Friday, April 27, 2012

What of the Methodists and homosexuality?

As nearly 1,000 delegates from across the world gather in Tampa, Fla., for the United Methodist Church's General Conference, gay and lesbian activists have printed pamphlets promoting their cause in five languages, including Portuguese and Swahili....from the RNS...


United Methodists who support gay rights have proposed about 100 resolutions this year that would lift the bans and excise the “incompatible” phrase from the Book of Discipline. Leading up to General Conference, they argued that momentum is on their side.

For example, last year a UMC court barely punished a Wisconsin minister who sanctioned a same-sex marriage; more than 1,200 retired and active UMC clergy have pledged to perform gay marriages; surveys show young Christians generally support gay rights; and other mainline Protestants -- including Episcopalians, Lutherans and Presbyterians -- have adopted gay-friendly policies in recent years.


Some United Methodists argue that policy should be set by regional conferences and reflect local mores.
For example, pastors who live where gay marriage is legal should be permitted to wed same-sex couples in their congregations, said the Rev. Dean Snyder, senior pastor of Washington's Foundry United Methodist Church.

Foundry proposed a resolution that would allow churches in six states and the District of Columbia to celebrate same-sex marriage, and sent 50 volunteers to Tampa to lobby for it.  Snyder said his church has celebrated about 10 same-sex weddings since 2010, when D.C. legalized gay marriage. That admission could place the longtime pastor’s career in jeopardy if UMC policy is not changed at General Conference.

My comments...

It may very well be that Methodism will put off formal adoption of the GLBT agenda but it can hardly be said that this will sit well or satisfy the American segment of Methodism.  In fact, it is highly likely that with or without formal sanction for such local or regional choice, Methodists will tacitly allow the growing proportion of those friendly to the blessing of homosexual marriages and the expulsion of all formal impediments to gay clergy and the full inclusion of gays and lesbians into every aspect of the Methodist Church's life and structure.

This might prevent the wholesale exodus of congregations and people from Methodism for a time but it will ultimately only postpone Methodists from facing up to the obvious and accepting the full measure of the consequences of their decision.  Even if the tide is prevented now, it is certainly only a matter of time before the full GLBT agenda will become fully accepted by Methodism.

In Lutheranism, the prominent decisions of a few church bodies have forced the hand of the Lutheran World Federation and that international body is working toward the expectation of all member churches that gays and lesbians will be fully accepted in every level of the Lutheran identity and life.  This very thing may assist the Missouri Synod in its ecumenical endeavor and help us begin the conversation with those unwilling to follow where Scandinavian Lutherans and the ELCA have led the way...  


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

When a majority of Christian
denominations approve of gay marriage
then the eschaton is near. This is
a terrible blot on the church.

Anonymous said...

You wrote: "This might prevent the wholesale exodus of congregations and people from Methodism for a time..."

Apparently, the UMC church leaders believe that proper marketing techniques would keep the UMC from suffering the same fate as the ELCA.

Is the LCMS ready to market itself as an attractive, confessional Christian alternative to the Methodists?

Perhaps the LCMS is too much in love with Willow Creek and with closing campus Lutheran centers to care about anything else.......

Anonymous said...

False doctrine kills.

The only precincts of the UMC that are growing are those that reject the gay agenda. The elect will reject it and reform in some church or another.

Anonymous said...

There is already a famine of God's word in many "churches".

Anonymous said...

As all church property is owned by the UMC headquarters, only individuals may leave the UMC.

I foresee a lot of empty UMC buildings being put up for sale soon.......

--Cafeteria Lutheran

Anonymous said...

After 52 years I got up and walk out on one of these liberals who think they speak for the 'Majority'. If they have the strength of their convictions these 1200 members of the clergy should resign and give up their pensions. Let's vote on morality.

Anonymous said...

After 52 years I got up and walk out on one of these liberals who think they speak for the 'Majority'. If they have the strength of their convictions these 1200 members of the clergy should resign and give up their pensions. Let's vote on morality.