[Dialogue] Fwd: [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 284 *CORRECTION*-California United Methodists react to same-sex ruling
George Holcombe
geowanda at earthlink.net
Thu Jul 10 09:04:46 EDT 2008
This is good news David. Congrats on being part of that change. The
mainline denominations, Roman Catholics and even some of the
independent mega-churches are beginning after all these years to
wrestle with what it means to be a human being. Perhaps this dynamic
will aid so many other religious groups stuck in fundamentalism to re-
consider their interpretations of their scriptures and traditions.
This Sunday's lectionary selection is from Matthew 13, the parable
about the seeds, which is usually misinterpreted because we are no
longer an agricultural people. Fertile ground, in which the parable
says the seed will grow, unlike the rocky soil or paths, take a lot of
work to keep the ground broke up, the rocks and stumps removed, and
plenty of humus, compost and fertilizer going in, plus water at the
right time. Farmers know that fertile soil means a lot of work and
change on their part. We used to talk a lot about "wooden
theologies," maybe "hard land" being broken up is a metaphor for the
day. Certainly, climate change, water and food crises, and so many of
the break throughs in science, especially astronomy is breaking up the
soil, tossing out the old stumps and rocks. I was impressed by the
last General Conference of the Methodists that they've pledged to work
with the UN and the Gates Foundation to end malaria in Africa.
George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin, TX 78728
Home: 512/252-2756
Mobile 512/294-5952
geowanda at earthlink.net
On Jul 10, 2008, at 1:59 AM, Ellen & David Rebstock wrote:
> George,
> I was one of the representatives to the California-Nevada conference
> from our UMC in Santa Rosa and voted for both of the propositions.
> There was a third one that didn't come to a vote at the end that was
> even more critical of the results of the General conference but the
> stall was on and it came up on the last afternoon right before the
> ordination ceremony.
> The article at the end has it right it is a question of authority vs
> interpretation. Our church considers itself to be a "Progressive
> Christianity" church. We use all of the "Living the Question"
> series in our adult spiritual enrichment studies . A signivicant
> part of that comes from Crossan, Borg, Spong and others that have
> worked with the Westar Institute and its Jesus seminar here in Santa
> Rosa (Biblical scholarship and work on the historical Jesus) Others
> I am working with attribute this cultural change in the church to
> the work over the last 15 years of Spong, Wallace, Lerner (the
> network of Spiritual Progressives), Borg and others who all take a
> more Progressive stance to spirituality and inclusion rather than
> conservative literalistic interpretaion of scripture, dogma, and
> doctrine.
>
> Dave Rebstock
>
> On Wed, Jul 9, 2008 at 3:12 PM, George Holcombe <geowanda at earthlink.net
> > wrote:
> Things are beginning to stir. Jurisdictional Conferences will be
> coming up soon across the U.S. and will bear watching, not simply as
> a denomination but as a barometer of the changes beginning to occur
> in the culture.
>
> George Holcombe
> 14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
> Austin, TX 78728
> Home: 512/252-2756
> Mobile 512/294-5952
> geowanda at earthlink.net
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: NewsDesk <NewsDesk at UMCOM.ORG>
>> Date: July 9, 2008 4:17:53 PM CDT
>> To: UMNS-ALL-NEWS at UMCGROUPEMAIL.ORG
>> Subject: [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 284 *CORRECTION*-California United
>> Methodists react to same-sex ruling
>> Reply-To: NewsDesk <NewsDesk at UMCOM.ORG>
>>
>> Editors: RESENDING story #284 to CORRECT order of tagline in the
>> 1st graf.
>>
>>
>> California United Methodists react to same-sex ruling
>>
>> Jul. 9, 2008
>>
>> NOTE: Photographs are available at http://umns.umc.org.
