UMNS File Photo by Kathleen Barry
Pray for the Church
Demonstrators protest at the 2012 General Conference.
UPDATED 10 PM April 30: The author is coordinator of the Love Your Neighbor Coalition, which includes the Methodist Federation for Social Action. An earlier version identified Rev. Clunn solely with MFSA.
The General Commission on General Conference has submitted an interesting proposal for an alternative process to discuss human sexuality at the 2016 session. Clearly the Commission wants to have a more orderly and productive process than what occurred at the 2012 session.
However, I see three very significant problems with this approach which will have to be worked out (if they can):
1. Is it legal according to the United Methodist Book of Discipline to adopt such a process? This may be a question for the Judicial Council, which rules on the constitutionality of all United Methodist legislation. Is the Commission taking on the role of General Conference by proposing a change without first getting General Conference approval? Or does the Commission have the same power as other general boards and agencies to propose changes to United Methodist polity and process?
The only way I can see to make this work is to assign all petitions to the respective legislative committees, which are based on topical sections of the Discipline, and then propose a rule change during the adoption of the "rules of order" at the first business session. Then petitions on human sexuality could be shifted from their assigned legislative committee, and placed into this proposed process. Anything else would be a violation of Paragraphs 505, 507 & 509 regarding the legislative authority of the General Conference.
2. There MUST be a process for training leadership ahead of time in how the "small groups" (of no more than 15) will function. This is crucial to maintain civility in language and expression of beliefs while the "small groups" are engaged in discussions! The General Conference has attempted "holy conferencing" before with painful results. However, I don't see anything stated in this proposed process that will help deal with people who use language and terms that are harmful to others. The ugly language used in the past and the inability of GC leadership to call it out as unacceptable has been a huge issue and has led to conversations breaking down into division and disrespect!
Stephanie Deckard, a member of the Commission on the General Conference, commented to me via Facebook that the commission has proposed that the small group leaders are trained ahead of time in person at the General Conference. She said that the main focus of the Commission's conversations about the alternative plan was to ensure that no additional harm is done through the conversations. Ms. Deckard also reported that in addition to small group leaders, the Commission has asked for monitors trained by the General Commission on Religion and Race, the General Commission on Status and Role of Women, and Just Peace to engage with the delegates if harmful words are spoken.
3. Finally, I believe that the Commission's alternative process assumes an equality among delegates that does not exist currently. Our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming members do not have (nor ever have had) an equal voice at the United Methodist table. General Conference has never been a safe or comfortable place where they could enter into dialogue and holy conferencing without a sense of great personal risk. This is most notably expressed in how those individuals are talked about in the context of The United Methodist Church. For them, the UMC's approach to human sexuality is very personal and speaks to their own sense of self in relation to their faith, yet the UMC has referred and continues to refer to them as "an issue" or "an agenda." If we can't dialogue from the perspective of recognizing the humanity and sincerity of faith of all involved, with a deep sense of Christian care and respect for one another, and, with a willingness to confess our current brokenness and inequality in power (even in our dialogue), then this process may be doomed before it even begins!
This is the area of our church life where I don't have a great deal of hope yet. Please UMC, prove me wrong. I welcome it!
Rev. Steve Clunn serves as Coordinator for the Love Your Neighbor Coalition. His work involves strengthening the coalition of groups and individuals working for justice in The United Methodist Church, specifically in regards to the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in all levels of the church by focusing on conference-level action. This article was adapted with the author's permission from his Facebook post on April 30, 2015.