Giving Authentic Love a Try
Part One
The late jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is remembered not only for his talent, but also for how his cheeks puffed out like a frog’s as he blew his horn.
Writer Jim Doherty says that one day Gillespie was talking with the late Chicago Symphony trumpeter Adolph “Bud” Herseth. Herseth, a white man, was known for turning beet red when he played. Gillespie, an African American, kidded with Herseth, “Bud, how come your cheeks don’t puff out when you play?”
Herseth replied, “Diz, how come your face doesn’t get red when you play?”
Two great trumpeters. Two different styles. It is interesting how God has made us all unique; and in some sense, that creation shouts that God enjoys that diversity.
The older I get, the less comfortable I am with “black and white,” and the more comfortable I am with “gray.” There was a time when I probably would not have said that, but that is the direction I am leaning toward now in a number of areas in my life — including my spiritual life.
Do not get me wrong — there are some things that are very black and white to me in our Judeo-Christian story. Then again, there is a good bit of gray. Those of you who know me well enough to ask “where I stand” on this issue or that will also know that I do not hesitate to give you a solid answer.
However, I have begun to recoil a bit when I hear that question because implicit in its asking is, “Do you stand where I stand?” In a sense, it almost suggests that my answer (or yours, when you are asked it) is going to make a difference in the direction of my (your) relationship to the person asking.
The more I read the Gospels, the more I take comfort in the fact that Jesus chose not 12 “clones” of Himself, but 12 men, each with different backgrounds, different opinions, even different religious beliefs.
Peter came across in his words; Jesus called him, “The Rock.” Yet, when the rubber hit the road, so did Peter. Thomas, several times, affirmed his belief in Jesus, but even after receiving the news of Jesus’ resurrection was skeptical. Matthew had a special affinity for the Jews. James is often called the “Apostle of Works,” whereas Paul, the “Apostle of Grace.” We find in the Book of Acts several instances where the Apostles and early Church leaders stood in different places on various issues.
In recent years, the increased controversies within the Church over “conservative” and “liberal” positions have come to the forefront of our religious discussions.
A few years back, I was fortunate to spend a few hours with Anglican theologian Alister McGrath in an interview I conducted with him for the Anglican Digest. Of the many things I remember that he said, he thought it unfortunate that the early designations of “liberal” and “conservative” had lost their original meaning; and really, how unfortunate that was.
He noted that at the beginning of the 20th century, to be a “conservative” (or a “fundamentalist,” for that matter) meant simply that you were a person who valued the truths of tradition and the teachings of Scripture. A true conservative was simply wary of pitching the baby out with the bathwater when it came to embracing new understandings of one’s religious or spiritual journey. They were not so much opposed to the future, but wanted to “conserve” the past.
In addition, to be a “liberal” meant one was forward-thinking and open-minded. They could listen to almost anything without finding it threatening. They did not have to give up the past to embrace the future.
Thus, in a sense, it was quite possible to be a “conservative” and a “liberal” at the same time.
More about this in our Daily Word tomorrow.
I also want to remind you that Alister McGrath is teaching an online Adult Christian Education Class for St. Martin’s on Science and Religion. You can find classes here, and you can sign up for weekly email reminders by asking to be added to the Adult Christian Education email list. Send your request to communications@stmartinsepiscopal.org.
