Some 60 scholars will gather Aug. 7 and 8 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas for an academic meeting on the post-Way-Forward state of The United Methodist Church.
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The gathering won't be open to the public, but the talks will be livestreamed via Lovers Lane UMC's video system. A PDF of the schedule can be found here.
The event has been organized by two professors from United Methodist-related Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, the Rev. Dr. O. Wesley Allen Jr., Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics, and the Rev. Dr. Ted Campbell, Professor of Church History, and a steering committee including:
- The Rev. Dr. Sarah Heaner Lancaster, Professor in the Werner Chair of Theology, Methodist Theological School of Ohio;
- The Rev. Dr. Rolf R. Nolasco, Jr. Professor of Pastoral Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary;
- The Rev. Dr. R. Kendall Soulen, Professor of Systematic Theology, Candler School of Theology, Emory University;
- The Rev. Dr. Ian B. Straker, an American religious historian with interests in African American studies and Methodist history and a participant in UMForward.
Seventeen United Methodist congregations are among the event's sponsors, including churches in Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, Colorado, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, Alabama and Georgia.
The scholars' meeting is the latest attempt to gather views on the future direction of The United Methodist Church in light of the strengthening of bans on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination enacted by the special called General Conference in February. It comes after two meetings in May set up by ad hoc organizations, several resolutions and consultations during annual sessions of U.S. regional conferences, and a gathering in July convened by bishops from United Methodist Central Conferences of Sierra Leone, North Katanga (Congo) and Nordic-Baltic episcopal areas.
An introduction on the event's website states:
"... United Methodist scholars who support the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in the full life of the church are gathering for a public conversation. Our hope is to bring biblical, theological, practical/pastoral theological, moral/ethical, and historical insights to help the work of those who seek a form of our church free from the existing restrictions against gay and lesbian ordinations and marriages and the further restrictions imposed by the Traditional Plan.
"Participants will reflect a variety of theological perspectives but will be united in a progressive social vision that 1) includes a concern to help the emergence of a form of our church free from existing and newly imposed restrictions regarding gay and lesbian people 2) as part of the calling of the gospel of Jesus Christ meant to erase all forms of oppression and marginalization."
Although the public can't attend, organizers say they intend to publish online the papers and conversations presented at the meeting, and to keep available video recordings of the event to inform the wider church. The website says organizers envision these resources could be used "in Christian education settings, clergy gatherings, and congregational/regional discussions about next steps."
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.