Post-Separation UMC Myths - Changing Doctrine

This is the first in a short series of posts on myths people are sharing about what will happen in the United Methodist Church after the current wave of departures comes to an end. They are not lies or rumors. I think the large majority of people who share these really do believe what they are saying - they just aren't based in reality.

One of the most persistent myths is that as traditionalists leave the denomination, we will inevitably take a great step to the theological left. The logic seems fair - if a number of more conservative people leave the denomination, then what remains will be less conservative. But, as is often the case, the theoretical won't translate into the real world.

Denomination Standards

The first version of this argument was that after traditionalists leave progressives will be free to make changes to our official doctrine. This would happen through the action of General Conference. No doubt the U.S. component of delegates to General Conference will shift somewhat. We will, though, still be a big-tent denomination. There are many people who take very traditional positions on any number of theological questions and also believe in full inclusion for people who identifiy as LGBTQ+. It remains to be seen just how much of a shift there will actually be. Anecdotally, I have not heard any mention of attempting or even a desire to change any of our doctrine.

Second, even if there was a radical shift, it is nearly impossible to change our doctrinal standards. The vote threshold is simply too high - a 2/3 vote of General Conference and a 3/4 aggregate vote of Annual Conference members. Even if there was a desire, and I don't think there is, it simply couldn't be done.

This theory is so easily dismissed that virtually all traditionalist leadership has given up arguing it. They have shifted, instead, to a second approach

Practical Standards

By Practical Standards, I mean the doctrine that is actually taught by our pastors in our churches. The argument is that our pastors will now preach and teach different doctrine regardless of what is in the Book of Discipline. Unlike the first argument, this one is at least theoretically possible. There are three reasons why it shouldn't be a concern.

First, it is inconsistent with what has allegedly led us to the place where we are today. Remember that while most progressives and centrists say that our divide is centered on the question of inclusion, traditionalists like to say the real issue is doctrine and scriptural authority. In other words, the issue is not what will happen in the future, but what has already happened. It is entirely fair for a person to say, "I can't stay in a denomination that believes X." If that is our denomination, then go with God's grace. If that is not our denomination, then stay. Don't leave a denomination that does not yet teach what you don't want it to teach. 

Second, the exact same argument can be turned the other direction. I have shared before my concern for the future of women as pastors in the future Global Methodist Church. The closest denominational parallel we have for our split is the Episcopalian Church. The ACNA, their version of the GMC, gives each regional group (think our annual conferences) the option of whether to ordain women. However, I believe GMC leadership when they say they have every intent of maintaining the ordination of women. Thus, a better parallel may be the Church of the Nazarene. The Church of the Nazarene is in the Methodist tradition, ordains women, and does not have a guaranteed appointment of pastors - just like the GMC. Also, fewer than 10% of their pastors are women. While their official doctrine allows women to be ordained, the practice of the large majority of local churches is to not accept them as pastors. If traditionalist leaders want to assert that our doctrinal practice will not mirror our official practice, they must acknowledge the same for themselves.

Third, and most importantly, our pastors aren't changing. Remember the assertion is that our preaching and teaching will change regardless of what our official doctrinal standards say. Also, remember the accusation is that we are already not being held to the doctrinal standards. If these are both true, then what exactly will change once the separation moves further along? A concrete example: My preaching will not change if the Book of Discipline changes in 2024, just as it didn't change after General Conference in 2016 or 2019. 

The Bottom Line

The statement that our doctrinal standards will change is a classic "slippery slope" argument. These are alluring arguments because they can't be proven false. The future is not yet written, so anyone is free to speculate about what may or may not transpire. But here is what we know for sure.

1. Changing our official doctrine is nearly impossible.
2. Our pastors and teaches are not going to change their teaching

Given these two facts, the idea that our doctrine will either officially or unofficially change seems far-fetched. 

GMC Misrepresentation Continues

The same pattern has emerged through many parts of the country. Global Methodist Church advocates misrepresent what the United Methodist Church is and will be. This means people and churches are leaving the denomination under false pretenses. Today I'm sharing one specific example from Texas.

