Why the Traditional Plan Doesn't Convey Grace

A Non-Exhaustive Primer on the Plan's Inconsistency with Methodist Theology

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

While it could be argued that the so-called “Traditional Plan” is mean-spirited, judgey, and inconsistent with the Constitution of the United Methodist church, I would like to highlight in this article some of the ways that declaring homosexuality incompatible with Christianity, is actually inconsistent with Methodist theology.

First, grace, God’s unmerited love, is central to a Methodist understanding of God. That grace is not earned. Grace is not conditional on any action we take or any statement we make. John Wesley called that grace “prevenient,” meaning that it goes before us and came before us, even before we were aware of God’s presence in our lives. We are called to respond to that grace and engage with that grace, but even if we don’t or even before we wake up to God’s presence, God is already there loving us, unconditionally.

Second, we are to seek out the “means of grace” through a variety of spiritual practices, including the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Although these two sacraments are things we “do” as a church, we believe they convey God’s grace in a way that is real, but yet remains mysterious. As Methodists, because of our understanding of prevenient grace, we practice baptism as once and done, whether or not that baptism was conducted in a Methodist church. Baptism, according to Methodist theology, is not some sort of deal you make with God, when you get to an age that you can understand God. We admit that we can never fully understand God, but that we notice and comprehend the love of God working in our lives and all around us. So whether it is in infancy, and requested by our parents, or as adults, the efficacy of God’s grace through baptism is the same.

The hallmark of Communion in the Methodist tradition is that it is open to all. The grace is “real and sure,” as noted by Charles Wesley, founder John Wesley’s brother, and the first and most prolific hymn writer of Methodism. We participate in a powerful, mysterious sacrament, but we circle the table wide and make it open, not just to members, but to all who seek Christ. This practice is thus also influenced by our understanding of prevenient grace.

Third, Methodists believe that we discern God’s presence in life through scripture, experience, tradition, and reason. These four things, sometimes called the “Wesley Quadrilateral,” are tools for understanding how God is working in our lives. God gave us a brain to use and we should not park it at the door when we enter the church. We also look to the traditions of the church to guide us, as well as our experiences collectively and individually as we engage with all of God’s creation. We, of course, are guided by scripture, but not from a highly literalist read of scripture that excludes these other ways of noticing God. An interpretation that focuses on a few passages, but completely ignores other passages does not help us see the fullness of God’s love.

Finally, and approaching the juncture of theology and polity, the “traditional plan” is not traditional. The mention of matters related to sexuality first appeared only in the late 20th century in the Discipline (the United Methodist “rulebook,” which also contains UMC “Social Principles” and “Our Theological Task.”)

In summary, the idea of excluding people, for any reason, is inconsistent with Methodist understandings of grace, the sacraments, and discernment, and is actually less truly traditional and more descriptive of church-backed culturally conventional bullying. the end, the church should be a place where people can experience the embrace of God’s grace, not exclusion driven by fear of the other.

Rev. Jack Amick is Director of Global Migration at the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect policies of UMCOR.