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The Courage to be Faithful
by
Josprel
An excerpt from Josprel's upcoming novel, "Beloved
Apostate."
Robert L. Xavier, the son of Carlos Xavier, the wrongfully ousted
presiding bishop of the Latin Diocese of the now apostate Alliance of
Christian Churches, was in a quandary. After his elevation to his
father’s former post he acted to solidify his position. His first
official act was to convene a meeting of the 648 churches and 783
ministers he supposed were now under his jurisdiction. Only the churches
and ministers who were part of the apostate Fresh Wine Movement
responded. The hemorrhage had began and, when it quenched, the Latin
Diocese of Alliance of Christian Churches lost 592 congregations,
totaling some 325,000 members and 679 ministers, all opposed to the
apostasy of the Fresh Wine Movement.
Howling in protest, Robert and the ACC threatened court action, but it
was all bluff. Nothing could be done. By legal necessity, the
Congregational polity of the old FCA was binding on the new ACC. Each
congregation was sovereign in its local affairs. Each was the sole owner
of its church property. Moreover, a two-thirds vote of the membership
could sever all ties to the parent body. These congregations had spoken.
They wanted out of the Alliance of Christian Churches, and their word
was final. Robert Xavier felt cheated. Blaming his father for the split,
he seemed blind to his Absolom role. It was the darkness that afflicts
those who grasp to take what others have achieved through sweat, labor,
sacrifice, and most often, tears.
Despite his son's accusations, however, the only part Carlos played in
the walkout was that of example. After his return from Pasadena, he
resigned from the ACC. Then, submitting a letter of resignation to his
church board, he explained that he did not wish to hinder the
congregation from remaining in the new organization, if it so chose.
Even so, by a unanimous decision, the board refused his resignation and,
with an overwhelming vote of confidence, the 18,724 members of Templo
Calvario chose to retain Carlos as their pastor. As the first Latin
American church in the district to severe its ties to the ACC, without
intending it, Templo Calvario and its pastor became the rallying point
of other Latin churches that followed their example.
Carlos became a magnet for the discontent of those whom the officers of
the Alliance of Christian Churches ridiculed as "old wineskins."
Willingly, if not joyously, he assumed the leadership role the
separating churches thrust upon him. The separating non-Latin churches
looked to Paul for similar leadership, but remaining silent, he offered
them no encouragement.
Urged by Carlos to do so, he pled his age as an excuse. Moreover,
though he had abundant administrative experience as a former naval
chaplain, a seminary president, and pastor of a large church, he claimed
to have no desire to assume the responsibilities of birthing a new
denomination.
In addition to the Latin churches already withdrawn from the ACC,
slightly more than 800 other churches across the country were clamoring
for Paul and Carlos to bind them together. The number was discouraging
when compared to the more than 50,000 churches that now comprised the
Alliance of Christian Churches. Nonetheless it was Paul’s claim that
ability greater than his was necessary to mold even that relatively
small percentage into a cohesive body.
“At any rate, Carlos,” he added, “this entire episode causes my phantom
pains to act up.”
Carlos knew to what his friend was referring. As a young chaplain
serving aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific, Paul lost a leg; it
had been severed above the knee during a horrendous kamikaze attack. The
loss resulted in his spending numerous months recuperating in a military
hospital, before he was able to hopple home on his prosthesis.
Carlos, who also was severely wounded after bailing out of an Air Force
bomber, on which he served as a flight engineer, waved off his friend's
pleas. Waggling a forefinger, he bluntly stated, "Lame excuses, my
brother, only lame excuses. I was wounded and almost killed in battle,
too, but I don’t use it as an excuse for not doing the will of God.
You're much better qualified than I can ever be to lead these churches.
I tell you bluntly that the true reason you won't accept this
responsibility is concern for your reputation. You don't want to be
involved in a split."
Paul appeared astounded. He knew that a piece of shrapnel from the
exploding shell that brought down the bomber still was lodged in his
friend’s heart. Carlos’ crewmates had pulled the ripcord on his
parachute and pushed him out of the plane. In one of those inexplicable
mysteries of war, the unconscious airman landed behind friendly lines;
American soldiers who had observed his decent, rushed him to a field
hospital, where the frontline medical unit did what it could, but gave
him only a slim chance of survival.
But survive he did! He finally was taken to the States by a medical
ship and then spent time in a military hospital. Fearing that an attempt
to remove the shrapnel would result in their patient’s death, thus
completing what the enemy had begun, the surgeons opted against its
removal. Carlos still carried the shrapnel, now encased in a fibrous
cocoon that had formed around it during the intervening years.
In the few weeks since that insightful reprimand, Paul stayed to
himself, refusing even to take calls from Carlos. He knew there was
truth in the charge his friend had made. He was concerned for his
reputation. He didn't want to conclude his ministry on the low note of a
schismatic, but there was more. Unlike Carlos, who had plotted his
course even before going to the Pasadena denominational convention, Paul
was in the process of still charting his. And, while Carlos had been
reasonably sure Templo Calvario would reject his resignation, the
Alliance of Christian Churches threatened Paul with the loss of his
retirement benefits if he resigned. Nevertheless, the threat was a
toothless one and a close attorney friend recently resolved the
retirement issue. Not only had Paul rendered unblemished service to the
old Federation of Christian Assemblies, the court presiding over the
mergers also vested the retirement funds of the each of the merging
denominations in their beneficiaries. Paul's attorney discovered the new
Alliance of Christian Churches had no authority to discontinue the
retirement of any vested minister, reason notwithstanding, without
violating the merger articles. He put the ACC on notice that further
threats against his client would force him to seek redress from the
courts and the threats instantly ceased.
