by Steve | Jan 25, 2021 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
Saul attacking David by Guercino. Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome.
By Thomas Lambrecht –
It may seem out of place to talk about finishing well when the year has just begun. The senior pastor at the church I attend just announced his planned retirement. He is the founding pastor of this church and has served well for over 43 years (all at this one congregation)! He is in a good position to finish his ministry well.
The lesson last week at our men’s ministry was about King Saul and the fact he did not finish well. Blessed with physical stature, good looks, God’s anointing, and being filled with the Holy Spirit (twice!), he still ended up unfaithful to God and defeated in leadership.
There is an old saying that one must begin with the end in mind. Before one sets out, it is important to know where one wants to end up. I’m sure King Saul did not want to end up as a paranoid, unfaithful leader who failed his people. But he took his eye off the goal and became preoccupied with what people thought of him and with exalting his own image and power. (You can read his story in I Samuel chapters 9-31.) He did not keep the end in mind.
What is the end we should have in mind? Our goal is to live up to what God created us to be. He created us to enjoy complete fellowship with him and to bring glory to him by our lives. It is easy for us to lose track of that goal in the ups and downs of everyday life. Our culture tells us that personal happiness is what we should strive for.
But God knows that we will only find happiness in relation to him. Jesus said, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Jesus is not saying we should literally hate our life, but that if we focus on this-world happiness, we will miss the purpose for which God created us. Whereas, if we focus on loving and serving God, we will actually find happiness in this life and experience eternal relationship with God. “’Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields – along with persecutions – and in the age to come eternal life’” (Mark 10:29-30).
So it is possible to start out well, to begin a faith-filled relationship with Jesus Christ, and then to finish poorly. Like all good Wesleyans, we believe it is possible for a person to turn away from God to such an extent that they forfeit the gift of eternal salvation. That is why Wesleyans emphasize perseverance in our walk with the Lord.
“Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that none of you have an evil, unfaithful heart that abandons the living God. Instead, encourage each other every day, as long as it’s called ‘today,’ so that none of you become insensitive to God because of sin’s deception. We are partners with Christ, but only if we hold on to the confidence we had in the beginning until the end” (Hebrews 3:12-14, CEB).
We do not abandon God in a sudden shift of perspective. Usually, it takes a period of time to fall away. We become deceived by our sinful desires and the constant message of an unbelieving world that encourages selfishness. We gradually lose our sensitivity to God and the nudging of his Holy Spirit in our everyday choices. Deception, selfishness, and sin gradually grow into unfaithfulness, which leads us away from God.
That is the story of King Saul. It is also potentially our story.
That is why the author of Hebrews warns us to “watch out!” We need to keep our focus on our proper goal: union with Christ. There is nothing more important than forming and growing our relationship with Jesus. Anything that gets in the way of that – even good things – ends up being at least a stumbling block and perhaps even an idol in our lives.
We are distracted and tempted by our own selfish, sinful desires. We want what we want when we want it.
We are also distracted by growing weary. Many of us have become weary of following all the pandemic protocols. We started out well and sacrificed a lot in lockdowns and other mitigation measures that drove down the virus. But we have become weary and careless, so that our virus and death counts are now reaching record levels. My wife and I lost a good friend of ours to the pandemic when she attended a concert where there was little mask wearing. Perseverance is called for in order to save our own life and the lives of people we love, as well as strangers.
In the same way, Paul says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). I have been walking with Jesus for over 45 years. There are times I get tired of doing the right thing or I get careless about my spiritual life. We cannot let that happen! I cannot imagine spending all these years growing in faithfulness, only to throw it all away at the end of life.
That is why we need each other in the body of Christ, to remind and encourage each other to keep going. Daily Bible reading and prayer, weekly worship and participation in a small group or Bible study, serving others. These things keep me on track with the Lord. We all need them, the consistent practices that build our spiritual strength and lives of faith. We call them “spiritual disciplines” because they require discipline, intentionality, and consistency in order to bear fruit in our lives. If we keep doing them, we will indeed reap a harvest. We must not slack off on these practices because we grow weary.
