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Cheers and Jeers

Ecclesiastical chameleons
Two articles in your May/June issue caught my eye.

The free-lance ministry to motorcyclists showed me that we have some work to do in Chadron, Nebraska-a stopping point for thousands of motorcyclists on their way to the Sturgis Rally in the Black Hills. Since they don't come to church, we need to take church down to Big Bat's truck stop where they congregate, pass out iced tea and free Bibles, and show some care and friendliness. That would be a Wesleyan way to do church.

Generally, these motorcyclists don't fit the hoodlum stereotype in your article. They are mostly highly paid professionals, union members, and aging hippies, probably looking for the meaning of life. I think they go on this annual pilgrimage to find a community of absolute freedom to do what they want.

Then, I read the article about the Wesleyan doctrinal disputation between Ted Campbell and Scott Jones. That was really dry. Even if what they say is true, is it interesting?

I have long-since come to expect Wesley scholars (with some important exceptions) to "go historical" on us. Their implicit or explicit agenda is to "restore the early church," "catch up with the fourth-century," or "get back to Wesley." As an alternative to that repristinating approach, I remember UM theologian Schubert Ogden saying: "If theology is the same as the Bible, that would just be the Bible all over again. Theology is different from the Bible." In other words, theology thinks out the gospel in ways that are appropriate to the original Christian witness, but understandable to twenty-first century people.

Simply giving us a laundry list of essential Wesleyan doctrines hardly meets both of those requirements-appropriateness and understandability-and amounts to Wesleyan antiquarian scholasticism.

I do not remain a United Methodist because of its "essential doctrines," but don't get me wrong. Theology is important, and understanding the significance of past doctrinal disputes is too often neglected by United Methodist pastors. The most popular adult studies course I have taught in my present appointment was on Methodism, mainly because many of the participants came from other denominations and wanted to know what United Methodists believe.

Just re-making our theologies to fit a conservative cultural mood is inauthentic, however, if we don't understand what these doctrines mean to us today or why they were hot issues for those who first preached them. "Going on to perfection," for instance, was not so much an article of faith as an antidote to "quietism" and "antinomianism"-Christian indifference and lack of love (not to mention lack of nerve), in other words.

It disturbs me to find that conservative Christians are every bit as willing to accommodate (and demand others to accommodate) to cultural pressure as they accuse liberal Christians of doing. What an opportunistic argument, when conservative colleagues tell me we must become orthodox because it is the conservative churches that are growing. Talk about arguing from expediency rather than truth!

Ecclesiastical chameleons can come in all theological colors and may change to mirror the national mood any time. Theological integrity builds on truth in season and out-and makes the gospel interesting.

David McCreary
Chadron UM Church
Chadron, Nebraska

 

The Robinson prayer meeting
Your story on Jackie Robinson left out one incident that was crucial to his playing major league baseball. Commissioner of Baseball Branch Rickey was faced with a dilemma. After all, Robinson was one of the best baseball players available, yet most of the white players would strike if Rickey put Jackie on the team.

I've been a member of the New York Annual Conference (which certainly includes Brooklyn when the Dodgers were a team there). The story was that Branch went to the Wednesday evening prayer meetings in his little Methodist church in Brooklyn. When the group was questioned as to what they were to pray for that night, Branch told them of his dilemma to either follow his conscience with Jackie Robinson, or keep his team. The Methodists prayed for Branch, Jackie, the team, and for Brooklyn to win the pennant that year.

Branch left the prayer meeting convinced that he had the answer to his dilemma, and that the Dodgers would be baseball champs, thanks to Jackie and the prayers of the good Methodist supporters of his team.

Object lesson: when faced by a difficult moral judgment, "take it to the Lord in prayer," and a Methodist prayer meeting. And, as Jackie would testify, good and the right way will prevail.

John Monroe Vayhinger
Colorado Springs, CO

 

No free pass for the pope
I am writing to encourage a more deliberate caution, especially in the evangelical wing of our UM Church, regarding the adulation of the late Pope John Paul II. I am particularly referring to the varnished endorsements in Good News and other media of the evangelical camp.

Pope John Paul II, throughout his tenure, endorsed and vigorously encouraged the merchandising of Indulgences. Additionally, Pope John Paul II offered aid and comfort and sanctuary, turning the blind eye, to a cardinal, and other bishops and prelates implicated in the American child abuse scandals! Last, for the sake of brevity, and perhaps least, John Paul roundly criticized President Bush in public and in person for waging the very same war that the evangelical wing of the church in America, and in their press (such as Good News) uncritically and unconditionally embraces.

Let us be honest in our praise for whatever good Pope John Paul II did in this life, especially regarding the issue of the sanctity of human life. Let us also be honest in recalling his transgressions. We are a people of amazing grace, not of a free pass.

Dave Sheehan
(via e-mail)



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