Let’s conduct a thought experiment. Imagine, I am a validly ordained Independent Sacramental bishop with an impeccable apostolic succession lineage. I have a jurisdiction of one community I am bishop over. My faith community is thriving as I have 1,000 members at liturgy every weekend. The community is committed to faith formation from children to adults. The community is involved with social justice showing concern for the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and fulfilling the beatitudes. Not only that, but everything is also done in love. In short, this community and jurisdiction has everything an Independent Sacramental bishop could ever hope for. Is the community missing anything? In other words, is the community somehow incomplete?
Many in the Independent Sacramental Movement would disagree with me but I believe there is still something lacking even in this ideal community. What is lacking is a relationship with other churches. A church or a jurisdiction is not self-contained no matter how perfectly it tries to embody the ideal. The persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are truly one God through the self-donation of the self over to the other. The church is really a communion of churches. Paul traveled from church to church building up the communion between them. He recognized the churches with more money could help the impoverished Church of Jerusalem. He recognized the deep faith of certain communities could strengthen other churches. Paul found support when his own disciples came and assisted him in his hour of need. Even as Paul gave himself over to Jesus and found his support in him, Paul still needed human assistance.
A bishop is not a self-contained entity but is a bishop in relationship with other bishops and God’s people. Jesus did not simply call Peter but called the twelve. The disciples of Jesus were sent out in pairs because no one person possesses the fullness of the Gospel message. The Church is called to reflect the communion of the Trinity. A Church or jurisdiction that is self-contained is lacking because God always transcends that which is self-contained. No matter how perfect a church or jurisdiction is, God is always greater than that which tries to embody God. It is through relationship that we open ourselves to a mystery that is greater than what we can conceive. Perhaps, this is where the Independent Sacramental Movement can go horribly awry. Each jurisdiction tries to embody the message as they conceive it, and limit God based upon their own capacity. We have to open ourselves up to God who is greater than our capacity.
I suppose this is why I do not like the word “independent” in the Independent Sacramental Movement. The other night I was having a conversation with an Independent Sacramental Movement bishop about how the movement needs to find a better ecclesiology. We spoke about how too many of the clergy want to be independent of one another. The question for me is what are we independent for? For me, it is because even the largest Catholic and Orthodox communions still fail to represent God. Communions and jurisdictions tend to be self-contained rather than opening themselves up to see how God is working even outside the traditional boundaries. The independent allows me to build community and communion with those who believe as I do as well as those who do not. I can be challenged and see if God is speaking to me even through those who have different beliefs and concerns. I want to build communion with God and others, but I want to be independent from narrow ways of thinking that limit God’s love and activity.
Peace,
Ben
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