Love is a Verb
June is Pride month!
As a gay ordained and retired member of the tribe, I have been asked to write a reflection regarding love. Looking in the Bible, or doing a Google search, you will find that love appears over 550 times in the NIV Bible. Prophets were sent by God out of a deep love for God’s people to speak truth to power. In the gospels we can see that Jesus not only speaks about love — He is God’s love in action. If you know Jesus, you know love. As an elder of the LGBT+ community, this is a personal reflection based on how I have witnessed that love on my own faith walk.
In 1985 I was at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) in Berkeley, which is across the bay from San Francisco. AIDS was claiming lives, especially gay men in San Francisco, while the Reagan administration remained silent. In the face of fear and frustration, Larry Kramer emerged as a prophetic voice in America, urging us to confront adversity with unity. Speaking truth to power. Was he a follower? I do not know, but he was a prophetic voice. He founded Act UP, a coalition to unleash power, igniting a movement that combined advocacy with compassion, agitating the government to focus on HIV and AIDS research to stop what was also known as the “gay plague.” He was a gay man who encouraged gay folks to stand up together, out and proud. Conversations were taking place throughout the country regarding LGBTQ+, and many minds were changed. The seminary was not exempt from those conversations. PLTS became a crucible for deep conversations, where hearts and minds began questioning long-held beliefs and traditions. The Holy Spirit was moving in the church.
The official policy of the church was not to certify openly gay folk unless they promised to be celibate. But the Holy Spirit had other ideas. In 1988 seminary colleagues stood up and told the ELCA that they were gay and had been certified for ordination, exposing what the church said and how it really operates. They knew God was calling them to ministry as pastors in the faith community. Love in action — speaking truth to power.
Personally, these events set me on my own path of acceptance. It has been a journey filled with both triumphs and blunders. At my first parish (Bethel Lutheran) in Portland, Oregon, I called a church council meeting and came out to them and the congregation. They were accepting and supportive. After 20 years at Bethel, I accepted a call to the synod staff where I served openly. Bethel recently called an openly gay man as their pastor and their work continues. I proposed to my husband, got married with the blessing of the bishop who attended the ceremony.
That was then and this is now. LGBTQ+ folks and allies are under attack from the far right — we need love in action and to speak truth to power. There are many new voices who are acting with love to combat the attack of those who publicly decry who we are. The Holy Spirit is moving, continuing to call us all to make Love a Verb.
Rev Glenn Chase
Retired Pastor
