Bishop Karen Oliveto: The United Methodist Church Will Emerge as United and Uniting

January 2, 2019

2:01 PM

Bishop Oliveto RNS

Bishop Karen Oliveto

In 2019, United Methodist will engage our theological sources of scripture, tradition, experience and reason to recognize that whether you are conservative or progressive, straight or LGBTQ, immigrant or native-born, farmer or urbanite, cisgender or transgender, young or old, the 1 percent or the 99 percent, differently abled or the temporarily abled, living in North America or on another continent, or a uniquely beautiful skin hue in the human rainbow — all, by God’s abundant grace, are a part of Christ’s body.

All are necessary members, with vital roles to play, to make a beautiful, beloved community. The United Methodist Church will live into this more fully in 2019 and provide a critical witness to a fractured, hurting world that differences do not have to lead to division and unity is not the same thing as uniformity.

Bishop Karen Oliveto is the the first openly lesbian bishop to be elected in the United Methodist Church. She serves in the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area. These remarks are excerpted from a Religion News Service article, "What's Coming for Religion in 2019."

Comments (2)

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True Dichotomy: Our poster clergy for the split forecasting unity?

Why is Bishop Oliveto a bishop? Because the powers who run the UMC wanted to bring the homosexual issue to critical mass. Oliveto, a lesbian San Francisco pastor, was the perfect catalyst. Having many homosexual pastors spread around the UMC just wasn't getting the job done and this agonizing debate could drag on another 50 years, so appoint a bishop in a clear, high-visibility violation of the BoD, then have Judicial continue her appointment despite complaints! That should set the final resolution in motion! The plan appears to be working splendidly..
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However, maybe Bishop Oliveto didn't get the memo. Maybe she really thinks that she will be remembered as the great unifier? Maybe she does not read the um-insight blog which so clearly dramatizes the growing schism; almost every UMC employee, clergy, bishop poster is seeking a "way forward" through "unity". Almost every progressive member and almost every traditional member do not want unity. In other words, it appears that those with a financial interest want unity. Most of the rest of us want a church that reflects our values without compromise. The schism among UMC members is deep and wide and growing. That’s the score I take from the range of free expressions at um-insight.
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So, I will admit that Bishop Oliveto is certainly serving a purpose for the UMC, but I think it is more to drop the word “United” than she opines.

Reese more than 5 years ago

Unity

The unlawfully consecrated Ms. Oliveto is talking about unity. This is priceless.

Kevin more than 5 years ago