Introduction
The influential theologian Richard B Hays passed away recently. He was a widely acclaimed professor at Yale and Duke, he might have been best known up until 2024 for his book The Moral Vision of the New Testament, ranked by Christianity Today as one of the top 100 most important religious books of the 20th century. The book was a well-respected scholarly work and was often cited by Christian leaders who viewed same-sex relationships as sinful and who opposed LGBTQ affirmation in churches. However, in 2024, he and his son Christopher published another book called The Widening of God’s Mercy in which he repudiated his former stance and called for full inclusion of the LGBTQ community. He said his new book was “an act of repentance”. He had come to change his mind after years of watching his former words weaponized against the queer community while watching that same community faithfully serve in the Church and live lives full of grace and devotion. It’s important to note his view of Scripture and its authority never changed, but his interpretation and practice did.
In this Hays demonstrates something rarely seen – a way of believing that allowed for growth and change, a way of believing that allowed for the influences of personal experience and the witness of faithful community, a way of believing that was able to differentiate between Scripture itself and our interpretations of it.
This is the kind of believing that we are hoping for in this Church, but friends, this doesn’t come easy. There are all kinds of reasons it isn’t practiced. Let’s dig in this Sunday and see what we can find.
Grace and peace y’all,
John Ray and the teaching team
Scriptures
Responsive Reading for Vine and Branch
Reader: Friends, today we affirm our identity and aspiration with the following declaration.
Everyone: Jesus you are the True Vine and we, your church, are a branch
Reader: Sisters and brothers and siblings, apart from the Vine, we can bear no lasting fruit.
Everyone: Holy Spirit help us to remain in you and you in us.
Reader: It is God’s will that we have life and have it in abundance.
Everyone: Jesus is the Way, the truth and the life. We abide in Him.
Reader: As we abide in Him not just for our own sake, but for the sake of others and the healing of all creation, to the glory of the Creator.
Everyone: We abide in you Jesus, align our hearts and minds, souls and spirits to yours.
Reader: In the Name of the Creator, Jesus the Messiah and God the Holy Spirit, Amen.
