Faith Works 6-30-23

Faith Works 6-30-23
Jeff Gill

Traditional values and Biblical lifestyles
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In Christian circles this summer we've been dealing with open splits and angry divisions both within church bodies and in a more ongoing sense between religious traditions. Many of the disputes have been framed as liberal perspectives versus conservative traditions, and the Southern Baptist Convention tension around women in leadership, or the United Methodist Church divisions over LGBT affirmation, have been intensified by political overtones.

I'll be honest. Both politically and theologically I'm a homeless moderate. A friend online suggested once there should be a "Homeless Moderate Party." That opens up the question whether such a movement would fill a stadium, a conference room, or a phone booth (old man, what's a phone booth?). It's an interesting question, and one I can't answer other than to say I run into a fair number of HMP sympathizers. But that could be observer bias.

What I can say is that I have tried in my stewardship of this space, aimed at a general audience as has been my editorial mandate since the beginning of this column, and in truth during my time as a parish minister in multiple church settings, to advocate something rather old fashioned, even traditional. I would speak up in favor of chastity, fidelity, and continence.

Chastity in that one should be chaste, which can be read in a number of ways. It has an association with purity, and there's a socio-political overtone that gives it an awkward ring today, but I'd like to restore it. Chastity simply means restraint, a simpler view of how one expresses oneself, emotionally or intimately.

Fidelity as in you keep your promises. Do people break promises? Between pastoral ministry and work in the court system, I'm pretty well aware of how common that is. But you try with all your might to let your yes be yes, your no be no, and your word is your bond. Trusting grace to carry you through the times you fail, and work to restore trust in your fidelity. But fidelity doesn't stop being a value when it is broken. Call it an aspiration worth fulfilling as much as you can.

Continence has all sorts of complicated associations in the modern era, not the least being better known in relation to incontinence. Perhaps it's too archaic; like fornication, auto-complete and spell check are momentarily baffled by those two words on some platforms. Again, I'd like to renew and restore continence as a value worth affirming: it means self-discipline in all things, not being seized by impulse or compulsion, but knowing the right time or place to speak or act. There is perhaps a reason why the word now is only used about a very narrow aspect of bodily life. We are too used to incontinence as a norm in how we say what we think or feel in the moment the thought occurs. To stop and wait for a better moment is not what society teaches, but it might be a good idea all the same.

I'm interested in how we as people of faith can best affirm what I would call Biblical values: chastity, fidelity, and continence. Really, there's nothing moderate in speaking up for those values, and they challenge all of us, single or married, female or male, LGBT affirming or traditionally oriented.

Gospel means good news, and my faith says that good news is the proclamation of God's love for each and all, made known in Christ Jesus. I believe chastity, fidelity, and continence are tools that make us better able to share that gospel in a world that needs hope and healing.


Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and preacher in central Ohio; he trusts in grace for many things, including from his readers. Tell him what you can't forgive at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.