Connectional?
There is a national committee in the United Methodist Church (I know...who would have thought?!) called The Connectional Table. Their primary responsibility is a little vague to me, but you can go online and find plenty of information. They recently met and voted to recommend to the next General Conference that we "compromise" on the issue if sexuality by allowing each local church pastor to decide whether or not to perform same-sex marriages. They also will recommend to General Conference that each annual conference decide whether or not to support same-sex marriages AND to ordain openly gay candidates for ministry.
Anyone who knows me knows I stand on the "orthodox/conservative"' side of this debate. But what is troubling and revealing about their recommendations is how thoroughly it violates one of the seminal commitments of historic Methodism AND the title of their own committee - that we are "connectional!"
For all of my life as a Methodist, I thought "connectional" meant we shared a common commitment to the integrity and authority of Scripture and that we had agreed to set aside our individual preferences and submit ourselves to the Authority and authorities over us. In other words, what joined us at the heart was surrendering ourselves to something bigger than ourselves. I was always told that, whether you attended a UM church in Pennsylvania or in Texas, we were connectional because we shared those commitments.
But if a pastor in Iowa permits himself to perform same-sex marriages and supports ordaining practicing homosexuals, then he and I are not connectional. In fact, we are divided at the deepest level. I would say he is not even Wesleyan...but he might say the same about me! See what I mean!!
I wonder if the Connectional Table, without realizing it, did exactly the opposite of what it intended; it has formally voiced what most United Methodists already know - that we are profoundly divided and unquestionably DIS-connected. Ironically, they also did not have a single person from Africa on the Committee - a continent that now holds about 40% of our total world-wide membership.
They say the term, "Military Intelligence" is an oxymoron? Connectional Table?
Pastor Scott
There is a national committee in the United Methodist Church (I know...who would have thought?!) called The Connectional Table. Their primary responsibility is a little vague to me, but you can go online and find plenty of information. They recently met and voted to recommend to the next General Conference that we "compromise" on the issue if sexuality by allowing each local church pastor to decide whether or not to perform same-sex marriages. They also will recommend to General Conference that each annual conference decide whether or not to support same-sex marriages AND to ordain openly gay candidates for ministry.
Anyone who knows me knows I stand on the "orthodox/conservative"' side of this debate. But what is troubling and revealing about their recommendations is how thoroughly it violates one of the seminal commitments of historic Methodism AND the title of their own committee - that we are "connectional!"
For all of my life as a Methodist, I thought "connectional" meant we shared a common commitment to the integrity and authority of Scripture and that we had agreed to set aside our individual preferences and submit ourselves to the Authority and authorities over us. In other words, what joined us at the heart was surrendering ourselves to something bigger than ourselves. I was always told that, whether you attended a UM church in Pennsylvania or in Texas, we were connectional because we shared those commitments.
But if a pastor in Iowa permits himself to perform same-sex marriages and supports ordaining practicing homosexuals, then he and I are not connectional. In fact, we are divided at the deepest level. I would say he is not even Wesleyan...but he might say the same about me! See what I mean!!
I wonder if the Connectional Table, without realizing it, did exactly the opposite of what it intended; it has formally voiced what most United Methodists already know - that we are profoundly divided and unquestionably DIS-connected. Ironically, they also did not have a single person from Africa on the Committee - a continent that now holds about 40% of our total world-wide membership.
They say the term, "Military Intelligence" is an oxymoron? Connectional Table?
Pastor Scott
Scott, thanks for taking a stand. Dutch
ReplyDeleteSeems to show a step towards condoning the sin and embracing unrepentant sinners.....just seems......wrong. That's the only word that fits.
ReplyDeleteJust seems wrong, because IT IS WRONG, or are we just abandoning the Scripture and "doing our own thing" as we see fit!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful that we live in a country where everyone can have their own beliefs and preferences? When Jesus walked this earth He would have been found among sinners of all types.We are all sinners(yup--ALL of us).Jesus would never have excluded anyone from His company.It's we humans that do that.God is LOVE. Peace!
ReplyDelete