Tolerance or Mush?

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:09 am by Faithful Democrats

Tolerance or Mush? 2013-05-09T06:09:39-06:00 Faithful Democrats

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In reading about this Episcopal priest in Seattle

who recently announced her conversion to Islam — and her belief that
there's no conflict between her newfound religion and her day job as a
Christian clergywoman — I found myself shocked, and strangely
furious.

Here's my question: When do we cross the line from
tolerance into mush?

As a liberal Christian, I generally don't worry too
much about whether the person in the pew next to me has the same take
on the Gospel that I do. As an Episcopalian, I'm proud of my church's
open-table approach to the Eucharist, welcoming everybody who feels
called to share the Body and Blood without requiring them to fill out an
application form. And although it sometimes makes me a little uneasy
to hear my priests express their doubts about important points of religious
doctrine, I believe they have the same right to question — and even to
waver — that I do.

Ever since I can remember, I've felt strongly that we
are all entitled to experience God in our own way, and to call God by
the name that sounds right to us. I've never stayed awake at night
fretting about the ultimate damnation of Jews, Muslims, Hindus,
Buddhists, and the billions of other folks whose vision of
God differs from my own. I've always been willing to accept the
mysteries of faith, certain that God's infinite love extends
to all the just and the faithful, of whatever flavor.

So why am I so upset by this?

In reading about this Episcopal priest in Seattle
who recently announced her conversion to Islam — and her belief that
there's no conflict between her newfound religion and her day job as a
Christian clergywoman — I found myself shocked, and strangely
furious. I believe this priest has completely lost her grip on the
meaning of our shared religion, and I am deeply offended that her
bishop considers her bipolar faith "exciting."

At some bone marrow level, I find that
I believe there's something supremely special about Christianity —
something unique, something beautiful, and something ultimately true.
Christianity is – must be — something more than a secret ingredient in
someone's individual religious stew.
Times being what they are, I'm sure there are
people who will assume my outrage stems from a post-9/11 fear of
Islam. But my conscience is clear on this one.

As an American, I believe we all have the right to
practice the faith of our choice — or not to practice it, as the case
may be. But if you're going to call yourself a
Christian, I think you have to choose one from column A, or one from column
B. And if you're a priest who can't say the Nicene creed without
crossing your fingers — and who can't celebrate Evensong because it
conflicts with prayer services over at the mosque — then I think you need
to respect your old faith and the people who still practice it, and find
yourself another gig.

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