Here We Go Again

Half truths do not tell the whole truth

by

Perspectives

Special to United Methodist Insight | June 29, 2026

I have been essentially silent on the divide between the United Methodist Church (UMC) and Global Methodist Church (GMC) since the 2024 General Conference. The GMC had already split from the UMC and with that General Conference, for better or worse (I think for better) the UMC staked its path for the future. While I occasionally see Facebook posts from GMC members and/or supporters bashing the UMC, I very rarely see the opposite. The UMC has largely moved on.

When I first heard that the University Senate of the UMC delisted Asbury Theological Seminary as an approved seminary, it seemed to me like this was a step backwards. Historically, Asbury has been the 14th UM seminary. 13 are official, but Asbury has more UM graduates than any of the others. Yes, its reputation and likely reality is that it is much more theologically conservative than the official seminaries. But I know former professors and many graduates who are fantastic in their areas of study and as pastors. Especially after hearing that Asbury’s disagreement with our revised Social Principles played a major role in the decision, it seemed to me the Senate’s decision was short sighted, misguided, and unfortunate.

I was wrong. For two reasons.

First, I read the actual statement about the decision. Before getting to the sentence people are picking at, I read, “University Senate Guidelines call for reviews to include assessment of four areas: program quality, governance, institutional integrity, and church relatedness.” It is in this context, that the statement continues, “The University Senate’s Commission on Theological Education determined that Asbury’s published ethos statement is not compatible with the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. In addition, Asbury does not have a full-time United Methodist faculty member who consistently teaches required United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity.”

It’s interesting that the statement does not specify a particular portion of the Social Principles. We could say it’s obvious given what has caused our division, but seminaries like Fuller continue to be accredited even with similar positions. But the difference, I think, is the word compatible. Compatible does not mean identical. The UMC continues to ordain and appoint pastors with a variety of perspectives on LGBT+ inclusion. I know this firsthand because I’ve been in the Cabinet room as some of these pastors are appointed. Our position allows for grace on both sides of the questions. What one must do is be willing to be in ministry with those who disagree. Asbury’s ethos statement rejects that option firmly.

Second, not only does the ethos statement reject theological diversity, so does the leadership. Do not forget that much of Asbury’s former and current leadership was instrumental in the formation of the breakaway GMC. They are entitled to their opinion and I don’t begrudge their decision if this was just a thing of the past. But listen to these selected quotes from recent and now retired Asbury President, Dr. Timothy Tennent.

  1. “For the United Methodist Church to say that Asbury is no longer aligned with “Methodist teaching, theology, leadership and values” is tantamount to saying that the United Methodist Church is no longer aligned with the teaching, theology, leadership and values of John Wesley.”
  2. “…this is the end of the notion of a “big tent” Methodism.”
  3. “…views regarding human sexuality have become the new standard of “United Methodist Orthodoxy…If you do not affirm same sex marriage and homosexual ordination, then you are the new heretic.”
  4. “Don’t find yourself a different seminary, find yourself a better denomination.”
  5. Tennent has continued the tired attack on the UMC by people who were committed to harming it.
  6. His first quote purposefully omits “United” from “Methodist teaching…” Nobody said Asbury is not Methodist. If you were writing an academic paper, this intentional obfuscation would result in a failing grade.
  7. His second quote implies that United Methodist seminarians are now closed to diversity of theological opinions. Yet The UMC still has 13 official seminaries and, by my count, 22 non-United Methodist seminaries approved for students. Tennent and Asbury’s beloved GMC? They have 9.
  8. The “find yourself a better denomination” comment is most damning, because reports are that this is a common refrain on Asbury’s campus these days. I would add that if you look at the course offerings from last year, you will find only one professor for United Methodist Studies. Who is that? Dr. Luther Oconer, who also serves as a Conference Superintendent in the Global Methodist Church and is a nominee to become one of their next bishops. I will be comfortable with Oconer teaching UMC polity when Bishop Karen Oliveto is asked to teach GMC polity. (Sidenote: to go back to one of my early critiques of the GMC, there are 19 new episcopal nominees. 17 are men. 2 are women).

So here we go again. Leaders of the GMC – some of which overlap with leadership of Asbury, are pretending to be mistreated while in reality they are creating their own victimhood. Nobody made you leave – if the UMC is leaning further left it's only because you chose to leave when we clearly said there would be place for all. Nobody made you write a statement that explicitly rejects those who disagree with you. You chose that. Nobody made you badmouth the denomination that you served for so many years. You chose that.

For the thousandth time, you left us. Go in peace. Please.

The Rev. David Livingston serves as superintendent of the Southeast Nebraska District in the Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. This post is republished with permission from his Substack blog Now and Not Yet.