Many of us have grown weary with the situation in our beloved United Methodist Church. We thought by now we would be part of a new Methodist denomination that would be headed in a direction we could enthusiastically support. We are not there yet.
It is tempting to give up at this point, to just leave the UM Church and become a Baptist or a non-denominational Protestant, or a Bible church member. But the promise remains, “at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” God has something good in store for us, if we persevere to the end. No matter what happens over the next several months with the pandemic and with General Conference, I believe God will get us to the place he needs us to be, and we will get there together.
We need to finish this season of our life in the UM Church well. Good News has been in the struggle for 54 years. I personally have been in this for 38 years. Let us not throw away all those years of invested faithfulness by prematurely giving up or abandoning our goal of a faithful Methodism.
We can finish well on a personal spiritual level in our relationship with the Lord. We can finish well in our struggle against the coronavirus. We can finish well in our struggle for a faithful Methodist church. By God’s grace and our own perseverance, we can finish well, together.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
by Steve | Jan 15, 2021 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
By Thomas Lambrecht –
We human beings do not like to be told what to do. Our DNA was formed in disobedience and rebellion in the first garden, when Adam and Eve decided they knew better than God.
We sometimes feel bound or restricted by the law. We tend to obey those laws that we think are appropriate or those for which we can understand the reason. We can understand why we need to go 30 mph in a crowded city street, but out in the country on a deserted road, we are more likely to disregard the speed limit.
We often take the same approach when it comes to God’s Law, as taught in Scripture. Those laws we can understand and affirm gain much more willing obedience than those laws that contradict our desires or do not make sense to us. The vision of God as an eternal traffic cop actually brings out a bit of the rebellious streak in all of us.
From Law to Instruction
That is why it is helpful to reframe our understanding of God’s Law. The Hebrew word for law (torah) more accurately means “teaching” or “instruction.” The purpose of God’s Law is not punishment, but teaching us God’s way of living.
This fits in well with our contemporary understanding of mentoring. We are encouraged to seek out mentors who can teach and guide us in our career or work life, and even in basic life skills, as well. (Previous generations looked to “Dear Abby” and Emily Post.) We look to models and instructors who can help us learn the ropes of life and work, marriage and parenting.
The ultimate mentor, however, is the Lord God of the universe. He created us and knows us intimately, having formed us in the womb. He knows how life is supposed to work, since he designed it. And he knows all things. He does not need to be taught anything. His knowledge is complete and expert beyond human knowledge.
Even more important, our mentor God loves us unconditionally and wants us to succeed in living a fulfilling and purposeful life. He is for us, not against us. He longs for us to fulfill the purpose for which we were made. Who better to teach us how to live life?
Psalm 19 describes for us this teaching function of God’s Law, reminding us that we have access to God’s mentorship through his written Word in Scripture.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life.
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true, each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them.
(Psalm 19:7-11 NLT)
Basis for the Instruction
The psalm describes the nature of the laws and commandments of God, so that we know we can trust them. There are six characteristics:
- “Perfect” – without fault or flaw, pure
- “Trustworthy” – we can lean on them without fear that they will prove false or lead us astray
- “Right” – upright, straightforward, and just, not crooked or deceitful
- “Clear” – pure, free of guilt or blame, morally uncompromised
- “Pure” – clean, refined like gold, unmixed with sin
- “True” – reliable, stable, faithful, rooted in reality (this is the Hebrew word from which we get “Amen”)
If God’s instruction is all of these things (and more), would we not want to learn from it and put it into practice in our lives? Is not this teaching to be trusted more than any human wisdom, which is tainted by error or moral compromise?
Effects of the Instruction
Even more encouraging are the ways that God’s instruction is meant to affect our lives:
- “Reviving the soul” – God’s teaching provides life to the inner person. It addresses not just the physical, but also the human spirit and mind. It brings refreshment, like a cup of cold water on a hot day.
