The Darkside of "It's All About Love'
Here comes my next excommunication
The question of who is welcome at God’s table is hotly contested. In the Episcopal Liturgy, it is common for Priests to say, “All are welcome at God’s table.” But are they? As with the Declaration of Independence, there’s a qualifier to the word “all.” “All Men” in the D of I refers to white male property owners of age. Not “All Men,” I’m skipping the female omission for brevity; white men who didn’t own property and men of any other color were also omitted. Such is the case of the “All” at God’s table. It’s all who are baptized; there’s that nasty little qualifier again. One must be baptized, so what is baptism, and why is it required?
Baptism in one of the two Great Sacraments, there are seven altogether, that Jesus gave to his followers. Baptism is described as cleansing the soul, a sacrament wherein we recognize through the outward sign of water the inward grace of God joining us with the ministry of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, or a sacrament of “initiation.” (from various Episcopal church websites using Google search.)
I am baptized, I think. I was baptized in June of 1964; I was two months old. I was baptized by Rev. Wilbur Sanders, Uncle Wilbur, to us kids. I have no recollection of this event and was not a consenting participant. What two-month-old can consent to anything? And, let’s get really out there: Rev Sanders was the former Pastor at the North Sacramento Methodist Church until the Methodist Bishop felt he was a threat and tried to move him. Rev. Sanders left the North Sacramento Methodist Church, taking most of the members with him, and started his own “non-denominational” church. So, I was not only unaware of my baptism, but an ousted clergy member performed it. God still loves me, right?
I’ve heard tales that someone taking communion who is not a baptized Christian will have a myriad of negative physical responses. “Poisoned,” if you will. I’m pretty sure that many unbaptized have taken communion, and I’ve yet to see someone writhing on the floor after it touched their lips.
Matthew 26: 26-30, 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take and eat. This is my body.” 27 He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many so that their sins may be forgiven. 29 I tell you, I won’t drink wine again until that day when I drink it in a new way with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 Then, after singing songs of praise, they went to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:22-26, 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 I assure you that I won’t drink wine again until that day when I drink it in a new way in God’s kingdom.” 26 After singing songs of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Luke 22: 14-23, 14 When the time came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles joined him. 15 He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 I tell you, I won’t eat it until it is fulfilled in God’s kingdom.” 17 After taking a cup and giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 I tell you that from now on I won’t drink from the fruit of the vine until God’s kingdom has come.” 19 After taking the bread and giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, he took the cup after the meal and said, “This cup is the new covenant by my blood, which is poured out for you.
21 “But look! My betrayer is with me; his hand is on this table. 22 The Human One goes just as it has been determined. But how terrible it is for that person who betrays him.” 23 They began to argue among themselves about which of them it could possibly be who would do this.
All the above scriptures are from www.biblegateway.com. Common English Bible Translation.
Only Luke’s accounting of this celebration of the Passover Feast, aka Last Supper, has any directions from Jesus, and it’s a reminder to do this themselves. Hence, they remember Jesus’ ministry and sacrifice. There are no qualifiers. Now, the logic being applied by some is that Jesus was baptized, so anyone who partakes in the remembrance should be, too. Although this is a logical assumption, we have no records that Jesus said anything but to repeat this in remembrance of him. The “fun” side of theology is we humans get to put our “spin” on scriptures, and of course, being the humans we are, we’re the only ones who are correct.
The Episcopal Church, and any others, who state, “All are welcome at God’s table.” We need to change their verbiage to “All who are baptized into the Christian Faith are welcome at God’s table.” We are still excluding people. We are still making people pass a litmus test. We, human beings, are still inserting ourselves into God’s plan and love for us.
I love debate; considering opposing views only strengthens any decision. However, if your opening gambit revolves around my heresy, that’s not an opposing view; that’s a personal attack. It is God who will determine my status in the Heaven/Hell evolution, not anyone on this earth.