One of the joys of Lambeth last week was the performance of 'Seven Passages' by a group of young people from Michigan. This new play weaved the true life experiences of a variety of gay Christians (not the actors own stories) with exegisis of the seven frequently cited 'anti-gay' terror texts from scripture.
As the play progressed the audience gained vivid insights into the painful struggles experienced by gay Christians accompanied by clear and accurate explanations as to the meaning of the seven scripture passages most often used to exclude gay Christians from church communities. Deeply moving but also at times very funny, the play deserves to be widely appreciated, which will be much helped by the forthcoming DVD.
Half way through the play around half a dozen people walked out, something that the cast had never experienced before. Talking with them afterwards, it was clear that seeing people walk away was difficult. Yet I wonder if it wasn't also a good sign.
One of the challenges with plays like 'Seven Passages' is that the audience is often composed of people very much on board with the issues. To have people walk out half way through is a vivid reminder that there remains a long way to go before LGBT people will be fully accepted in the Christian community.
Leaving aside the possibility that the folks who left had a bus to catch, is there anything positive to be gleaned from people appearing to disagree so strongly with a play's message that they feel the need to be elsewhere?
I feel there might be and it has something to do with the nature of conflict.
When disagreements come out in the open, truth is revealed. The English habit of seeking to always be polite isn't sufficient to transform the world and usher in the Kingdom of God. At times we need to face up to our differences in order to find a way forward together.
Conflict is, by its very nature revelatory, it reveals truth. Wherever there is conflict there is a point of potential transformation.
The motives for those folks walking out on the play may never be known. But if an internal conflict was stirred up by the experience, then a movement of the Spirit might at work. We will never know how that might work itself out. But that is both the joy and the challenge of contributing to others' spiritual journeys. It's all about planting seeds so others have something to water.
Dave Ford
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