- “Making wise the simple” – God’s teaching allows us to live with wisdom. The “simple” are the uninstructed, the naïve. We can live (as my father would have put it) like “a babe in the woods” (knowing nothing), or we can live as we are taught to live, as God made us to live.
- “Bringing joy to the heart” – God’s instruction is not meant to discourage us or oppress us. Some people think living the Christian life takes all the joy out of life. On the contrary, living God’s way frees us from many of the worries and cares that suck the joy out of life.
- “Giving insight to life” – Literally, it says, “giving light to the eyes.” God’s instruction enables us to see clearly how to live. Where there is moral compromise, things quickly become foggy and confusing. People express various opinions about what is right, and there is often pressure to go along with what people advocate. God’s instruction enables us to cut through the fog and see clearly the way God wants us to live.
- “Lasting forever” – going on for perpetuity. God’s instruction never goes out of style. It applies in all times and all places. We can count on it always being true.
- “Each one is fair” – Literally, it says, “altogether righteous.” If our goal is to be righteous in life, God’s instruction is the way to get there. His instruction, taken as a whole, leads us to live a righteous life.
God’s instruction is more desirable than the finest gold. It is more valuable than any material possessions.
God’s instruction is sweeter than the freshest honey. It is more valuable and satisfying than any worldly pleasure.
God’s instruction warns us away from unproductive or destructive thoughts and behavior. Instead, it steers us toward great reward. We experience that reward in this life, as living God’s way leads to much joy and a lot less heartache or anxiety. But we also look forward to the greatest reward, which is eternal fellowship with the Lord.
To experience that divine fellowship, we need to become holy and righteous (Hebrews 12:14). God’s instruction helps us learn how. Of course, in our human strength we are unable to completely live by God’s instruction. We keep being distracted and led astray by temptations and circumstances, as well as self-will. That is why God sent the Holy Spirit to live within us and empower us. As God through Ezekiel promises us, “I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey my laws and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:19-20).
When I was learning how to play piano as a child, my piano teacher taught and showed me how to do it. She taught me how to hold my hands, how to place them on the keys, which finger to use on what keys, and all the various techniques of playing the piano. I could have argued with her, thinking I knew better, or I could have resisted because I didn’t like to do it the way she wanted me to. By doing that, I would have forfeited my ability to learn to play the piano. She was a good teacher and taught me the right way to play. Learning from her enabled me to mature in music.
In the same way, God is a good teacher. He is the one to be trusted above all others. His Word sets out how to live a godly life. Living that way yields a lot of benefits and enables us to mature as a person. We can resist and rebel, but we are then hurting mainly ourselves and those we love. By cooperating with the Holy Spirit, we can learn and put into practice God’s instruction.
We can start with the Ten Commandments: honor and respect God, give him our highest allegiance, observe a day of rest and worship, honor our parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false testimony against another, and do not covet what belongs to someone else.
We can go on from this foundation to explore the breadth and depth of God’s wisdom in all of Scripture, learning from the examples of the lives recorded there, as well as from the teaching found in its pages. We have a lifetime, and perhaps an eternity, of learning to live God’s way and being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Only so can we become all that God made us to be.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
by Steve | Jan 11, 2021 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
US Capitol, west side. Photo by Martin Falbisoner
By Thomas Lambrecht –
“When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way, they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what spirit you are of, for the Son of Man has not come to destroy the lives of human beings but to save them.’ Then they went on to another village.” (Luke 9:51-56, NRSV)
This has been a heart-wrenching week, as the deep divisions within American political society boiled over into riot. We all witnessed images we never dreamed we would see. For the first time since it was burned in 1814 by the British, our U.S. Capitol building was inexcusably invaded, pillaged, and vandalized. For a certain fringe, political protest crossed the line to lawlessness.
Throughout the United States, millions have grown to distrust our political system and doubt the integrity of our voting, despite the lack of evidence for widespread voter fraud. There are fringe elements on both sides of the political spectrum that believe an apocalypse will occur if the other side wins an election. Our colorful and long national history proves this incorrect.
