Portraying Jesus as an Actor on Good Friday?

[sgemmen9]

Hello,

I'm in need of some guidance. The past three years I've been involved with an interdenominational Good Friday service; each of the ministers, including myself, takes a word of Jesus on the cross during the service. This year, however, the decision was made to have Jesus portrayed by an actor hanging on the cross and saying each of the seven words after each sermon. This doesn't sit well with me and I'm thinking through how to proceed. I'm also asking myself, "What affect will it have on our congregation if we invite them?" I know for certain a small portion of the congregation may take offense. I'm already planning on declining to be involved and expressing my concerns. We haven't had a Good Friday service as a congregation exclusively. I'm not sure if the elders will want to do a service at our church or simply announce the community service despite my lack of participation. Any thoughts on this situation?

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Brace yourself, brother.

 

[TheOldCourse]

I would expect the advice you would get here is going to be pretty consistent: don't do it. It's a violation of the second commandment. I don't see how you could invite your flock to an idolatrous service, even if you do not personally participate. Perhaps it would be an opportune time for a sermon on the 2nd commandment to contextualize the change in your traditional observances for your congregation.

Good Friday observances in general are another issue, but having an actor portray our Lord and speak for him is far beyond the pale.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Here's my experience, for what it's worth.

I've been in my present call for going-on 12yrs. Early, when I arrived I was invited into a local pastor-circle, for prayer and fellowship. Which thing I have mostly enjoyed. At this odd pass, I've been there 3rd longest of any.

However, I have always been "aloof" from taking our fellowship to the "next level." Several of the group have got together for services like the one you have been part of. In my case, this congregation had already its own GF service, so my excuse could be: I'm/We're already committed.

But, besides that excuse, I would not commit my congregation or urge them to go to such an ecumenical event--though I would not actively discourage them, unless I knew there was something they should avoid... like an actor on a cross. The reason I (myself) could not have truly joined in any event is because of the wrong message it would send about the significance of Confession, or why it is we are not unified on any given Sunday.

In times past, Reformed and Presbyterian churches have been careful to guard our identity markers. It isn't that we don't love unity. We do, and that's why we unite with others of like confession. And, why we have made joint venture at times with other denominations and congregations that have essentially the same confessions and concerns. It's one thing to have a joint-Reformed service; another thing to have a joint-lowest common denominator service.

Agreeing that we all need Jesus doesn't clearly define "which" Jesus we all mean together as we say his name. But those inside my congregation, and the other congregations, and outside them all would certainly get the impression that the Confession of each body--Presbyterian, Arminian, Lutheran, Anglican, etc.--was actually of not that great significance. Practically insignificant, when you judge the moment.​

Back to my story. My hesitancy to join in various opportunities and promotions was tested over the years. I got the congregation involved in one event that could be described as 1) quasi-spiritual in nature, and 2) held on a weekday. Probably, the overall desultory participation by the larger group meant that: listening to my encouragement to put the event on a Friday night was viewed as a "killer of enthusiasm." We've never done that (or anything like it) again.

For several years, the group sought to join a "spiritual event" to the celebration of IndpendenceDay. God and Country. I'm leery of the connection in any case, however it may have been the very first one of these proposed concerts and speakers came as a result of the civic leaders' determination not to move their fireworks display to the Saturday before, or the Monday after 4th-on-Sunday. This was viewed by a number of church leaders as both sad, and an opportunity.

Make lemonade out of lemons? Instead of our congregations knowing they shouldn't go to the fireworks, and desecrate the Sabbath with the rest of the indifferent community (now discarding its outdated Christian-vestiges); they should be encouraged to pack the venue to see a FREE concert, cheer God and Country, and then stay for the fireworks. I declined to participate or even take a flyer for our bulletin board.

One of my pastor-brethren then, someone I genuinely liked and respected as a man and in his position, appeared dumbfounded. He knew our evening services (yes, we still had them) went from 7PM to 8PM or so, and the concert didn't start till like 8:30, and was only about 3miles away, if that. Fireworks didn't even go off before 10:30 (gets dark late up here in July). He was honestly confused that I refused a poster.

I wasn't going to say anything in church with reference to the 4th at all, not that day, or any day. We're gathered on the Lord's Day to memorialize a different Kingdom and a different freedom-won than the country around us. Nothing could say that louder than for us to gather with apparent indifference to the blasphemy up the road. He was even more amazed, I think, when I responded to him reminding me what time the concert began, by saying,

"No one from our church will be at the fireworks." I didn't tell anyone not to go. I didn't have to. It's not because we're standoffish, and elitist, and proud, and don't like "evangelism." If anyone got closer to God because they went to that concert, and "made a decision" at the end to do whatever, it was because God was pleased to use an idolatrous mess (mass?) to do what the means of grace were actually ordained to accomplish, and given to the church to exercise.

The composition of our church was such then, I did not have to say anything. Today, I might preach a sermon that basically informed the people present that they would have a "decision to make" that evening: whether to obey God, rather than men after the PM service.

I think you have similar decisions to make. First, for yourself: whether you will compromise your uneasy conscience (even if you are not fully convinced this planned display is a sin of itself) in order to demonstrate your unity in confession at whatever level. Second, for your congregation: whether you will press them with the seriousness of the doctrinal issues at stake. If you explain yourself, you may face hostility, even from your own ranks.

What are you willing to lose, to maintain fidelity to the Head of the church? What were men willing to lose in the Reformation? They suffered. And also, the Lord blessed, if they were patient, and he was pleased to continue to use them. But in every case, the persevering gained a crown of righteousness. The others kept their posts, their congregations, their unity, their emoluments; and may have lost their reward in heaven.

I don't write this to pat myself on the back. I am, at best, barely deserving of my charge. I believe I know what I would do in your circumstance, but I am not in your circumstance. My narrative (above) for all that it has analogy to your situation may not really offer much guidance. Maybe it will be more useful on another occasion. Prayers for your confidence and good conscience.

 

[Bill Duncan]

I am not weighing in on this, as I am not a Teaching Elder. But I have a story. When I was a new Ruling Elder we had an intern whom we had called to be our Pastor. While awaiting ordination he was teaching and preaching around the Christmas season. As was the norm, we had festive decorations in the Church building, we had a figurine nativity scene on a table in the entrance to the building. I don't remember the exact details, but he either took the whole thing down or maybe just the babe in the manger, without asking anyone permission. Gutsy to say the least. He risked every thing for his conviction on images and his subscription to the PCA standards. Was his method wise? Probably not. Was his intention good? Yes. He loved his future congregation so much, that he was willing to risk his call for them.

 

[jwithnell]

I was backed into a mainline Lutheran gathering that featured a woman as Jesus on the cross. I asked about the logs in the back and was told at some point, each person would be able to pound his own nail in. I'm guessing they were pushing the emotions because there was nothing else to offer. Run, don't walk away!

 

[OPC'n]

Tell them you can't in good conscious break the 2nd Commandment.

 

[PaulCLawton]

I know for certain a small portion of the congregation may take offense.

One would hope that the entire congregation would be offended, as they (and we all) should be offended at the public breaking of any of God's commandments.

 

[sgemmen9]

Thanks for all of your posts. As a brief update, we're not participating in the community service and we're holding our own Good Friday Service. My elders all agreed that the community service went too far. And, as many have posted, regardless how the congregation or community "feels" about it, it's a violation of the 2nd Commandment and we want to honor the Lord in our worship. I had some great conversations with the pastor coordinating the event and he was actually interested in learning more, so I sent him a rather lengthy e-mail citing Scripture, Calvin, and some Reformed commentaries on my position.