This post originally appeared here as "Second-Class Baptism" on 22 November 2012.
In the fall of 2005, I was an exchange student from Yale
Divinity School to Westcott House, a member of the Cambridge Theological
Federation in Cambridge, England. It was quite an awakening for this Lutheran.
Despite knowledge of some of the rifts in the Episcopal Church (USA), I had
very little awareness or comprehension of the major theological divides in the
Church of England. In the wake of the recent decision (11/20/12) by the General
Synod of the Church of England not to ordain women as bishops, I have recalled learning about those divides, specifically through a speech I heard that semester.
During
my time in Cambridge, I went to an event sponsored by Women and the Church
(WATCH) to hear speakers arguing for the ordination of women as bishops. One
speaker, whose name is lost to my memory, gave a carefully constructed and
passionate speech about baptism and vocation within the church. She noted that
if we do not believe women are qualified and gifted by God for leadership at
any and all levels, why do we bother to baptize them? I have never forgotten
that sentence, which was so stunning that the room was silent for several
seconds afterwards.
Even
with disparate understandings and beliefs about baptism, most Christians agree
that the washing rite reveals God’s claim on an individual and, simultaneously,
a welcome of that individual into the corporate work of the church on earth. What
happens to that second part when we baptize someone, but tell her that because
of her sex organs- the Church will interpret how God is using her? What does it
mean to pour the water, make the sign of the cross, and say, “But because of
your sex, you’re only fit to carry the cross of Christ this far, in this way,
and with these provisions?”
Furthermore,
when the Church places provisos for leadership based on sex, gender identity,
sexual orientation, race, or other biological circumstance, we presume a kind
of certainty and zeal in speaking for God that should make us pause. Throughout
history, people have been quick to use the name of God as the seal of approval
on whatever preferred course of action was believed to need pursuing. This often occurred
through the same kind of biblical gymnastics that still occur today- a little
limbo under the inconvenient verses, a vault over the stories that are
contradictory, a lovely ribbon-dancing floorshow with the few verses that, out
of context, support exactly the argument one is trying to make.
If
the Church of England was honest about its history, its theology, and its
current struggle to remain relevant in today’s society, perhaps the voting
would have gone differently. Perhaps if the space were made for lament over the
rifts in the modern church and, in the next breath, prayers for the future were
offered, maybe the voting would have gone differently. Maybe if we could point
out that shortly after Peter and Andrew left their nets, they were joined by
Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Susanna in following Jesus- we might be able to
have the conversation that nothing about the image of ministry or mission in
the Bible at all resembles the way most churches and denominations are
structured today. Maybe then things would go differently.
The
main conversation that must happen, though, is the one around God’s ability to
equip, regardless of biology. Either we believe that the Holy Spirit blows
where She wills or we don’t. Either we believe that God is more powerful that
human weakness (present in all) or we don’t. Either we believe that Jesus broke
down social and gender barriers in community and communion or we don’t. Either
we wrestle with our human limitations in comprehending the expansive nature of God’s
mercy, call, and creative purposes or we get used to our efforts failing as God
says, “Oh, no, you don’t.”
The failure of the General Synod to pass, by just six votes,
a measure allowing for the ordination of women as bishops is not a sign of
failure on the part of either side. It is a sign that there is a gap between
the understanding of the gift of baptism and the Church’s willingness to allow
all people to live into that gift. That space creates an unholy chasm into
which many gifts will fall and go unused because of the pain in this
construction: “You are a child of God, but here’s exactly what that looks
like.” When a significant church body, like the Church of England, says to
women, “Your skills are useful this far and no further,”- what most women and
girls hear is this: “God loves you as you are, but would love you more if you
were a man.” If that is the case, why, and into what, are we baptizing women?
As they say on the London tube (subway), “Mind the gap, please.”
Comments
Given that, I was really shocked that the recent vote wen the way that it did. I know we Lutherans view ordination slightly differently than do our Anglican/Episcopalian sisters and brothers, but I still ask, "how can you affirm the role of women as ordained priests, have them serve as Deans and other leadership positions, and still think that they are not (worthy? ready? able?)to be ordained as a Bishop?).
There is a good deal of reactionary flow right now in the CofE--too many changes for some. Given that, I think that this was a vote of fear rather than a celebration of what already is or a vision of what will become. As you know, fear is never a good foundation from which to build.
Thanks for your insights.