Many hold their political beliefs passionately on one side or another. It is natural to want to express those beliefs passionately, as well – that is part of our American democratic system of free speech and self-determination.
As Christians, we should be reflecting a different perspective as we engage with what is going on in our country. Our faith should affect our beliefs and actions. We should reflect the spirit of Jesus in the public square. As Jesus reminds his disciples in the passage above, it is important to know “what spirit we are of.”
When I was a youth, my parents reminded me regularly to be aware of what family I was a part of, and that my actions would reflect on our family. It motivated me to act in agreement with our family’s values and priorities.
In the same way, as part of Jesus’ family and filled with his Holy Spirit, we are called to act in agreement with his values and priorities.
Jesus came “not to destroy the lives of human beings but to save them.” That must be our priority: offering Christ to the world by our words and our actions. Elections are important. But “the kingdom of God is not going to arrive on Air Force One,” as columnist Cal Thomas wisely reminds us. As passionate as we can be about political issues, we are called to be even more passionate to win people to Jesus Christ and help fit them for eternity.
For starters, when Jesus’ disciples wanted to respond violently to those who rejected them, Jesus rebuked them. Christians should renounce violence and coercion of a personal nature, such as what we witnessed in the lawless Capitol vandalism.
Paul was further concerned that Christians live and act in such a way as to open doors for sharing the Gospel with our friends and neighbors. He taught that we are to live, “so that the word of God may not be discredited” (Titus 2:5). He encouraged Titus to be a model for the people in his Christian community of how to speak and act in ways “that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us” (Titus 2:8). We are to act in “complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything [we] may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10).
Our lives are to attract people to Jesus, not repel them. That’s why it broke my heart to see people with Christian signs and symbols among those attacking the Capitol.
We also need to be careful that political ideology never overshadows our theology – our beliefs about, and relationship with, God. “Jesus is Lord,” is the ancient credo of the Church. That definitive statement makes it clear that nothing else should hold lordship in our lives. Putting anything except God in the place of supreme importance in our lives makes that thing an idol.
Many of us face situations of principled disagreement, and the discord can run so deeply that compromise either is or appears to be impossible. That is how we as traditionalists have felt for nearly 50 years dealing with the progressive theology that seems to overwhelm The United Methodist Church. But it is crucial that we always respect the process. We need to work for change or to promote our views within the established laws and rules. Otherwise, we have anarchy, which is destructive to the fabric of our relationships, whether it is in the church or in our society.
We believe principled, peaceful work for our views, whether religious or political, honors Christ and the church. We would hope that our political leaders and the citizens of our great country would also resolve to work together for a better day with great determination and with a true appreciation and respect for our democratic process.
What can we as Christians do now?
1) We can pray for our country and our leaders, especially during this time of conflict and transition. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:1-4). We can pray for unity and for healing, for mutual understanding and a new ability to work with others across our differences for the good of all of us, and for the sake of the Gospel.
2) We can be grateful for the resilience of our nation. We have weathered wars, pandemics, and remarkable instances of injustice. We are all in this together. It is essential for us to work together to foster the good of all, especially the poor and marginalized in our society and those hurt by the pandemic. If we can work together in areas where we have common ground, our energy can go toward building a better nation.
3) We can declare, once again, that Jesus is Lord. We can repent where necessary and recommit to putting Jesus first in our lives, no matter what government we have. If Christians in China can thrive and grow in their faith despite an oppressive government, we can surely do that in the U.S. with our far-better system assuring our freedoms.
4) We can strive to speak and act as representatives of Jesus in all things. The way we carry ourselves represents Jesus to the world. It’s been said that you and I are the only Bible some people will ever read. We can make the Bible of our lives a winsome and attractive one, leading people to draw nearer to the God who loves us all so much that he gave his life for us despite our being at enmity with him. Surely, we can do as he did.
We live in a difficult and challenging time. Crisis after crisis has beset us personally and nationally. But in the words of Mordecai, “Who knows but that you have come to your position for such a time as this?” (Esther 414). We have been born to this time in order to make a difference in this world for Jesus Christ. By his grace and the power of his Spirit, we will do so!
