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A United Methodist Insight Editorial
United Methodist Insight was founded in November 2011 for the express purpose of providing a forum for all parts of the church to discern together God's will for The United Methodist Church. From the outset of our mission, this publication has insisted that what ailed the global denomination, particularly in its American region, was a spiritual problem, not a problem of law, organization or structure.
Therefore, it was profoundly gratifying and awe-inspiring to hear 4-1/2 years of discourse reflected back through the recommendation of the Council of Bishops to the General Conference on a way to move forward in the denomination's 44-year-old conflict over human sexuality. To be sure, Insight has not been the sole advocate of a spiritual approach to the church's woes, but it has hosted many of those across the denomination who have pleaded for similar solutions to the agonies of he church's human sexuality disputes.
We are not gloating when we say this. Instead, like Jonah at the repentance of Nineveh, we find ourselves sitting slack-jawed, amazed at how closely the bishops' recommendations to the General Conference, requested by the delegates, resemble the discussions that have gone on in this space. People on the margins of The United Methodist Church have spoken repeatedly of their deep desire for spiritual leadership. And the Council of Bishops has listened to their voices.
"The Council of Bishops ... deserves our commendation, our thanks and our respect."
We believe the Council of Bishops, even though it isn't unanimous in its statement, deserves our commendation for its refusal to advocate for any model that would split the denomination. The bishops deserve our thanks for coming up with an alternative spiritual discernment process that will engage the church at all its levels in prayer and conversation over the next four years. And the bishops deserve our respect for finding a way to lead the church in a manner that doesn't transgress the duties of their episcopal office, which is to administer, not to legislate.
As unsatisfying and incomplete as the bishops' recommendations no doubt seem to the extremes of the UMC, the Council's proposal offers both spiritual wisdom and practical process for all. Our prayer at this time is that the General Conference, the only United Methodist body with the power to enact what the bishops have proposed, will heed their counsel. We cannot continue in a "winner-take-all" political model or we will die. True to our heritage as followers of Jesus Christ, we must seek the way of love and sacrifice, as our bishops have proposed.
It will be United Methodist Insight's humble privilege to continue to offer this space where such conversations may take place, so that the entire church together may discern God's will for its future.