That still left Paul with the problem of being labeled a schismatic, if
he assisted in forming a new denomination. Naomi was all for withdrawing
from the ACC and exploring the possibility of creating what she called,
the "Evangelical Alliance of Christian Assemblies." She often reminded
Paul of his statement on the convention floor, that those choosing to
remain in the apostate Fresh Wine Movement had abandoned the ancient
landmarks.
"Paul, now we have no excuse for staying in the ACC," she reminded him,
after they learned that Paul's retirement was safe. "They're the
divisive ones, not us. We are what we always have been, just as you said
at the convention. We should separate from the apostasy."
Shortly, thereafter, their son, Darnel, who had founded and now headed
the Fresh Wine Movement, called to express regret for his public
ridicule of Paul’s speech that faulted the apostasy of the movement.
"Dad, you and I don't agree on the Fresh Wine Movement," he said, "But
you know I love and respect you and Mom. Just as I told the delegates
during my convention speech, I'm proud to be the son of Dr. Paul Ladner,
and I'm proud of the many honors you've received.
"But I had to say what I did against you because of your public
opposition to the Fresh Wine revival. I'm now telling you and Mom that I
must follow my own calling regarding the Fresh Wine Movement, just as
you followed yours. I regret that you consider the Fresh Wine to be an
apostasy, but I know that it is God's last day out-pouring. I just wish
you were proud of me for following His will."
Then, last night, news of an attempt on Darnel’s life devastated the
couple. Their phone was incessant with calls, especially from the media.
Together, they spent the night praying and monitoring media reports,
until early morning, when Darnel called. Relieved to learn he was
unharmed, they now were at the kitchen table, where Paul quaffed down
his navy antidote for long nights spent without sleep - thick, black,
unsweetened coffee.
"Naomi, I know this is going to sound foolish, but this thing has made
up my mind, but I can't explain how it happened,” he stated, “I'm
leaving the Alliance of Christian Churches. I'm sending a registered
letter, this morning."
Naomi was about to respond, but Paul's uplifted palm prevented her.
"Please, don't ask me to explain. I don't understand it, myself. All I
can say is, if I remain in the alliance, I will compromise myself. My
conscience is worth more to me than my reputation. I'm going to work
with Carlos to form that new denomination."
A faint smile played on Naomi's weary face. "You know I'm with you,
darling, just as I've always been. Maybe I understand what happened. I'm
inclined to think Darnel would view our remaining in the ACC as
duplicitous, as our tacit approval of the ACC's goals. Our staying would
send a message to him that we are paying mere lip service to our
convictions, but are unwilling to make the sacrifice required by them."
Paul nodded, thoughtfully. "You may be right, but something else bothers
me. As the one who founded the movement, Darnel has tremendous public
support. The fact that someone tried to kill him could spell problems
for those leaving the ACC. The media has already made Carlos a villain
for opposing him. I've escaped till now because I'm Darnel's father and
still in the ACC. After we leave, that might change. In addition to
Darnel's safety, my concern is that those opposing the his movement
might be suspected of hiring the gunman."
Naomi sighed and remained silent. For several minutes, Paul concentrated
on the blackness of his coffee. Then, he too heaved a sigh, and
concluded, "But we must leave the ACC. I'll draw up my letter of
resignation."
With that, he drained his cup and entered his study.
***** *****
During her teen years, because the modest row-homes where she lived were
brick red, Lela, who was the daughter of Carlos, as well as Darnel’s
wife, had dubbed her street, "The Red Sea." The term no longer applied.
Most of the homes had undergone face-lifts and the street no longer
blushed. After the attempt on his life, Darnel had asked Lela to fly
take their young infant son and stay with her parents until he felt it
safe for her to return. She had done so reluctantly and now media types
were besieging the brownstone façade directly opposite Templio Calvario.
With the continuing nationwide reports of the attempted assassination,
Lela and her parents were on the receiving end of incessant demands for
interviews. They were harassed by the constant summons of the phone and
doorbell. Carlos muffled the doorbell and, following Darnel's dawn call
to assure himself of their safety, the answering machine had been
programmed to respond on the first ring.
It wasn't enough to restore quiet.
The voices of the camera grinders and their reporters, along with the
rumpus created by the surrounding mob of spectators, melded with the
vehicle noises to create a low roar that invaded the house. And, when
rudely aggressive media personnel punched its button now, the doorbell
hummed in long spurts. Furthermore, because the downright obnoxious
media members rapped at the windows, and nudged their lenses against the
panes, the blinds were drawn.
Carlos scanned through the answering machine messages: reporters begging
for interviews, crank calls, a terrifying threat to bomb Templio
Calvario, another threat to kill him, a weirdo blaming him for the
attempt on Darnel's life, anxious calls from church members, concerned
messages from his family.
And then Paul's voice surprised him, "Hello, Brother Carl, Paul Ladner
here. I trust you're safe. Please call me at your first opportunity. I
want you to know I've just mailed my resignation to the ACC. I'm ready
to work with you on forming the new organization. Thanks for being so
patient and candid with me."
The message uplifted Carlos' flagging spirit. His friend had not
abandoned him and their cause. The outside din receded into
insignificance. The former bishop's eyes watered. Lack of sleep, he
rationalized, hurrying to his study to return the call.
***** *****
Continued in Josprel’s novel, “Beloved Apostate.”
© Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
josprel@verizon.net
About the Author:
Josprel is an ordained minister, who resides with his
wife, Maria, in Western New York. Though brought up by devout parents,
he abandoned both the Church and religion at an early age, not returning
to them until several years later. He served three years in the Far East
with the U.S. Air Force. He then was separated from active duty and
placed on a ten-year reserve status. He studied for the ministry under
the G.I Bill of Rights, and holds a Master of Theology degree. He
currently is authoring two novels, "Beloved Apostate" and "Kanfal."
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