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
by Steve | Jan 1, 2021 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
By Steve Beard –
Screen shot from “Love Actually”.
One of my dear friends bought a Christmas tree ornament featuring the Grinch in a Covid-19 mask muttering, “2020: Stink, Stank, Stunk!” That exasperation and frustration is shared by so many.
Thankfully, some of our holiday traditions were able to be modified and reconfigured: Santa sat behind a plexiglass barrier at the mall to keep the kids safe. Hand sanitizer bottles and air-kisses replaced smooching under the mistletoe. Outdoor carolers wore those plastic face shields in order to keep audiences out of harm’s way as they sang “Joy to the World.”
Obviously, other Christmas traditions were not able to be modified. There are precious absent loved ones who would normally be sharing in the festivities. This year, instead, we will be cherishing our past memories with them.
Amongst my own family, the tradition of over-exaggerated yelling and cheering as gifts were opened ended up being toned down. We even connected via FaceTime with family members who were homebound.
What didn’t change, however, was separating the crumpled wrapping paper from the bows that can be reused next year. Sadly, the decorations will soon be packed away and the Christmas tree will be at the curb.
For many Christians around the world, however, the Christmas season only begins on December 25 and is observed over the next 12 days until Epiphany (January 6) – marking the visit of the Magi to the Christ child and the revelation of God becoming flesh.
Remember the song “The 12 Days of Christmas,” with its Turtle Doves, French Hens, Swans-a-Swimming, and Pipers Piping? There are all kinds of theories about the song’s origin, including it being used as a catechism tool to teach theology. Among the Geese-a-Laying and the Maids-a-Milking, there was supposed to be a symbolic spiritual message generations ago.
One of the visual storytelling traditions that will have to wait until after the pandemic is the performance of Christmas pageants. In our modern era, the quirky British comedy Love Actually inevitably shows up on television at Christmas time. One of the more memorable scenes is when Daisy (Lulu Popplewell) proudly tells her mother Karen (Emma Thompson) about her role in the Christmas play at school.
Daisy: I’m the lobster.
Karen: The lobster?
Daisy: Yeah.
Karen: In the nativity play?
Daisy: Yeah, “first” lobster.
Karen: There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?
Daisy: Duh!
The nativity play ends up being the climactic conclusion to the movie. Not only is the lobster on stage, but she is joined by an octopus, a few penguins, Spiderman, and an assortment of other peculiar creatures.
That scene came to mind several years ago while I was visiting the set of The Nativity Story – a charming film about the birth of Christ. As we were checking out the cave-like location in Matera, Italy, for the manger scene, a five-foot black snake slithered through as though he owned the place.
As alarming as it seemed, it should not have been terribly shocking. Matera is an ancient city known for its neighborhoods that are literally carved out of rock. It is an ideal home for slinky, slithering, and creepy animals of all varieties – perhaps a little like Bethlehem.
Like a lobster (or Spiderman), a snake is an unlikely character for a nativity scene. Nevertheless, its appearance seemed strangely fitting to the incarnational reality of Christmas. After all, at the precipice of hope and redemption, evil lingers and looks for a way to corrupt.
In reality, it is difficult to downplay the seemingly raw scandal involved with the birth of Christ, but somehow we have managed. Perhaps we have anesthetized the story’s sting since it took place long ago and far away.
At Christmas, we properly celebrate the birth of Jesus. What we don’t dwell on is the horror that surrounds it. No matter how elaborate our nativity scenes may be, they seem to have the antiseptic cleanliness of the crosses that we wear as necklaces. Just like you don’t see blood stains on sterling silver jewelry, you don’t really get a sense of how Christmas may have been anxiety-ridden, unsanitized, and vile – a little like real life.
We don’t often think about Herod ordering the infanticide of all little boys 2 years old and under after the Magi asked him about Jesus. With the slaughter of the innocent, Christmas ends up as gruesome as Good Friday.
