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Book of James, faith, God's grace, God's Realm, Inclusive church, love of neighbor, open doors, Religious pluralism, welcoming
The New Testament book of James reminds us that we do well if we fulfill scripture’s royal law, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (2:8). Our neighbor is not only the person next door, but the one we haven’t yet bothered to get to know, the one of a different socioeconomic class, the one of another religious or cultural perspective. Our neighbors are increasingly diverse. As Diana Eck reminds us in relation to our own Constitution, “We the people” in our religiously pluralistic society includes the Muslim, the Buddhist, and the Hindu.
“If you show partiality,” James warns, “you commit sin” (2:9). The command to love our neighbors challenges us at the core of who Christ calls us to be. It challenges us to be inclusive in our welcoming. It challenges us to widen the scope of the ones we call our neighbors. It challenges us to live the gospel values of hospitality, compassion and grace.
When it comes to the church and who is in and who is out I am always stunned by God’s graciousness.
People I cannot relate to, God lets in.
People I don’t understand, God lets in.
People whose life decisions I can’t embrace, God lets in.
People who are stubborn or opinionated or worse, God lets in.
People who are not like me – fine, upstanding sinner that I am – God lets in.
God lets in all kinds of people. It’s the church that sometimes closes the door in the face of the hurting, the addicted, the self-righteous, the poor, the sojourner, or the different.
I favor the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church.
I am constrained by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to accept those whom God accepts.
As a follower of Christ I believe in my heart that God accepts me and loves me as I am.
God’s grace is so unfathomable that you and I experience it even when the people around us know we don’t deserve it.
God’s love comes to us even when we know ourselves to be unlovable.
I have felt the assurance of God’s forgiveness and grace in my life. How can I deny it to other sinners?
The doors to God’s grace open wide to a vast array of imperfect people. How can I close a door that God opens?
As another pastor is quoted as saying, “I am so glad that God wants people who sin and struggle with sin to come to church, because as Pastor, I would hate to be excluded from the church I serve in.”
God’s kingdom is an alternative Realm where the least, the last, and the lost are God’s most urgent concern. How these neighbors are treated is a sign of how well the church understands God’s purposes.
A wonderfully inclusive welcome statement at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Community in Daytona Beach generated a lot of buzz on the Internet recently. It reads:
“We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, y no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail, or could afford to lose a few pounds.
“We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re ‘just browsing,’ just woke up, or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s baptism.
“We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, and junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like ‘organized religion,’ we’ve been there too.
“If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.
“We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!”
Again I ask, if God opens a door to my neighbors, who am I to close it?
Words (c) 2012 Mark Lloyd Richardson
dreamprayact 
This is so fabulous–I’m laughing once again, but it’s with joy and RELIEF, as I am surely one of the “least, last and lost” (but for Christ) and “different”, and can’t sing to save my soul (though I do it in private). I’m glad to hear you say that you support an “inclusive” Christianity–I am “straight”, but nonetheless very troubled that gays are so badly treated by the fundamentalist church. I don’t argue with the Bible: God says homosexuality is sin–but how is it loving (Christ-like) to bar them from the church? That makes no sense to me. Have a blessed week–love, sis Caddo
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Caddo. My main point in this post is that we are all in need of God’s grace, no matter who we are, and without grace none of us would have a leg to stand on. If the church includes you and me it must open its doors to everyone. Having said that, I should add that I do not consider homosexuality a sin, but rather as a different way God has made some of my friends and neighbors. God bless you and keep you, Mark
This is such a great post. Made me smile. Love this part ……” It’s the church that sometimes closes the door in the face of the hurting, the addicted, the self-righteous, the poor, the sojourner, or the different.” You’re absolutely right! We should never be self-righteous. It blinds our heart.
Thanks for sharing this and have a great Monday!
If I give someone a reason to smile, the day has been a good day! Thanks for stopping by. Peace, Mark
I’m grinning! “Heart-warming” is a cliched phrase, so let’s just say that reading this post gave me a new buzz of happy energy. 🙂
Maybe you could bottle your “new buzz of happy energy” and sell it! Thanks for stopping by, Kana. Many blessings, Mark
This is a favorite. Thank you for posting these wonderful words of inclusion.
Thank you, Linda, for your comment. I’m glad this post spoke to you. Peace, Mark
That was really heartfelt and beautiful Mark. I so love the statement from the church in Florida – it brought tears to my eyes to know that I can come on any given day to receive the grace of God and so can anyone else. How can religion/church/spirituality be anything but this, a place to bring every single part of me and of you. I love it – thanks!
Thanks, Cynthia! It is a powerfully inclusive welcoming statement that I enjoyed sharing with my congregation on Sunday. I heard many people express gratitude that we are a church that seeks to welcome others as we have been welcomed by God’s grace. That’s what it’s all about in my book. Peace to you and your family, Mark
Dear Mark, I read this soul-stirring words earlier today and I kept them in my heart and reflected upon its treasures when I went out for my evening walk in the woods. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t become a better person because of Acceptance. During such precarious and volatile times, this message stands out above the din of prejudice, ignorance, segregation and indifference. Calling out and reaching out to the basic goodness inherent in each person because we see them for all that they are and for all they might become. I believe this is what religion is about. I thank you from my heart. Sharon
I’m glad these words spoke to you, Sharon. Many people are eager to hear the words of acceptance and inclusion. I heard many positive comments from people as they left church on the Sunday this was preached, and one especially touched me. A mother of two young boys, each with autism, waited for me to give me a hug and say that even though her boys are “different” she feels the love of God in the church and through my words. She thanked me again for preaching that we are all God’s children. That’ll keep me going for awhile. Grace to you, Mark
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