THE UNITED CATHOLIC CHURCH

    Ecumenical, Inclusive, Non-Judgmental, and Independent;       

The United Catholic Church and Homosexuality

by Rev. John M. Stygles, 2008

The United Catholic Church is both a denomination and an inter-church fellowship founded in 1996.  “The United Catholic Church is an outgrowth of the Old Catholic Church, which broke with Rome in 1870 over the declaration of the infallibility of the pope.” [1]   Since 1996 the United Catholic Church has been on a ‘roller-coaster’, growing missions only to have those missions ‘spin-off’ to become their own jurisdiction.  For most “churches” within a denomination this would be called “seeding” a new church, but most “church seeds” continue with the same vision and positions (doctrine).

One of the difficulties with unifying Independent Catholic churches is most are established with very specific rules and doctrine.  At one time the United Catholic Church provided an ‘umbrella’ of support to jurisdictions (dioceses) whose doctrine/positions ranged from the traditional Latin Mass of pre-Vatican II to Liberation-style inclusive liturgy.  The personal vision, position and opinions of the Bishop often were stronger than the strength of a united church.

The strength of the United Catholic Church rests in its vision and structure which provides resilience.  The National Council of Churches has recognized the United Catholic Church as a denomination since 2004 and the growth in numbers of clergy and laity has remained consistent over the past four years despite four major splits or “seeds”. [2]   

The United Catholic Church still envisions a ‘church’ unified as one. 

“We recognize that the many independent Catholic churches exist for a reason.  While coming to unity in principle, is in many cases not usually a terribly difficult proposition, the human realities that spawned these many churches, coupled with the tendency today to adopt more limited definitions of church mission, make organizational unity difficult to achieve in practice.  We do not believe that pallid ecumenicalism is the answer; it is a start, but it doesn't go far enough.   The United Catholic Church has addressed the drive and desire for church communities and denominations to concurrently be independent, and a part of the United Catholic Church, through the Associate Church provision of our canons.   Associate Churches maintain their own identity, canons, and means of organizing, while they also join in covenant, in its full theological and practice sense, with the core United Catholic Church jurisdiction.  In the covenant level, responsibilities and rights are both given and received, each to the other, that allows both to come together, to work together, and to share deeply as trusted family to together build up the body of Christ and each other.” [3] 

At a recent church synod held April 4-6, 2008 in Washington, D.C., a question arose regarding the following Canon: 

5.1.1 Associated Churches

 Independent churches and other jurisdictions that choose to associate with the United Catholic Church in a covenant relationship while concurrently retaining their own particular identity are called Associated Churches. The specific relationship is to be worked out in each case.  Each Associated Church is called to honor and respect the work and ministry of the others.  Bishops of Associated Churches may be invited by the House of Bishops to join that body.  The House of Bishops will develop procedures for handling this.  [4] 

The question specifically concerned, “what if a more traditional church associated with the United Catholic Church and wanted to impose their positions/doctrine upon all other associated churches?”  The above statement clearly states “Each Associated Church is called to honor and respect the work and ministry of the others.” [5]    There was serious concern over how Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Trans-gendered individuals would be ‘protected’.

In forming the Canons of the United Catholic Church a great deal of discernment and thought was given to allow for inclusion aligning with the vision and mission of the church. The same amount of discernment was given to how to grow the church, allowing for inclusion and balanced with the respect for more traditional positions.  It was and is believed that the statement:  “Each Associated Church is called to honor and respect the work and ministry of the others.” [6]  In other words, a Bishop, Priest, Deacon, or laity may not agree with women or GLBT Priests or Deacons, but if they elected to be part of this church they would have to respect these members of the clergy in their capacity just as they would be respected in theirs.  For example, an openly gay Priest would be allowed to celebrate the Eucharist at a Mass in a more ‘traditional’ parish.

For many gay and lesbians the wound is deep regarding ‘The Church’.  The question posed at that Synod is real and heart-felt.  How does a Church allow for growth within the vision of inclusion and ecumenicalism, reaching out to the un-churched and marginalized?  When does a Church become so inclusive that they become exclusive?   The answer to this I believe is in how this Church arrived at their positions on the role of gay and lesbians within the church.   First, I will state the Canons that will be considered and the positions taken by the United Catholic Church.  Second, I will review the Biblical, Experiential, Reason and Traditional viewpoints of these positions.

