5.17.04

Today is the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. A truly momentous event in American History, the Brown decision condemned the legal separation of black and white schoolchildren and so helped pave the way for a fully integrated society.

Today is also the first day that gays and lesbians will be allowed to marry in the United States. Since our beloved commonwealth is ground zero for those official unions, several thousand citizens have applied for marriage licenses and a number of gay and lesbian weddings are being conducted as we speak. Both advocates and antagonists of gay marriage realize that now, for better or for worse, our country will never look the same. What was once theoretical has indeed become real.

The convergence of these two events on May 17th was designated by the Supreme Court Justices of our Commonwealth as a means of communicating to the homosexual community that what is true about our schools is now true about the institution of marriage, insofar as their unions will not be identified as separate, but equal to heterosexual marriage. For this reason, the date is incredibly significant for that community.

However, I believe that this date can be incredibly significant for the Christian community as well, insofar as it reminds us that while our government has established laws that resonate with biblical principles, consider the close connection between Brown and the Apostle Paul's declaration that in Christ "the barrier of hostility has been broken down," it has also established laws, as is the case here in the Commonwealth, that do not resonate with biblical teaching. As believers this should, at the very least, teach us that we should not be too euphoric when the government acts in step with biblical principle, nor should we completely despair when they repudiate such principle, for the truth is not determined and our hope does not reside in the legislation or judicial decision of our government, but in the Lord and the Kingdom over which He sovereignly rules. During this confusing and occasionally dark time, let us not make the mistake of equating God's Kingdom with the republic in which we dwell, nor confound the "City of Man" with the "City of God." Homosexual marriage is neither condemnation nor commentary upon the church, but is the free (and, from my perspective, rather poor) choice of the state. Therefore, we should not take up defensive positions, for the action of the state is not attacking the church nor is it intended to destroy "Christian marriage." Rather, instead of weeping about the wound to our so-called "godly American heritage" we should work all the harder to develop Kingdom centered marriages that are marked by sacrificial love, mutual submission and, at their best moments, serve as a parable of Christ's love for the church. It is only then, by faithfully living out the gift of marriage within the Kingdom of God, that we might begin to influence our culture's evident misunderstanding of marriage. Instead of shaking our holy swords and screaming holy words at those outside the Kingdom, let our loving marriages serve as an ever-present illustration of what marriage can be.

I offer these reflections humbly and hope that they are received as such. If you would like to offer an alternative reflection or would like to engage in further dialogue about this issue, please do not hesitate to contact me.

May God bless His Kingdom and enable Christ's church to subtly, but surely influence this country as leaven does a lump of dough.