1 of 2
Incompatibiliity Part one
2 of 2
Incompatibiity Part 2
CORRECTED APRIL 11. Please see the second photo above.
The United Methodist Church has been debating homosexuality since 1972. But most UM clergy and laity don’t know much about the history of this debate. Those who support the Book of Discipline’s statement: “Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” assume that they are simply defending what has always been taught. Many supporters of this statement also believe that they are being loving to queer people, and they legitimately do not understand how a “welcoming but not affirming” stance could be a problem. I wanted to start a storyline exploring the history of how this statement of incompatibility came to be in our Social Principles. This debate is much larger than one denomination, but I believe that the nature of the United Methodist debate shines a light on the greater public conversation.
Baber ident 300
The United Methodist Church has been in the process of splitting since 2016, after the first openly gay bishop was elected in the denomination. The “traditionalist” denomination has announced its departure from The UMC is just a month away. But the reality is, many conservative-leaning or split congregations do not plan to leave the denomination. We may lose those who most adamantly support the “incompatibility” statement, but we will likely keep many, MANY who wish to remain United Methodist but themselves are unaffirming of homosexuality. The General Conference meeting of 2024 may redefine how we are politically organized by geographic regions, but there are no guarantees that the language of “incompatibility” will be erased automatically with that change.
I am assuming that most of my audience is all too familiar with the logic and arguments for an unaffirming stance. So I am hoping to present a story that thoroughly tells the other side of the story. I have gleaned a lot of information on the 1972 General Conference from a fantastic article by The Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Summers of the South Carolina Conference. I’m hoping to create a full-length comic book style story here, so if you find it useful, please share it with friends and church members who would be interested.