Religion shouldn’t be this hard.
An assembly
that exists to help people shouldn’t be so willing to hurt people — by
declaring them worthless, unacceptable, undesirable or strangers at the
gate.
....
Church should be a safe place — safe to be oneself, safe to make one’s
confession, safe to love whoever one feels called to love, safe to
imagine more, safe to fail. Instead, church often is a dangerous place,
where people feel guarded, self-protective, hemmed in by tradition and
expectation, required to obey rules.
Tom Ehrich has served as a priest in the Episcopal Church for 36 years, so I expect he knows a thing or two, though I know of some who have served as pastors even longer, and they still don't understand. The entire column is excellent, and I highly recommend reading it in its entirety. Ehrich's website is
Morning Walk Media.
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