Methodist watchers already know that the Judicial Council has issued their ruling on the actions taken at the special 2019 General Conference. So what does it all mean?
1. The UMC is officially anti-gay. But I want to put a caveat on this. The only true change in the UMC position comes in one petition that references "self-avowed homosexuals" instead of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals." Even though our language is archaic this change is significant. Proponents of the Traditional Plan said that this petition's language was a mistake - that they accidentally left out the word "practicing" - and they were prepared to amend the language had we not run out of time. I can't ask the authors because while we have been told a small group of bishops were involved in writing the petitions none of them have ever come forward and taken credit. I believe that it was a mistake. I also believe it speaks to the subconscious. When we have been using the same phrase for 40+ years it seems incredulous that the same word was left out twice in the same petition completely on accident. I think it speaks to the true intent and a tacit acknowledgement that the phrase "self-avowed practicing" is nonsensical - which will be a blog for a different day.
2. There were no real surprises. Some hoped for a different decision, but ultimately Judicial Council ruled the same way that they ruled prior to General Conference. There were no surprises.
3. With one exception. Judicial Council did surprisingly reverse their decision on an exit provision. For the record, I think that from a legal perspective their original decision was incorrect. Now that there is a legal exit plan I invite you to read the WCA's interpretation of the rulings. Because,
4. The WCA is revealing their true intent. My last speech at General Conference was in favor of the exit plan. I said that if they want an exit plan so they can leave then they can have it. The exit was advertised as a plan for progressives, which importantly no progressive said they wanted. In the interpretation above, the WCA notes that some traditionalists will welcome the exit so that they can leave - and makes no mention of the possibility of progressives leaving. In the days ahead you will see more traditionalist congregations preparing to leave than progressive or centrist congregations.
5. Finally, I encourage you not to make any new decisions based on the Judicial Council outcome. In the course of greater events in our denomination this is a minor occurrence. It confirms what we already knew would be the case, mostly beginning January 1st and lasting only until May 2020. Stay the course. Resist the harm. Something new will emerge and you will want to be part of it.
David, I am not nearly as well-informed as you are on this, but I can tell you that I have waited many, many years for the end to prejudice in my beloved denomination (wrote "demon"ination the first time by mistake or perhaps a Freudian slip). The move has been from prejudice to hate and scientific stupidity. I appreciate your efforts and the efforts of so many others but you are up against a growing majority supported by extrnal resources. I will look forward to what emergers but whatever it is my loyalty to the UMC has changed dramatically in the last three months.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I agree with what you say, except I say, as a Master Social Worker, this new Methodist Church is homophobic that is a serious mental and social issue, and worse when practiced by a large denomination. Fortunately my local Church welcomes and affirms LGBTQA+ people, as do many congregations, so we are an untidy Methodist Church. Pew found almost 2/3 of Methodist laity are open to LGBTQA+ people in our congregations. Let the people arise! And tell the traditionalists to convert or exit!
ReplyDeleteWell said John!
ReplyDelete