Today, I chatted with a UMC pastor friend who is active in the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) and is anticipating some actions that might take place at the UMC’s General Conference, being held in Fort Worth even as I type. The UMC, like many mainline denominations, continues to struggle with formulating an official stance on homosexuality; some observers have even predicted a church-wide schism.
Later I read Rev. Stacey’s reflection on her denomination’s dialogue on the same issue. She expresses some weariness with the “same old” discussions with the same old intransigent opponents:
I’m tired of faith being treated like a Jenga tower, built of blocks of particular interpretations of Scripture, that might collapse entirely if you pull out the wrong block. Surely our faith is bigger and steadier than that. Surely our faith can withstand some scrutiny, challenge, and change. Surely our faith makes us safe enough to ask potentially scary questions. If not, what good is it?
Indeed. I started out with these exact questions, and ended up in the wilderness. My experience was that scrutiny and challenge were interpreted as doubt and attack, and that change was about as welcome as a telemarketer at dinnertime. I can only hope that things are better in Rev. Stacey’s neighborhood.
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