GC2019 Priorities
The Rev. Gary Graves reads the results of a Feb. 24, 2019, poll of legislative priorities among delegates to the Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church, held in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference was called to help the denomination find a way toward unity, despite deep conflicts over sexuality. The initial voting shows a preference for dealing first with pension and then with the Traditional Plan petition that would strengthen enforcement of church policies against LGBTQ individuals serving as clergy or being married in UM churches. Graves is secretary of the general conference. (Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UMNS.)
Special to United Methodist Insight
We are horribly upset by the way our beloved denomination has been “hijacked” by those who want to impose their culturally-driven biases on our church. Jesus’ teachings seem to have taken a back seat to many who call themselves “Conservatives” or “Evangelicals.”
We ask the bishops and the members of the Judicial Council to have a look at Luke’s Gospel chapter 10 verses 25-39. Jesus has asked the lawyer to tell him which is the most important law in Scripture. The lawyer answered by reciting The Shema – the Jewish confession of faith, "The Lord is Our God; the Lord Is One" – and a second text: “and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus tells the man that he has answered correctly. “Do this, and you will live.”
This puts the lawyer in a difficult position. He wants Jesus to give him a list of those included and in doing so, those who can be left out. The “conservatives” in our denomination are attempting to cut out an entire group of people: they have excluded sexual minorities known as LGBTQ people. Now they want Jesus to list those whom they can feel free to exclude. Jesus’ answer lets the lawyer and those who want Jesus to define “neighbor,” know that he has asked the wrong question. The correct question is not “Whom can I ignore?” but rather, “How can I help the one by the side of the road?” No one is excluded.
Jesus says that we must do everything that is needed; in other words, we must treat everyone – without exception – just as we would want to be treated. The Samaritan, hated by the culture in which he lived, performed six different acts, since that was what was needed. Jesus lists the things that the Samaritan does because this is what any of us would want were we in the beaten man’s situation.
Jesus nowhere, we repeat, nowhere, tells us to make decisions — to pass judgment — on anyone. Jesus nowhere ever mentions homosexuals. This is an important point. There were certainly homosexual people in Jesus’ day. He never says one word about them.
Matthew 25:31-46 gives insight to the judgment of the nations. In Greek, the word is “Ethne,” meaning “Nations.” Note that the judging of the world has been done as people, by their actions or inactions towards their neighbors show their love or lack of love toward their neighbors in need. Jesus simply separates them. There is nothing here about color or sexual orientation, or Sunday School attendance or anything else. Jesus is speaking to all people. They have judged themselves by seeing or failing to see in the needy neighbor Jesus Christ himself. In rejecting others, they have rejected God.
If we declare to the world that United Methodists reject homosexuals (and by refusing to allow them to be married in our churches and by our clergy, but we will accept their money, we have made them second class, rejection in other words), we are saying that we have passed judgment on them and found them lacking, we had better be careful. The ones we are judging are ourselves.
Grace and Peace,
Richard and Carol Miller
The Revs. Richard and Carol Miller are retired clergy members of the Wisconsin Annual Conference.