>>
>> A UMNS Report
>> By Marta W. Aldrich*
>>
>> On the heels of a California Supreme Court ruling that opened the
>> door to same-gender unions, two United Methodist legislative bodies
>> in California have approved gay-friendly statements that are
>> stretching the denominational promise of "open hearts, open minds,
>> open doors."
>>
>> The church's California-Pacific Annual Conference, convening June
>> 18-22 in Redlands, approved three measures that support same-gender
>> couples entering into the marriage covenant. Each "encourages both
>> congregations and pastors to welcome, embrace and provide spiritual
>> nurture and pastoral care for these families," according to a June
>> 27 letter to the conference from Bishop Mary Ann Swenson and other
>> conference leaders.
>>
>> That same week in Sacramento, the California-Nevada Annual
>> Conference approved two measures on the same issue, including one
>> that lists 67 retired United Methodist clergy in northern
>> California who have offered to conduct same-gender marriage
>> ceremonies. The resolution commends the pastors' work in offering
>> continued ministry.
>>
>> The statements are the strongest yet on the issue by California
>> United Methodists and have drawn cheers from gay rights advocates,
>> who say the church and its pastors should extend to same-sex
>> couples the same level of support it provides heterosexual couples.
>>
>> Others say the conferences are on the verge of breaking a
>> Scripturally based covenant with the rest of the 11.5 million-
>> member worldwide denomination. The United Methodist Church, while
>> affirming all people as persons "of sacred worth," considers the
>> practice of homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."
>> Its policy book, called the Book of Discipline, prohibits its
>> pastors and churches from conducting ceremonies celebrating
>> homosexual unions.
>>
>> The denominational statements were affirmed last spring during
>> split votes by General Conference, the church's top legislative
>> body. The assembly, which met April 23-May 2, convenes every four
>> years and represents United Methodists worldwide.
>>
>> That same month, California's high court overturned a voter-
>> approved ban on same-sex marriage, making California and
>> Massachusetts the only U.S. states to allow gay couples to marry.
>> California began to issue licenses June 16.
>>
>> Pastoral choices
>>
>> The actions by United Methodist leaders in southern California
>> reflect the struggle by pastors and churches to minister to same-
>> sex couples in the wake of actions by both the General Conference
>> and the state's high court, according to the Rev. Frank Wulf,
>> pastor of United University Church, a United Methodist/Presbyterian
>> congregation in Los Angeles.
>>
>> "This recognizes that our pastors and our churches are already
>> struggling with these decisions," said Wulf, who helped to author
>> the resolutions. "It's an attempt to honor the choices they make."
>>
>> One resolution reads in part: "While we recognize that we are
>> governed by the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church,
>> we support those pastors who conscientiously respond to the needs
>> of their parishes by celebrating same-gender marriages, and we
>> envision compassion and understanding in any resulting disciplinary
>> actions."
>>
>> The second resolution acknowledges the May 15 court decision, and
>> the third opposes a November ballot initiative in California that
>> would reverse the court ruling and amend the state constitution to
>> bar gay marriage.
>>
>> In northern California, the California-Nevada Conference voted to
>> support both the court ruling and the pastoral alternative offered
>> by some retired clergy. "Some of our clergy will choose not to
>> perform same-gender marriages, for various reasons, but would like
>> to keep a continued ministry with families and loved ones of same-
>> gender couples," the resolution states. "…Retired clergy in our
>> conference are now available to perform the marriages as an aid to
>> the congregation and pastor. …"
>>
>> Bishop Beverly Shamana, who presides over the conference, declined
>> to comment on the action. Responding to an elder's call, she has
>> sent a ruling to the denomination's top court on the question of
>> how the conference can authorize and commend its clergy to conduct
>> an act that might violate church law. The Judicial Council is
>> expected to consider her ruling when it convenes in October.
>>
>> Ongoing conversation
>>
>> The latest developments in the California conferences trouble
>> United Methodists who view such actions as a challenge to both
>> Scriptural authority and the church's covenant through its Book of
>> Discipline. They note that General Conference has repeatedly
>> affirmed its stance on homosexuality and homosexual unions.
