Health Care Benefits and Alaska State Employees: Pastoral Response

This Tuesday, we have before us an Advisory Vote that recommends a change to the Alaska Constitution concerning not providing health care benefits to some partners of State employees. This concern has surfaced political, religious, and social questions. As a person of faith and a representative of one Christian denomination in Alaska, it is important to acknowledge that not all Christians, nor all Lutherans in our denomination, have the same views on health care, same-sex partnerships or marriage. Though in a leadership role in the Christian community, I can only speak for myself out of my tradition and experience.

First, as Christians anchored in scripture, we turn first to the Living Word--Jesus Christ--and look to the texts within the Bible that reveals Christ most clearly. This is not about proving our point of view on a single issue (e.g. marriage), it needs to be about what Christ has called us to in relationship with God and each other: relationships without judgment, relationships that include rather than exclude, relationships that seek health and life. Critical in the faith community’s dialogue about the Advisory Vote is to note that Jesus never speaks of same-sex relationships and says very little about marriage. Jesus does speak about compassion, caring and serving others, and a lot about forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus’ ministry was all about healing…healing the sick, healing relationships, having healing be part of the community. In reflecting on this Advisory Vote, I believe Jesus calls us to ask: how are we called to heal others, not wound them?

Second, as Christians in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we have resources that can help guide our conversation and reflection (as do many denominations). One such resource is the social statement Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor passed in August 2003. It states: 1) we have an enduring commitment to work for and support health care for all people; 2) we support equitable access for all people to basic health care services and to the benefits of public health efforts; and, 3) we encourage faithful moral discernment guiding individual participation and public policymaking in health care services [pg. 2-3]. The text reminds us that “equitable access to health care for all” is a matter of love and justice [p.18]. Such resources call us to exercise justice, not judgment, based on what love requires of us.

Third, with no disrespect to other opinions, God does not need us to protect our definition of marriage. God has found ways around our narrowness and short sightedness of the past, our distortions of what God desires for us. Marriage through the Biblical and historical narrative has taken on many forms and expressions. Many practices “approved” from the Old Testament would be scandalous and not appropriate for our community or church today (e.g. read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc.) Some Christians, even today, find it scandalous that Christ’s Church does not stand together nor speak with a single voice on the issues of sexuality and marriage. Some conclude that any divorce, remarriage or sexual expression outside of marriage are not to be tolerated in the faith community; while others celebrate Jesus’ apparent inclusion and shared hospitality with those that the community has shunned. Within the Christian community, we are called to continue this dialogue and continue to seek God’s guidance.

Health care should be a basic human service available to all. Why, then, do we divert this issue of basic needs into a discussion about yours or my views on same-sex partnerships, or of providing special benefits as opposed to equal benefits? It is important to clarify whether this vote is punitive in nature or one that seeks the best for all the employees of the State of Alaska. What does justice and love call forth from us?

Pastor Michael Keys
Bishop, Alaska Synod of ELCA