A church in Texas that is discussing disaffiliation has distributed a document that allegedly compares the "Two Future Methodist Denominations" with 18 different distinctions made. Some are clearly accurate (like the name of the church and how pensions will be handled). Some have a clear bias but aren't outright false (like the UMC having the same board and agency structure with "all their staff/overhead" when it is likely there will need to be reductions vs. the GMC "New, leaner structure" which is true initially but could easily begin to bloat). If I was writing from the perspective of a GMC supporter, I might say the same thing. I have no major concerns with either of these categories of statements.

Of the 18 statements on this particular document, I would categorize seven as clearly accurate. Five others are not entirely accurate but are understandable approximations (among these, are statements like both denominations will be "welcome of LGBTQ+." I understand that we have very different ideas of what "welcome" means. The other six are, at best deceptive. Briefly, using the categories on the original document:

Theology

The Post-Separation UMC will be "Pluralistic: Jesus is one of many ways to be saved." My next planned blog post will specifically address the question of the future theology of the UMC. For the moment, it will suffice to say I don't know of any pastor who preaches that Jesus is one of many ways to be saved. I know pastors who have various understandings of atonement and I know pastors who believe in universalism, that somehow God ultimately saves all people (a belief which, incidentally, you can find in some Church Fathers all the way back to Origen in the second century). I really appreciate this piece from Rev. Jeremy Smith, for example. Jeremy is one of traditionalists favorite people to demean because he comes from a very different theological perspective and moved from the Bible Belt to the West Coast, yet this post would be a great jumping off point for teaching on atonement in any Methodist setting.

Clergy Deployment

The document correctly notes that there will not be guaranteed appointments in the GMC, but it then distinguishes between a UMC where the Bishop, "has the power to move and appoint pastors regardless of church input" and a GMC where "Local churches can select their pastors or request one be appointed. Bishops sign off on choices." This is the most persistent and categorically false description that I still hear.  Keith Boyette himself has clarified how the GMC will deploy clergy. "Paragraph 509.2 of the TBD&D says, 'To strengthen and empower the local church to effectively carry out its mission for Christ in the world, clergy shall be appointed by the bishop, who is empowered to make and fix all appointments in the episcopal area of which the annual conference is a part.'” Functionally, there is no difference in the method the denominations will use to deploy clergy. The differences are entirely semantic. 

Clergy Appointment Length

There is literally no difference in the denominations. The document says UM clergy are appointed one year at a time and GM clergy have "open-ended" appointments. Paragraph 513 in the GMC's Book of Doctrines and Discipline was lifted directly from paragraph 429 of the 2016 Book of Discipline.

Non-celibate gay and transgendered pastors serving in local churches.

This is a simple yes/no question, right? Well, no, for at least two reasons. First, when I'm asked today if a change in the Book of Discipline means, "now we will have pastors who are gay." I always respond, "No, it means that now you are more likely to know that your pastor is gay." Every church I have served has had at least one pastor on its staff at some point in its history who was LGBT. The congregation just didn't know it. Second, the GMC Book of Doctrines and Discipline is silent on people who are transgender. A person who once identified as female and now identifies as male could marry a person who identifies as female and serve as a GMC pastor.

Position on Abortion and Primary church focus

Allegedly, the UMC will now be pro-choice, and its primary focus will be social justice. Regarding abortion, the UMC has always taken a position that this is not a simple "pro-life" or "pro-choice" matter. Similarly, we have always held that social justice and saving souls are two sides of the same coin. They go together. What these two points share in common, and why I grouped them together here, is that they are representative of the either/or thinking that dominates our culture and politics today. 

A Centrist Replies to Rob Renfroe

 Rob Renfroe recently posed "A few hard questions" to centrists that plan to stay in the United Methodist Church. Since I am one of those, I thought I would answer his questions.

"Do centrists actually believe that truth is 'contextual'?"

Renfroe states, "Missiologists stress the importance of using words and images that present the gospel in a way that is understandable in a given culture/context. But they never argue we should change the message of the Bible to be acceptable to a particular culture. But that’s what centrists are championing – the church may proclaim two contradictory truths at the same time – one affirming same-sex behavior, the other condemning it."

This is the crux of the issue. What is the message of the Bible, or more specifically for Christians, what is the message of Jesus the Christ? I have a picture of a person in front of a former Methodist Church protesting desegregation because the Bible does not affirm it. I trust all readers disagree with that statement. I trust virtually all readers agree that the message of the Bible is not that women should not be pastors. Globally, more than 2/3 of Christians today disagree with us (based on denominational membership). Centrists like me believe that for a person to feel compelled to leave a denomination, the issue at hand must truly rise to the level of a central tenet of the faith. Even many traditionalists would agree that banning loving same-sex relationships do not strike at the core of the Gospel. 

