Pastor Fred Phelps died this past week. 

 

That name may not be familiar to you, but I am sure his church is. Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. 

 

Phelps and his church had their main claim to fame through picketing and protesting the funerals of soldiers who had died in combat in the US and especially through their hatred of people who are gay and lesbian. They used as a rallying cry the phrase “God hates ____” and used a derogatory name. 

 

Members of the church said they were going to enter Canada to attend the funeral of a man beheaded on a Greyhound bus in 2008, but were turned back at the Canadian border. Canada’s laws against hate speech would prevent them from a public demonstration. 

 

Fred Phelps founded his church in the mid 1950's. he supported his church through all kinds of sales schemes. Eventually he trained as a lawyer, and for many years was well-known for his defense of marginal causes. He was later disbarred and then surrendered his license.

 

Phelps, it seemed, hated just about everyone and everything. He hated the United States, He hated every president. He hated every church and minister. He hated Canada.

 

Several years ago, I was speaking publicly for my own denomination in response to media coverage of someone who was making public comments against Jews. I found the comments offensive and said so, especially when the speaker tried to cloak themselves in the Christian faith. I made it clear that the person “did not speak or represent the God whom I know and love through Jesus Christ.”

 

I took heat for that statement from the person’s supporters, but I also received deeply touching letters of support from many others, both Christians and Jews. 

 

I would say that Fred Phelps and his understanding of God does not represent any kind of Christian faith I believe. I understand where he is coming from theologically, and I think it’s wrong. I believe in a God who loves is and is with us and who loves us. I don’t see God as a vicious, nasty vengeful deity more interested in inflicting pain and passing judgement than anything else. 

 

If there is any irony in this, it is that Fred Phelps was removed from his own church because, according to his family, he counseled church members to be kinder to each other. 

 

If the reports of his family are accurate, he passed away in a hospice of unknown causes. 

 

There will be no funeral.  

 

Perhaps that is all well and good. 

 

Fred Phelps and Westboro were a polarizing church. Although their outrageous words were deemed “protected speech” by the US Supreme Court, their presence and words were banned in many countries including Canada.

 

That prompted Phelps to release a video saying “God hates Canada”. 

 

Nate Phelps, Fred’s estranged son, explained his father this way; “"But the heart of Calvinism is the doctrine of absolute predestination, which posits that in the council halls of eternity past, an omniscient and omnipotent god preordained who would be saved, and who would be damned. Mankind would have no say or choice in this, since they are dead in their trespasses and sin. If you are selected you gain eternal life. If you lose, you suffer the most extreme physical and mental anguish forever. My father has simply refined Calvin's doctrine to the point where the vast majority of us are going to hell. And he and his followers are among the privileged few chosen by God." 

 

Fred Phelps will find out soon enough if his earthly theology has any bearing in the afterlife. And I am not his judge. At the very least, our world is more peaceful and perhaps less judgmental after Fred Phelps’ death. 

 

Rev. David Shearman is the minister of Central Westside United Church, Owen Sound and the host of Faithworks on Rogers TV - Grey County, Cable 53.