2016 Book of Discipline
The 2016 Book of Discipline contains the theology, policies and procedures of The United Methodist Church. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS
Keith Boyette says that when the General Conference meets in special session, "The delegates should take up, as its first substantive action, the adoption of a fair and gracious exit path, which would be available to any church or group of churches that cannot commit to the ultimate decision made by the special General Conference.”
The Wesley Covenant Association says that it plans to form “a new Methodist movement” and Tom Lambrecht says, "We believe that it's not possible for us to be in one denomination together and exercise ministry in that very diverse way. But we want to bless people and encourage people who are doing ministry in a different way and allow them to do that in a way that's not harming them."
These statements leave me with a strong impression that the folks who formed Good News (and now the WCA) decided a long time ago that "it is not possible for us to be in one denomination together" and that forming a separate denomination has been in their mind all along. Over the past decades, they have published their own Sunday School curriculum, set up their own mission board, been instrumental in the establishment of the Institute for Religion and Democracy to counter the General Board of Church and Society, drawn up their list of essential doctrines, and influenced some bishops concerning appointments. Now, they are promising to form their own Methodist movement. That sounds to me like they have been going their own way and building a separate denomination for a long time.
But they needed a good excuse to blame their exit from the UMC on someone else while pointing to themselves as the true defenders of the faith. When General Conference included in the Book of Discipline prohibitions against the ordination of homosexual persons and the performing the marriage ceremony for homosexual couples, that became their issue. Now they are insisting that their understanding of homosexuality is an essential doctrine of the UMC and that anyone who does not agree with them is free to leave. That allows them to blame their departure on those who want to fully include the LGTB community in the United Methodist Church, and to appear to be gracious by calling for "a fair and gracious exit path" for the errant ones who do not agree with them.
But, they want to be able to take church property and assets with them.
So, at the 2016 General Conference, they introduced a resolution to make that possible. Since that did not pass, Keith Boyette is now saying that an exit path should be the first item on the agenda at the special session of General Conference next year. That is not the purpose of the special session and such consideration might not be proper, but that is what he wants.
However, for decades, the Discipline has provided "a fair and gracious exit path" for any church which no longer wants to be part of the UMC. Any church can vote to leave the denomination, but they cannot take church property with them. The trust clause provides that the property of the withdrawing church belongs to the annual conference for the mission of the church.
So, the WCA has flip-flopped its attitude toward the Book of Discipline. When discussing homosexuality, they want a strict compliance with the present Discipline — no changes! – and they are ready to leave the UMC unless they get their way. But when talking about leaving the UMC, they want General Conference to change the present Discipline—namely, the trust clause – so that they can take their property and assets with them.
If members of the WCA are willing to leave the UMC because it will not enforce the present Discipline, why should they expect General Conference to change the present Discipline so that they can take their property with them?
Why don’t they follow the "fair and gracious exit path" that the Discipline provides, surrender their property, and form the new "true" Methodist church they have been aiming for all along?
The Rev. Edwin Womack is a retired clergy member of the California-Pacific Annual Conference.