We don’t often think about Joseph’s dilemma in discovering that his fiancée was pregnant. Would he divorce her? According to the law of that day, he would have been within his rights.
We don’t often think about a frightened, unmarried teenage girl who has been told she will carry the son of God in her belly. How could she explain that to her family and friends – let alone to the man to whom she pledged her faithfulness?
We don’t often think about an elderly religious man telling the teenage Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too”
(Luke 2:34-35). Whoa. That’s a pretty heavy gothic trip for a young girl.
As we have learned this year, holidays don’t suspend dark clouds. Not even Christmas can cancel out the tragedies and hardships of everyday life. Car accidents. Family disputes. Medical emergencies. Bad news slithers on despite the holidays.
Christianity does not pretend that hardships will not occur. Nevertheless, faith, hope, and love are the pivotal factors that sustain and strengthen in the darkest of seasons. Most importantly, we depend upon God’s abiding presence. “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love,” wrote St. Paul. “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38, NLT).
Go ahead, sing “The 12 Days of Christmas” with gusto – while you sing in the shower. Feel free to chuckle about the oddly-placed lobster and octopus and penguins and Spiderman in the nativity scene. But don’t dismiss the snake in the cave as a joke. At Christmas, the historic Book of Common Prayer intones: “Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Even though a snake may slither through the manger, Christmas remains the only light sparked in a cave that can illuminate the human soul and bring peace in the midst of chaos.
Steve Beard is the editor of Good News.
by Steve | Oct 23, 2020 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
By Thomas Lambrecht –
National Cathedral in DC from Creative Commons.
Last week, I reported that the Western Jurisdiction was beginning a yearlong campaign to prepare for General Conference and the ensuing separation provided by the “Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.” This very appropriate work by the Western Jurisdiction joins the work of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and other groups who are preparing for what Methodism will look like post-separation.
The fleshing out of the Western Jurisdiction vision for the post-separation church will raise issues traditionalists will have to wrestle with. Most prominent is the pivotal question of whether traditionalists can or should remain in the post-separation UM Church or align with a new traditionalist Methodist church.
The Western Jurisdiction makes an explicit effort to welcome traditionalists to remain within the post-separation United Methodist Church. They aspire to provide “a home for diverse people, ideas and theological perspectives.” They assure that “individual clergy and congregations will not be forced to conduct or host same sex marriages.”
Would traditionalists be welcome in a post-separation United Methodist Church? The Western Jurisdiction responds: “Yes, they will be welcomed and encouraged to stay as part of The United Methodist Church, but must be willing to accept that others hold different views and will have a right to conduct same-sex marriages and ordain qualified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.” (Unanswered is the question of whether pastors appointed to traditionalist congregations will share that church’s traditionalist views or instead be an advocate for the new liberal perspective.)
Such welcome is a wonderful aspiration. However, traditionalists of good will are rightly apprehensive. One must wonder if such toleration can truly be the lasting reality in a post-separation UM Church controlled by an overwhelming majority who favor same-sex marriage and LGBT ordination. A post-separation UM Church will have a shrinking minority of traditionalist members, even if a percentage of the UM churches in Africa were to remain with the post-separation UM Church.
According to plans submitted to General Conference, centrists and progressives envision a church where each region of the global church will be able to set its own policies (as proposed by the Connectional Table ). That means U.S. United Methodists would not be governed by the global church, but by only the U.S. portion of the church. Thus, more traditionalist African voices would have no influence on U.S. church teachings or practices.
