered us a grace that is transformational, changing us through repentance into new creatures in Christ. When our Lord Jesus Christ told us, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the father but by me,” it is true. The truth that, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11) has not changed.
When God’s Word reveals to us in the model of marriage between a man and woman, the awesome intimacy of our Lord Jesus Christ with us, his church, we are told, “husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25,26). Earlier in the same passage we are called to “be imitators of God therefore as dearly beloved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person- such a man is an idolater- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” (Ephesians 5:1-7)
May God give you wisdom and discernment in this pivotal decision.
In the Grace and Love of our Lord Jesus Christ,
David Runnion-Bareford
Executive Director
Biblical Witness Fellowship