Unraveling
When my wife was a young child her mother made most of her clothes. As Tracy set off for school one day wearing a beautifully crafted new sweater my now mother-in-law said, "Tracy, that sweater has a loose piece of yarn on the arm. You can wear it but you must not pull on that piece of yarn.
You know what she did. How could she not? By noon tearful Tracy had to go home because her sweater was now missing an entire arm.
Pull one thread on some industrial manufactured jeans and you'll be fine. Pull one thread on an artfully crafted clothing item and you may well have a problem.
It is called "the art of compromise" for a reason. We were fortunate to have an elite artist, Kenneth Feinberg, work with a group of 16 to craft a deal that could resolve our differences. At the moment of highest tension at the 2016 General Conference I called a friend to say that if someone moved to dissolve the denomination it would not pass and if someone moved to continue the denomination it would not pass. We were stuck. In 2019 some thought we would get unstuck through the Traditionalist Plan. Clearly, and as acknowledged by traditionalist leaders themselves, that is not the case. Enter Feinberg with one more chance.
That is what we have here - we have one more chance. No other denomination has ended this kind of feud well. The last time we were at a point like this, just before the Civil War, we did not end it well. Now we have one more chance.
But people keep pulling on the thread.
- WCA board member Chris Ritter has published an alternative regionalization plan. The WCA has endorsed the Protocol and been clear that they do not intend to remain in the UMC. A board member recommending a plan that he will not even be around to see, and pitting it against a regionalization plan like the Christmas Covenant which was created and shepherded by central conferences, seems disingenuous.
- The Liberia Annual Conference passed a resolution calling for multiple amendments, including considerably more money and other provisions that would make the Protocol resemble the Indianapolis Plan.
- Tom Lambrecht, Vice-President of Good News, responded to the Liberia decision in part by saying, “We hope to arrive at a unified strategy with the Africa Initiative and delegates from Europe and the Philippines in approaching the protocol.” It could be that Lambrecht means Good News hopes to use their considerable influence with the Africa Initiative and others to calm fears and move forward with the protocol together. It could be that this quote was taken out of context by the UMC News reporter. That's not what it sounds like to me. Note: after this was written the Africa Initiative released a statement endorsing the protocol legislation while also urging three changes. This is an important step in the right direction and improves trust both with African and U.S. leadership.
- WCA regional leader Keith Mcilwain told me on Facebook, "for my progressive friends to realize their dreams, they may have to wait until 2022," because, after voting to separate the denomination, traditionalists will continue to vote against removing what progressives and centrists consider harmful language. Note this is what would happen AFTER already effectively voting to leave the denomination.
- Separately, last month I had a conversation with a third leader of the WCA (although it was in a public space I don't feel I am at liberty to share the name) about adding another $10 million and the UMC name and emblem for Africa to the deal.
The authors of the protocol have been abundantly clear that when we pull one thread the whole thing will begin to unravel. I just listed five threads that are being pulled. That I know of. And four of the five are right out in public.
Here's what it means to pass the protocol - separation, regionalization, and removing language. This is clear in Article VI of the original protocol. These are the strings that simply cannot be pulled:
- Separation - We must commit to passing the legislation as it is submitted. Any amendment, even those genuinely intended to improve the protocol, will ultimately decrease support. One reason is that opening the door to amendments will only increase the number of amendments.
- Regionalization - Pass the Christmas Covenant. This legislation, created and submitted by central conference delegates, is the most complete and best of the regionalization plans. It is consistent with but superior to the Connectional Table plan. We will not be able to fully implement this until constitutional amendments are passed, but we at least need a start.
- Remove harmful language - Some traditionalists may not be able to stomach removing language, even if they are planning to leave the denomination. For those who plan to leave, I believe one can still maintain integrity by either abstaining or by giving their seat to an alternate delegate. Recall that the language only needs to be removed - it does not need to be replaced with language that affirms LGBT+ relationships or clergy.
Don't pull the thread. Don't repeat St. Louis. Don't take away the opportunity for all groups to get something and force us into a self-destructive, lose-lose proposition. We will leave Minneapolis together with all three of these elements or we will leave with nothing but an embarrassing witness to the world.
The Rev. David Livingston serves as Senior Pastor at Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, KS. This post is republished with his permission from his blog, Now and Not Yet.