Am I on A Slippery Slope?
I just committed my first compromise as a new minister, and I thought that you would all like to know about it.
This past Sunday, the Revised Common Lectionary assigned the story of Hannah as one of the readings for worship. Hannah, as you know, is childless, but, in her despair and sorrow, she cries out to God. He hears her prayer and she gives birth to the great prophet Samuel.
This is a great story, on so many levels, and just bursting with sermon possibilities. My first inclination was to broach her childlessness. Why was this such an issue for Hannah? Should it have been an issue? Should she not, like Job, have simply accepted the circumstances of her life as God’s intentions for her? No, she does not accept her circumstances, and, like Job, is ultimately blessed because she wrestles with God and eventually comes to a fuller understanding of herself, of God, and of the world in which we live.
She prays to God, out of her childlessness, and God, the Creator and Giver of Life, blesses her with a child. Unfortunately, in our day and age, people in similar circumstances force God’s hand through IVF.
Indeed, they give birth to a child, or to children, but does this reflect a humility before God and a holy acceptance of circumstances? Does this course of treatment allow God to be God and to work miracles in our lives? The answer, on all accounts, sadly, in my opinion, is no.
Now here is my problem. A member of my congregation is undergoing IVF. She is a modern-day Hannah and I am her Eli. I blessed her without properly speaking to her spiritual sorrow. I do not believe that I adequately journeyed with her to help her come to a decision regarding her childlessness.
I am a new minister, of two years. Knowing my poor handling of this member’s situation, I had to preach on this story. But, instead of addressing the concerns that I have just raised, I chose a different approach. An approach that has some good and deep points, but not along the lines of my initial response.
Did I compromise? Definitely. Should I have made this compromise? For the sake of this member, then probably yes, because I had my chance to speak into her life and I missed it out of “new minister” ignorance and inexperience. Should I have made this compromise to protect my integrity? Unfortunately —and I write this with my own sorrow— no.
Have I damaged my credibility irrevocably? Have I sacrificed theological concerns for pastoral ones? Is there a point at which theological and pastoral concerns can be balanced with integrity? Have I crossed that point? Do others cross that point and survive irrelevance? Can I be saved?
[published by The Australian Christian on 10-Nov-06]
P.S. This young woman continued to have IVF treatments but has been successful finally and welcomed her son into the world.