Renfroe then notes that we are not to conform to the world, using as an example the apostles preaching the same sexual ethic to the Jews (who could accept it easily) and to the Romans (who could not). Yet we actually have Biblical examples of the apostles "conforming." In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul clearly teaches that women are to be silent in worship. Elsewhere, like in Romans 16, he lists women as leaders of the Church. Likewise, in the famous Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:19, James concludes that because God's grace is available to all, "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." Specifically in reference to first century sexual practice, there is an open debate about what the apostles were telling the Romans to refrain from. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find early examples of the equivalent of today's same-sex marriages. The practices we are certain they referred to, ritual prostitution and pederasty, for example, progressives, centrists, and traditionalists would all reject.

Is truth contextual? It is true that the Gospel is true beyond all contexts. It is also true that the way we live out and transmit the Gospel does sometimes change based on the context. 

"How can centrists state they are staying within the UM Church because UM theology will be uniquely positioned to reach our current culture after the traditionalists leave?"

We don't. I don't recall anybody stating this as their motive for staying in the UMC.

Renfroe quotes statistics that we have all heard about the decline of mainline denominations. I won't deny any of the stats. Christianity is in numerical decline in virtually all denominations throughout the country. Anybody who believes that there is a simple solution to this, whether progressive or traditionalist, is in denial.

"How can centrists promise the post-separation UM Church will not become predominantly progressive in its teachings?"

I'll answer this question with a question for Rob. How can you promise those leaving the UMC will not become increasingly fundamentalist in their teachings? 

The first pastor in the conference I serve who I know left because of our position on LGBT+ inclusion had, at the moment of his departure, a guest speaker at his church on the evils of evolution. The Northwest Texas Conference will likely be the conference with the largest percentage of churches leaving the denomination. A former lay leader of that conference told me 90% of their churches will not take a woman as a pastor. Backing that up, in 2020 only 15% of ordained elders serving local churches in that conference were women. In Renfroe's own Texas Annual Conference, with a bishop who recently said there is no violation of the Book of Discipline in the conference, the recently departed Faithbridge taught (and continues to teach) that children can be dedicated instead of baptized, baptizes in private homes instead of in public worship, and implies that adults can be rebaptized - all in violation of our basic baptismal doctrine. 

The centrists I know wish our denomination was not splitting because we believe we are at our best when we hold together the tension of different beliefs. Just like the Church has affirmed in canonizing four Gospels that it is good for the story of Jesus to be told in different ways; it is good for us to have different emphases in our telling the story still today.

I hope you will also note Renfroe's inflammatory use of the word "woke." I don't know anybody who would be considered "woke" that actually uses that term. It is a politically pejorative word used to demean a variety of positions. Once something is called "woke" it can be deemed wrong and irrelevant with one massively broad brush. Since its inception, Good News has raised money and popularity through fear. This is a textbook example that is consistent with their stated interest for at least 18 years to damage the denomination if there is a traditionalist exodus. 

As to predicting the future, Renfroe and I can be equally certain of the future of the groups that we are part of. 

Would centrists rather be in a denomination that requires its pastors and bishops to be orthodox but would not marry gay persons? Or would they rather be in a denomination that marries and ordains gay persons but allows its bishops and pastors to deny critical Christian beliefs?

Another trademark of Good News is to use extreme examples from the fringe without context. It's a great rhetorical strategy and a horrible logical approach. That's what Renfroe does in the examples he gives defending this point. I do agree with Renfroe that there are theological questions we will need to resolve in the future UMC - just as there has been for every other denomination in the history of Christianity and just as there will be in the new Global Methodist Church as evidenced by the examples I've shared above. But the first mistake Renfroe makes is assuming this must be an either/or issue. The starting point for most centrists was that our denomination need not divide. I reject the false dichotomy that Renfroe presents, and I will not be compelled to leave our denomination simply because others have chosen to leave. 

You may not agree with or even understand the answers I've given. My hope is that you can at least understand that the perspective I and many others come from has a rationale, both logical and scriptural, behind it.