The Episcopal Church and the myth of Orestes

When Agammemnon returned from the Trojan War he was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover. The god Apollo, the god of reason, appeared to Agammenon's son Orestes and ordered him to avenge the impiety of his father's murder. Orestes obeyed, killing his mother and her lover. The goddess Athena then appeared to Orestes, accusing him of impiety for the killing of his mother, and released the Furies on him.

For years the Furies pursued Orestes through the world, tormenting him and allowing him no rest. Finally, Orestes appeared at the goddess' shrine in Athens. Apollo, god of reason, appeared in his defense explaining the necessity of Orestes' actions. Ignoring the god of reason, Orestes addressed the goddess of wisdom, accepting responsibility of his crime. In turn, Athena, goddess of wisdom, returned Orestes to his kingdom, and transformed the Furies into the Eumenides, spirits of supplication.

I believe that we have reason behind the decisions we have made in the life of the church in the last 30 years or so: remarriage after divorce, the ordination of women, the invitation for gays and lesbians to participate fully in the life of the church, but have we exercised wisdom? It is certain that the Furies are loose in the church; so many folks thinking with the gut rather than the brain or even the heart.

With the change in the Prayer Book we found a way to accept and share the challenge and the pain of change. It took time and energy, but when it was done, anyone who said they were left out of the process just hadn't been paying attention.

On the the other issues we have done right, but I don't know if we have done it wisely or well. We have responded to real situations, real changes in our world, and new understandings of what it is to be human. But have we sought ways to accept and share the challenges and pain of these changes?

There are many who call upon us to repent, and I think they are right about the verb, but not what it points to. I think we need to repent of smugness and condescension. I believe we need to repent of our lack of compassion for those who differ from us. I think we need to repent of our desire to only see those who are like us as fully human. Above all, I think we need to repent of our tendency to substitute reason for wisdom.

Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?

Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
from the highest places in the town,
‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
To those without sense she says,
‘Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.’