From the Canons of the United Catholic Church:

6.3 Matrimony

Clergy wishing to perform weddings (state law permitting) or commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples may do so.  Same-sex commitment ceremonies and weddings will be registered with the international office of and recognized by the United Catholic Church. [7]

6.7.5 Ordination Eligibility

 The United Catholic Church allows ordination of individuals to all levels of ministry without regard to their marital status, gender, or sexual orientation.  Member and sister churches and denominations are not required to ordain clergy holding a status that is contrary to their beliefs in order to either be associated with or a part of the United Catholic Church.  We do, however, require that all member and sister churches and denominations accept and respect all our clergy. [8]

James Alison, a former Dominican Priest and Catholic Theologian writes in On Being Liked about Peter arriving at the home of the Centurion in Acts 10.  Peter was a little taken aback by why a Gentile would want to know about Jesus, yet he made his way to Caesarea.  “You, yourselves know it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.” (Acts 10:28)  Peter recognized the position of the church in his time as this church does in contemporary times, that it is ‘predominately’ the position/opinion/viewpoint of many churches that the GLBT community is “profane and unclean” to use the words in Acts. Yet Peter was willing to find out for himself why this “unclean” Centurion called for him. 

Peter understands and has an awakening in Acts 10:44-48:  “While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, tongues and extolling God.  Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”  So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”(Acts 10:44-48)

We can argue Old and New Testament teachings about purity, patriarchy and acts of abomination or we can begin to focus on the ways the GLBT community can be included by God’s plan not Human ideas of God’s plan.  “Which is why the really interesting theological questions surrounding the gay issue are not the arguments concerning being gay, but rather the ways in which the gay and lesbian discovery of being Catholic just as we are helps all of us develop a richer sense of the kingdom of God which is coming upon us, and so of the splendor of the Church which is that kingdom’s sign.”  [9]

Luke Timothy Johnson “cautions us against trying to suppress biblical texts which condemn homosexual behavior…or to make them say something other than what they say." [10}  The United Catholic Church understands this yet states, that all people have value and can contribute to the diverse ministries of the Church.  Can “we withhold” the Sacraments to “people who receive the Holy Spirit?”  In Canon 6.7 Holy Orders: the United Catholic Church makes this statement in section 6.7.1 “We believe that our ordained clergy have been set apart by God for special ministries." [11]

Regarding Matrimony, the Canons accept the “Rationalist Natural Law argument following that “for human sexual union, the unitive/love purpose is what is distinctive.” [12] In all positions the United Catholic Church “affirms mutuality in relations between men and women, in our sexual relations (difference without domination): [and] Reject[s] difference as basis for domination.” [13]   The Church, by taking the position of inclusion, affirms a “Full Acceptance: [that] homosexuality and homosexual union[s] have the same moral legitimacy as heterosexuality and heterosexual union[s].” [14]   St. Augustine’s “Four Goods of Marriage”, understanding creation equates to generative and ‘association of the sexes’ equating to unitive is the basis for this position in Canon 6.3.

James Alison expresses, “The experience of many gay people is that the Church in some way or other, kills us.  Typically in official discourse we are a ‘they’, dangerous people whose most notable characteristic is not a shared humanity, but a tendency to commit acts considered to be gravely objectively disordered.” [15]   This attitude is not acceptable.  Every person has worth and a calling.  As shocking it was to Peter when he met with the Centurion and realized that God, acting through the Holy Spirit has not only a plan but an inclusive plan for the Gentiles, so too does this Church offer a place to experience the many gifts of all of God’s people.

From the United Catholic Church’s Mission Statement:  “To the outcast, we offer inclusion; to the rejected, acceptance; to the afflicted, comfort; to the sinner, forgiveness; to the despondent, hope; to the troubled, peace.  In pursuit of this healing mission the United Catholic Church actively sponsors both congregations where people can grow in Christ, and missions/chaplaincies that reach out to the un-churched.” [16]  

As ‘independents’ we are renegades of sorts, but in the sense that “… no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins." (Mark 2:22)  The United Catholic Church is a new wine skin and this is reflective in our Canons which I assert is based upon a strong Christian Ethic of Love, Power and Justice for all persons.

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[1]    http://www.united-catholic-church.org/ABOUT%20US/AU%20Index.htm

[2]   Ibid

[3]   Ibid

[4]    http://www.united-catholic-church.org/ABOUT%20US/AU%20Index.htm

[5]   Ibid

[6]   Ibid

[7]   Ibid

[8]   Ibid

[9]   Alison, James.  On Being Liked New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company. 2003. P.xii

[10] Ahearn & Gathje, Ed. ­Doing Right and Being Good. Johnson, Luke Timothy, “Disputed questions: Debate and Discernments, Scripture and the Spirit”. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press. 2005, p141

[11]  http://www.united-catholic-church.org/DOCUMENTS/DOC%20Canons.htm

[12]  Gathje, Peter. “Homosexuality and Christian Ethics”. Memphis Theological Seminary. Lecture, 24 March 2008

[13]  Ibid

[14]  Ibid

[15]  Alison, James.  Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company. 2001. P45

[16]  http://www.united-catholic-church.org/ABOUT%20US/AU%20Index.htm