Leith Anderson and John Shelby Spong – probably not a combination usually seen together, but they came together in my life in the past month.

I have already written a bit here about Bishop Spong’s visit to Duluth for a conference on including GLBT persons in the church. I noted that I appreciated his visit, agree with him on a number of issues and disagree with him on others. Bishop Spong recently reflected kindly on his visit to Duluth on his web site, even going so far as to “recommend that you visit Duluth in the winter.” His kind words extended to three of my colleague and myself – Rev. Kathy Nelson of Peace UCC, Rev. Bill Van Oss of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Rabbi Amy Bernstein of Temple Israel. “I found it almost inconceivable that a town the size of Duluth, and regarded as somewhat outside the mainstream of American life in its remote and rural setting, had nonetheless attracted to itself these four outstanding clergy.” What a nice thing to say, and an honor for me to be in the company of Kathy, Bill, and Amy. I still disagree with Bishop Spong on God, though.

I had the opportunity to hear Leith Anderson when he came to speak to the Northland Association of Evangelicals in the Duluth-Superior area. Mainline clergy were invited by a treasured colleague, Rev. Fred Lund, who continues to work to bring together evangelicals and mainline Protestants in our area. Fred is an evangelical pastor who has worked tirelessly for justice in our community. His retirement this year from his church will leave big shoes to fill. Anyway, Fred invited and I took him up on the invitation. He was kind enough to introduce me to Leith, who is both President of the National Association of Evangelicals and senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, near Minneapolis. I enjoyed my brief one-on-one conversation with Leith, finding him gracious and engaging.

Leith gave an insightful and informative presentation on the future of evangelicals in the twenty-first century, providing in his remarks a brief history of evangelicalism in The United States. During his presentation, he said he defined an evangelical as someone “who takes the Bible seriously and who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.” I am an evangelical, then. What would Bishop Spong say? What seems to happen, though, is that taking the Bible seriously gets further defined in ways I disagree with. Both the Northland Association of Evangelicals and the National Association of Evangelicals say that the Bible is “the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.” I believe the Bible is inspired and authoritative for Christian life. I use the term “word of God” to define the Bible, but my Christian faith tells me that only Jesus as the Christ really deserves the capital “Word of God.” I also believe that the word “infallible” takes the Bible more “seriously” than it takes itself. Of my two new acquaintances, I believe Bishop Spong is probably breathing easier now, but Leith is a little more concerned.

The statement of faith on both the Evangelical Association web sites also suggests that Jesus Christ is not only Lord and Savior, but that without affirming that people are lost and thus subject to the “resurrection of damnation.” I affirm Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as the one in whom and through whom I see God and know God, and the one whose Spirit shapes my life in transforming and saving ways. I would also argue that the God I know in Jesus Christ might also touch human lives in saving and transforming ways through other religious traditions. I have just made myself ineligible for membership in my local and in the national Association of Evangelicals.

However, I was deeply encouraged that though Leith Anderson and I have theological differences, he strongly advocated dialogue with those who disagree. In his presentation he was clear that he believed Christians should exemplify Christ in dialogue, and even said, “if we don’t have discussion with those who are different we become a cult.” Leith Anderson signed the document “A Common Word,” a document inviting on-going Christian-Muslim dialogue. I deeply appreciated the openness and intelligence I heard that night. Thanks for the invitation, Fred.

So the conversations will continue, and I am glad that I now have these two delightful and intelligent conversation partners rattling around in my brain.

With Faith and With Feathers,

David