Toward a Progressive Methodist Vision

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Rob Renfroe is right. In his January/February 2019 editorial in the Good News Magazine, he states that the Traditional Plan is most likely to pass as it continues what has been approved every General Conference since 1972. He is right that the only alternative to the Traditional plan passing is for progressives to cause enough disruption to the process to allow nothing to pass. The Simple Plan simply does not have the votes, and (although the Bishops are working hard to promote it) the One Church Plan is unacceptable to the conservatives. The Bishops have declared the Connectional Conference Plan unachievable (I hope they miraculously rethink that assessment).

It is time for a Progressive Methodist vision to be put forward that is larger than human sexuality. Although any Progressive Methodist vision must certainly include a clearly stated sexual ethic, we need more than that to be a movement that is committed to mission and ministry. The WCA has clearly defined their vision of what they see as the priorities for the United Methodist Church if the Traditional Plan wins, and for a new denomination if it does not. Progressive Methodists need a similar vision that will compel us to move forward no matter what the Special General Conference brings.

What could a Progressive Methodist Vision look like? What could it bring to a new denomination or renewal of the old? It could look like a radical living out of our Baptismal vows in a way that truly seeks to transform this world and speaks to a new generation.

Start with rejecting greed

First, Progressive Methodists could lead the call to reject the greatest evil power of this world – greed – and all the wickedness, injustice and oppression that comes from greed. We have failed as Christians to address our modern idolatry of money and all that comes with it. Christians have embraced a prosperity Gospel that has eroded our faith and led to a false love of stuff. Progressive Methodists could help the world see that the ethics of a company are as important as its stock price, the harm done by a product is more important than its profit and the common good of all people is more important than the right to amass a fortune.

Second, Progressive Methodists could lead in resisting the evil, injustice and oppression of the environment that is causing destruction all around the globe. The Bishop’s Pastoral Letter “Call to Hope and Action” came out in 2009 with a bang and fizzled quickly. Conservative media sowed doubt in the science of climate change and Annual Conferences, Bishops and churches quickly filed the Call away. Ten years later we are seeing the results of climate change in real time. The last three years have each set a new record for ocean water temperature. According to Yale’s climate opinion maps surveyed in 2018, 70 percent of Americans now believe global warming is happening, 57 percent believe it is caused mostly by humans and 61 percent are worried about it. Progressive Methodists could help every church install a solar panel or wind generator, every church parking lot an EV charging station, every church kitchen composting and growing organic foods for the poor. Gardening could be as common a church activity as Sunday school, or I could be Sunday school.

Add anti-racism training

Third, Progressive Methodists really could seek to live out the promise to serve Jesus in union with a church that is open to all ages, nations and races. While the United Methodist Church got rid of the Central Conference, it never de-segregated or methodically worked on our racism. Calls to repentance at the General Church level filtered down to some Annual Conferences. However, few white congregations have taken up the uncomfortable task of talking about our white privilege and working to create a non-racist society.

When the idea that every pastor should have anti-racism training was brought to the Iowa Annual Conference floor, it was abundantly clear that many pastors wanted no part of giving up their privilege or being equal to our sisters and brothers of color. Progressive Methodists could envision a church that radically practices this baptismal pledge by making anti-racism a part of our everyday life. Being Progressive Methodist meant taking part in regular training and discussions on racism, participation in “mixed” ministries, and having a prayer partner of another race. The Church within a Church Movement has shown that this kind of radical commitment to inclusiveness is possible. At every gathering there is antiracism work, to be a part of the movement is to be working on your own self-examination of internal bias. Progressive Methodists could lead in transforming our racist society by committing to this work.

Finally, Progressive Methodists could amend the baptismal vow of promising to serve Jesus as our Lord in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations and races by adding “genders and sexual orientations.” However, we would have to be committed to doing the work of eradicating gender bias in action and heart, not just in word. We could easily follow in the past footsteps of United Methodists who gave lip service to racial equality but did not commit to doing the work of building a non-racist church.

Articulate clear sexual ethics

To live our commitment to a non-gender biased church we would have to articulate what God does want in sexual relationships and marriage. Conservatives look at our sexual ethic and believe we do not have one – that we are on a slippery slope to “anything goes.” The Bible does show us that sexual ethics are important and we need to articulate ours clearly. We need to look at power, consent, and qualities of relationship that God desires for our lives. We should be able to proclaim to every generation how their sexuality is precious and can be life-giving.

We would have to root out toxic masculinity and misogyny from our hearts with continual work of awareness and examination. This has to be the work of everyone – not just a commission that sits on high. We would have to re-member our theology of original goodness and how it applies to every form of gender expression. Progressive Methodists could learn from the Metropolitan Community Church theologies of radical inclusion and blessing of transgender and all gender-non-conforming persons.

These four ways of living our baptismal vows would align Progressive Methodists with our heritage and speak healing to broken places in our world (and Church) today. These are not radical ideas for progressives, but it would be a radical stand for pastors who have been uncommitted on these issues for fear of offending conservative members. It is time for us to stop being lukewarm. It is time for a Progressive Methodist movement that articulates a world-transforming vision that speaks to this generation. It is time for us to raise up leaders and churches that actively work for this transformation.

If Rob Renfroe is right and the Traditional Plan passes, what will become of progressive Methodists who have yearned for change? Will we do as we have done in the past and quietly slink away individually to the United Church of Christ, to chaplaincy, to social work, to other denominations? Will we stay silently, to work for our pensions, biting our tongues and not ministering with passion or preaching prophetically? I believe that Progressive Methodists have a voice and a mission in this world that is sorely needed and that we can band together to do the work of Christ – if we are brave enough.

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Rohret serves First United Methodist Church in Independence, Iowa (Iowa Annual Conference).