Two Cents

I commend Matt for raising issues that deserve reflection. I fully understand the problems he raises, and can see how he feels the way he does.

Yet, I can't get too excited about the issues Matt raises for a few reasons. We need our Christian friends to raise a common front against the (increasingly numerous) enemies of Christianity. Let's not let internecine disagreements obscure who our real enemies are. It's true that sometimes people who profess to be Christians are our enemies (sad but true). But I don't think Melody Eastman is, even though she wears a Roman collar, and belongs to a Christian denomination that holds "squishier" positions on abortion than the Catholic Church does.

Trying to view her charitably I see her as very much wanting to focus on issues close to Catholic Social Doctrine and spiritual life. I have never heard her speak about views on abortion, and I don't think she takes a public position that would justify the bishops' sanction against allowing her into our midst. (I fully agree with the bishops' restrictions, by the way.) If there is cause against her, it should be shown, and we should not be involved with her, in my view. But one of my best friends, a guy I think embodies the Christian spirit more than I do, and understands it better than I do, and lives it more than I do, doesn't think Roe v Wade should be repealed. He is against abortion but believes our society needs to gradually change to be pro-life. I pretty much completely disagree with him on this, and don't speak to him about it much for it is painful, but I am not so obtuse as not to know how genuine his Christian life is. I consider it a joy to worship with him.

What am I trying to say? Just that we have plenty of divisions within the Catholic faith that we have to try to accommodate and heal through evangelization and prayer and communication and advocacy, etc. Maybe the rifts are greater across denominational boundaries, but not necessarily. Some strongest pro-life stalwarts are non-Catholic. So, I would suggest we do our best to "be there" for the Lutheran Church -- in the limited way that we are -- but never for a moment thinking we need to stop believing the precepts of our own faith.