The Episcopalian Experience
Traditionalist apprehension is growing each day that the current same-sex marriage controversy within The Episcopal Church unfolds. After all, The Episcopal Church is United Methodism’s closest sibling mainline denomination. (Their General Convention occurs every three years instead of every four.) Follow this trajectory of how that church’s policies evolved:
- 2003 – first openly partnered gay bishop is consecrated
- 2009 – first openly lesbian bishop is consecrated (many traditionalist Episcopalians separated from the church after 2003, leaving the denomination in unfettered control of centrists and progressives)
- 2012 – a “provisional rite” for same-sex unions is authorized for those who desire to use it
- 2015 – an official gender-neutral marriage rite is adopted, while at the same time allowing bishops the discretion about whether or not to allow same-sex marriages in their diocese (the equivalent of our annual conferences)
- 2018 – it became mandatory that bishops allow same-sex marriages in their diocese
- 2019 – the last remaining traditionalist bishop is put under charges for not allowing same-sex marriages in his diocese
- 2020 – that bishop was recently found guilty by a church court of “failing to abide by the Discipline and Worship of The Episcopal Church” – his punishment is yet to be determined, but it is widely surmised that he will be removed from office as a bishop
Blogger Jeffrey Walton recalls this insightful quote from the late theologian Richard John Neuhaus.
Where orthodoxy is optional, orthodoxy will sooner or later be proscribed. … Orthodoxy, no matter how politely expressed, suggests that there is a right and a wrong, a true and a false, about things. When orthodoxy is optional, it is admitted under a rule of liberal tolerance that cannot help but be intolerant of talk about right and wrong, true and false. It is therefore a conditional admission, depending upon orthodoxy’s good behavior. The orthodox may be permitted to believe this or that and to do this or that as a matter of sufferance, allowing them to indulge their inclination, preference, or personal taste. But it is an intolerable violation of the etiquette by which one is tolerated if one has the effrontery to propose that this or that is normative for others.”
For the purposes of this article, I take “orthodoxy” to mean the church’s traditional understanding of marriage as between one man and one woman, and that sex should be reserved for marriage.
The Episcopal sequence of events is discomforting. For those clergy and laity who will be required to make a decision, there is a legitimate concern that they will find little tolerance from those who value diversity of opinion when traditionalists advocate for a biblical definition of marriage between one man and one woman as being God’s intention for all of humanity.
Many traditionalist Episcopalians believed in good faith eight years ago that their theological commitments would be honored and guarded in their evolving denominational situation. Today, the situation for traditionalists in The Episcopal Church looks dire.
The real question is not whether traditionalists will be tolerated or even welcome in a post-separation United Methodist Church, but will they ultimately suffer the same fate as our Episcopal brothers and sisters.
The post-separation United Methodist Church envisions a diversity of views on the definition of marriage, but it is not difficult to imagine that official church teaching will embrace same-gender marriage and LGBT ordination. The pressure of “church culture” will (intentionally or unintentionally) move traditionalist clergy and members toward accepting that understanding. The presence of traditionalist views within a post-separation UM Church will undoubtedly diminish and eventually fade away.
Once traditionalists adopt the position that the clear biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality is only one acceptable viewpoint among many, they may find themselves unable to maintain other distinctive traditionalist understandings of Christian doctrine and practice. That is one of the lessons from the Episcopal saga.
As we begin to prepare for the 2021 General Conference and life after separation, it will be important for traditionalists to consider how these questions surrounding marriage and human sexuality will affect their denominational membership. For some, this decision will be heart wrenching. We will all need much prayer and a greater measure of God’s grace as we move through this difficult time.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
by Steve | Oct 19, 2020 | In the News, Perspective E-Newsletter
By Thomas Lambrecht –
Last week, the Western Jurisdiction announced that it “is beginning preparations for the next General Conference by recommitting itself to be a faithful, inviting, open, safe and loving place for all people.” Its nearly year-long campaign, called “Where Love Lives,” is designed to promote “the faith values that have undergirded the jurisdiction’s long-term commitment to a scripturally based fully inclusive ministry.”
Importantly, the campaign advocates approval of the “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation” that would provide the mechanism for the formation of a new traditionalist Methodist church, allowing annual conferences, local churches, and clergy who want to align with that new traditionalist church to separate from The United Methodist Church and keep their property and pensions.
“The Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation offers a way forward to begin easing the five decades of pain created by the wounds inflicted on LGBTQ persons by the church,” said the spokesperson for the campaign, Bishop Karen Oliveto, the denomination’s first openly lesbian bishop. The campaign affirms, “the carefully crafted and negotiated Protocol offers the opportunity to jump start the process” of “resetting and reforming” The United Methodist Church in light of the church’s current financial reality.