>>
>> "We've made it clear we adhere to biblical teaching and Christian
>> tradition," said the Rev. Eddie Fox, director of evangelism for the
>> World Methodist Council. "Ninety-eight percent of Christians around
>> the world believe marriage is between one man and one woman, so
>> we're not out of step in our ecumenical relationships with
>> Christians around the world."
>>
>> At the most recent General Conference, Fox helped lead the effort
>> to keep the church's stance on homosexuality intact. He argued that
>> "God created the maleness and the femaleness" and that this "order
>> of creation is, at the very heart, one of those essential doctrines
>> for us in our church."
>>
>> "If we don't have a clear, consistent statement on this, it will
>> result in confusion in our church," Fox said in a July 7 interview
>> with UMNS. "These are the Social Principles for the whole church,
>> not for one church." The Social Principles, contained in the Book
>> of Discipline, detail the church's position on homosexuality and
>> other social concerns.
>>
>> The Rev. Maxie Dunnam urged all pastors and churches to act on the
>> church's definition of marriage instead of secular definitions.
>> "The church is called to be prophetic in opposing that in the
>> culture that is clearly out of step with what our United Methodist
>> Church, the church universal and the Christian faith affirms," said
>> Dunnam, chancellor of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky.
>>
>> "I would hope that people would recognize the pain that their
>> action will cause for the whole church, especially as we seek to be
>> a global church."
>>
>> The Rev. John McFarland was among California-Pacific members who
>> questioned the wisdom of the body's decisions and the processes
>> being used to discern God's voice.
>>
>> "This topic is not being debated based on Scripture," said
>> McFarland, pastor of Fountain Valley (Calif.) United Methodist
>> Church. "It's being debated primarily on experience without regard
>> to tradition, reason and Scripture." Scripture, tradition,
>> experience and reason are the four themes cited by Methodism's
>> founder, John Wesley, as illuminating the Christian faith.
>>
>> "Even though wonderful and caring people practice same-sex
>> behavior, the discussion does not end there. What concerns me is
>> how far we've gone from trusting the Bible as the Word of God,"
>> said McFarland. He noted that 2 Timothy 3:16 says "all Scripture is
>> inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction
>> and training in righteousness."
>>
>> Interpretation vs. authority
>>
>> Proponents of conference actions suggest the issue is not biblical
>> authority, but biblical interpretation.
>>
>> "It is our UM tradition to interpret Scripture with attention to
>> its context and purpose," said the Rev. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett,
>> pastor of Claremont (Calif.) United Methodist Church.
>>
>> "We create misunderstandings when we choose some texts to be
>> understood as literal and others not," she said. "We once excluded
>> women as clergy based on Scriptural authority; we once justified
>> slave-holding based on Scripture. We're doing the same thing now
>> with regard to homosexuality."
>>
>> Wulf said the church's unity does not necessarily lie in the
>> unanimity of practice in all things. "We are fallible human beings,
>> and our covenant is imperfect. We all know that because we get
>> together every four years to adjust it," he said of the church's
>> General Conference.
>>
>> "To those of us in the West who feel a calling to offer a different
>> kind of message to same-sex couples, there is a sense in which the
>> whole church wants to hem us in and prevent us from following that
>> calling," Wulf said.
>>
>> "… We know the world is in flux, particularly on this issue," he
>> said. "So we do this--not as an act of disrespect to the people of
>> Africa or the people of (other parts of the United States)--but as
>> a way of speaking the Christian Gospel compassionately to a group
>> of people who deal with this every day."
>>
>> *Aldrich is news editor of United Methodist News Service.
>>
>> News media contact: Marta Aldrich, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470
>> or newsdesk at umcom.org.
>>
>> ********************
>>
>> United Methodist News Service
>> Photos and stories also available at:
>> http://umns.umc.org
>>
>>
>>
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