Is Faith Elliptical?

15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. 

Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you

 an accounting for the hope that is in you...

1 Peter 3:15 (NRSV)

I realized on my way home from the gym this morning that the gang there is the congregation I have been part of longer than the one I served as minister here in Belleville and the one which is now our church home. You might figure that using the term congregation doesn't apply, but a surprising number of people who are regulars have discovered that I'm a United Church minister, now retired. 

One guy was involved in an evangelical church for years, married with children. Eventually he accepted his homosexuality which brought his marriage to an end and set him adrift in terms of a family of faith. He made an appointment with me when I was still at Bridge St UC to talk through what it means to be a Christian with so much ambivalence about his exile from his former worshiping community. 

Today another fellow came up to me when I was alone in the rank of climber elliptical machines. He too knew that I was a minister and he identified himself as a Roman Catholic struggling with the deep injustice of clergy abuse in his church. He still attends worship but feels that what has happened is morally reprehensible and wonders where to turn to address it all.

May I say that trying to have a meaningful conversation while puffing up a hill - and of course he wasn't- was a challenge. I spoke about our denomination's complicity in the shame of Residential Schools as a reminder that we are far from blameless, and I commented on my respect for many RC laypersons, clergy, and theologians. I noted that an increasing number of dioceses are revealing the names of priests who have been found guilty of sexual abuse but protected by the church in the past. I also encouraged him to go to his parish priest to have a conversation about his dis-ease. 

I should add here that I also chat regularly with a fine Roman Catholic who scoots out nearly every morning to make eight o'clock mass, but not before making thoughtful observations about the life in faith. 

All this reminds me that spiritual hunger is real and conversations, even the challenging ones, are not confined within the four walls of church buildings. And while I may be a retired minister but I'm not a retired Christian. I assure you that I'm not going to issue a bench press altar call anytime soon but I do work out at the YMCA, which was originally the Young Men's Christian Association.