The campaign is a continuation of the Western Jurisdiction’s commitment in 2019 “to be a safe harbor for LGBTQ+ clergy from across the denomination.” It aims to provide “an alternative vision for people to embrace.” This is an alternative to the “Traditional Plan” that was adopted by the 2019 General Conference and has been steadfastly resisted by numerous annual conferences in the U.S.
The Western Jurisdiction points toward its vision for what The United Methodist Church would look like after separation takes place. It advocates for its belief “that God’s church is open to all.” “The United Methodist Church is and will be safe, secure, open, and built on faith in God, trust in one another, and with love for all in all we do.”
Of course, traditionalists could utter these same aspirations, as well. Those ideals could easily describe the new traditionalist denomination envisioned by the Wesleyan Covenant Association and others. The WCA is also committed to a church “that welcomes all, in Christ.”
What distinguishes the Western Jurisdiction’s vision is its determination that the church “will have a right to conduct same-sex marriages and ordain qualified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.” LGBT persons will be represented in leadership roles and policy-making processes at all levels of the post-separation UM Church. This is what is meant by “full inclusion.”
From a traditionalist standpoint, this campaign is a positive development. It continues to advocate adoption of the Protocol, which traditionalists also support, as a fair means of allowing separation to occur in The UM Church. It would end our 50-year conflict over our understanding of Scripture and the church’s moral teachings, allowing each group to pursue its vision of church unhindered by the other.
The campaign is positive also in recognizing that The United Methodist Church cannot continue as it currently is. When asking what would happen if the Protocol does not pass General Conference, the campaign reiterates, “The United Methodist Church is at a point where it must take steps towards resetting and reforming. … No matter what happens, The United Methodist Church needs to look at its structures and processes and discern how to streamline in the church’s current financial reality to maximize opportunities for mission and ministry.”
Both centrist and progressive groups, as well as the WCA, are looking for ways to reconfigure the church to make it more effective in the current reality to carry out its mission and ministry. There will be no such thing as maintaining the status quo.
It is highly appropriate that centrists and progressives flesh out their vision for the post-separation United Methodist Church. Annual conferences and local churches deserve clear choices when making decisions about separation next fall. The WCA and other traditionalist groups are working diligently to craft our vision for what a new faithful traditional Methodist church could look like. Centrists and progressives are right to be doing the same thing.
Obviously, traditionalists will have deep differences with the Western Jurisdiction and others who are crafting visions for the future of the church. How we define and understand our doctrines, moral teachings, and theological method are vastly different. Many traditionalists will be unable to participate in the post-separation United Methodist Church as defined by “full inclusion.”
At the same time, the Western Jurisdiction and other groups are to be commended for doing the hard work of beginning to envision a new understanding of church that will be effective for the 21st century. The near-universal support for the Protocol that we continue to hear from leaders and grass-roots constituents across the spectrum means that we need to be prepared for what comes next. We cannot wait until General Conference approves the Protocol to get started on defining our options for the future.
At times in my life when I had a suitable yard, I loved to garden. I learned that there are times when you can see nothing happening above ground, but the seeds are germinating below ground and sending out roots to nourish the budding plant. It is from the invisible roots formed underground that the explosive growth of the plant above ground takes place. I had to learn to be patient for the underground work to be completed in order to begin seeing the above ground flourishing of the plants.
We are in one of those waiting times now, when not much is happening above ground in moving toward a new and more vibrant future for the church. But this campaign by the Western Jurisdiction and the work by the WCA and other groups happening below ground is preparing the way for the explosive growth that can happen in the aftermath of General Conference next year. That work will make us much better prepared to start strong, give clear options for people to make their decisions, and refocus on the mission of the church in making disciples of Jesus Christ and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.
May God guide our preparations, that he may bless and make fruitful our efforts toward a new direction for Methodism.
Thomas Lambrecht is a United Methodist clergyperson and the vice president of Good News.
