August 08, 2005
Sola Nada: What does the United Church of Christ Believe?
The United Church of Christ is well known for a couple of reasons: they are extremely liberal and they are shrinking rapidly. In response to this, the UCC began running a commercial last year that featured bouncers refusing some access to church. In particular, they suggested that those who felt homosexuality was sinful were also racist (at least the bouncers went in this direction).
My question is: what do you think? In my mind the United Church of Christ is taking protestantism to a new level. Not only did they throw off the "oral Word" St. Paul discussed, they are also ignoring large parts of the "written Word" we all call the Bible. This isn't just Sola Scriptura, it's Sola Nada (so to speak).
Even if you confront a UCC minister or member directly about this Scripture, they ultimately all argue the same point, "we just see it differently" (even though they may have no backup in Scripture). Is this a situation where we can only pray and fast for them?
For those who don't realize, if you do follow Scripture you'll see that there are several realities. For example, sin does exist and we cannot condone it. The Bible clearly condemns homosexual acts and other perversions of our sexuality as well as abortion (which the UCC does not condemn). By ignoring God and suggesting that it is okay, the UCC is essentially lying to it's members and deceiving them into believing that they can do these and still be "good." It might feel good to tell others that everything is okay, but it isn't love, which is what we are striving for on earth. Love your neighbor as yourself; don't lie to him under the assumption that he cannot be a better person.
God bless,
Jay
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Jay, don't be too hard on UCC members. Many are scandalized by the lack of faith on the part of their ministers and leadership.
The laity in Roman Catholic Church have, in the past (some may say in the present as well), had to deal with leaders spouting heresy. Nestorius and Arius were bishops with congregations, for example. And to top it all off, Athanasius, the faithful bishop, was exiled and so his congregation was cut off from him. Congregations inside and outside the Catholic Church have often have to endure living under a treacherous authority. Let us extend to the members the benefit of the doubt rather than make life more difficult for them.
Betrayal from the clergy is especially difficult for the laity because people often mistake the conduct of the heretics for the beliefs of the congregation. We ask others not to judge the value of the Roman Catholic Church by the conduct of its traitors like Judas, we should extend the same courtesy to others.
Posted by: Broken Record at August 9, 2005 03:05 PM
