Ted Haggard, former head of the National Association of Evangelicals, has been forced to resign as senior pastor:
In the wake of accusations by a former male escort that the Rev. Ted Haggard had a three-year sexual relationship with him, an independent oversight board at Mr. Haggard’s New Life Church found that he had “committed sexually immoral conduct” on Saturday and dismissed him as senior pastor.
I personally disagree with Mr. Haggard’s position on gay marriage, and I do so based on the scriptures as I understand them. But rather than cast the first stone as so many others in the blogosphere have done, I feel it is important to view this situation through the lens of compassion and understanding.
Compassion, first and foremost, for Mr. Haggard’s wife and children, who will now need to sort through the wreckage of their marriage and try to overcome the damage which has been done to their family.
But compassion as well for Ted Haggard, who, like all the rest of us, is a sinner in desperate need of forgiveness. By violating his vows to his wife and his responsibility to his family and his church, he has much for which he should make amends. And his wife would be justified if she chose to divorce him. Which should make our compassion for him all the more real, as he watches his entire life collapse before him because of this sin.
However, this incident calls for understanding, as well. Understanding that perhaps it was the very “taboo” that conservative Christians put on homosexuality which made it more difficult for Mr. Haggard to confront his struggles with fidelity to his family in light of his struggle with lust and addiction.
Furthermore, it calls for understanding that the actions that so many on the religious right have pursued against gays and lesbians are based not primarily on scripture, but rather on personal bias. While I don’t mean this to say that there is not a genuine discussion to be had over whether homosexuality is a sin or not - I believe that there are arguments from scripture on both sides of this question - I believe that the vilification of the “homosexual agenda” and the ostracization of homosexuals from certain segments of the church have no basis in scripture.
When we look at the way Jesus loved people, he did not do it by telling them that they must act a certain way or live a certain lifestyle before he would have fellowship with them. Instead, he ate dinner with them. He called them to be his disciples (even a rather irredeemable zealot who would later betray him). He cared for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Only afterward did the call to obedience to Jesus transform their lives.
I believe this should be the model for the church today - even and especially for evangelicals. You know what? There are a lot of people out there in the world with whom we may not be terribly comfortable. And we may have some questions about whether their lifestyle is the right one to be living. But rather than condemn them before we even know them, shouldn’t we follow the example of Jesus and love them as they are? And then, if they choose to commit their lives to him, we can walk alongside of them and figure out what the scriptures and the Spirit are calling them (and us) to do - together.
This process is as much about us as it is about them. Perhaps we are right and they really are the sinner in need of repentance. But then again, perhaps the sinner is ourself? How will we know if we are not willing to apply that unconditional love of Jesus?
Ted Haggard’s fall gives those of us who are evangelicals a chance to examine ourselves so that we may love people as Jesus did, rather than push people away as the world does.
But will we find the strength to do so?
