Introduction

Holy Cross Lutheran Church began offering individuals the chance to ask questions about the Church, faith, theology, and the Bible by putting their queries into a Question Box. A question and answer appears in each month’s newsletter. This is the June 2010 installment.

Question

What does the Bible say about practices that alter our bodies, like
+ wearing make-up
+ having tattoos
+ getting body piercing
+ undergoing plastic surgery?

Answer

Some of the questions that come to us are the same questions our ancestors in the faith asked. But many other questions stem from the times in which we live, so we may not find precise and direct answers to each question we may think to ask. This question, though, falls somewhere in the middle.

Genesis starts out by telling us that human creatures are God’s possession and that he made us as embodied spirits or enspirited bodies: “…then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, NRSV). This tells us that we cannot separate ourselves into parts and say we do something to our bodies alone. When we alter ourselves physically, we cannot help but alter ourselves spiritually, and the other way around as well.

So then the question becomes, what is the intention of any alteration? Paul helps us to know the proper goal of any change we attempt to make in ourselves: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NRSV).

This means that part of the answer to the question comes from examining the goal of the practice: does it glorify God? Some of the practices are easier to examine this way. Many tattoos feature symbols or texts. Do these forms of communication glorify God, witnessing to others that he is the Lord of our lives? At least one form of plastic surgery—circumcision—traces its roots to a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and his offspring (Genesis 17:10–14). But since the first Council of the Church, held in Jerusalem, decided that Gentiles did not need to become circumcised to become Christian, this practice is not required (Acts 15). Reconstructive surgery has as its goal the restoration of one’s shape as made by God. Other kinds of plastic surgery may have as their goal the refashioning of one’s shape according to one’s own ideals rather than accepting and rejoicing in the distinctive way one has been fashioned by God’s creative hand.

Perhaps the most helpful passage in responding to this question is 1 Corinthians 8:1–13, where Paul discusses whether or not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. He comes to the point of saying there is no rule one way or the other, “But take care that this liberty of your does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9, NRSV). This would apply to the questions of altering our appearances by helping each of us to ask, “Does this change bring attention to me or does it help others turn to God?”

Background

What is the Question Box?

It’s actually several boxes. We will have a box in the narthex at church. The church’s mailbox is the second box. The third box is Pastor Frye’s e-mail inbox.

What goes into the box?

Briefly, your questions. You may use any of these boxes to ask Pastor Frye a question about faith and daily life, the Bible, our Lutheran background, events in the life of the whole Church, and practices at Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

What happens with the questions?

Depending upon the questions, Pastor Frye will respond to one or more questions in the newsletter each month.

What else can we expect?

Well, some questions about the faith do not have answers in this life. As one seminary professor once said, “Put that one in your hip pocket and ask God when you get to heaven!” Pastor Frye will not “fake” his answers. He will respect your confidentiality.

What do we do now?

Go ahead and ask your questions. Please sign your name, but indicate whether you wish your name to remain confidential or not.

What are the ways to share questions?

+ Use the box in the narthex and fill out one of the slips nearby.
+ Second, mail your questions to the church office:
Question Box
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
1918 Garfield St.
Beatrice, NE 68310.
+ Or send your question by e-mail, placing “Question Box” in the subject field:
pastorfrye (at) windstream.net.