The following commentary is by Riley B. Case, associate executive director of the Confessing Movement Within the United Methodist Church.
Dr. Riley B. Case
Dr. Case served many years as a pastor and district superintendent in the UMC’s North Indiana Conference (now the Indiana Conference). He has been a delegate to five UM General Conferences. (Links below have been added by MethodistThinker.com.) — Ed.
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I was speaking with a fellow pastor several years ago and inquired whether he and his church might be interested in Good News magazine. He replied “no” because people in his congregation were upset enough with the denomination as it was without hearing more stuff.
He went on to explain that the denominational papers were bad enough even with their institutional spin. If his people got the real news they would be tempted to “jump ship.”
In this pastor’s mind it was better to keep the people in the dark than that they should be informed about what the church was really doing. I thought of that conversation several weeks ago when the following stories broke:
1) Southern California’s Claremont School of Theology.
This UM seminary is now “multi-faith” — meaning they are bringing on board Muslim professors to train Muslim imams (clergy) and Jewish professors to train rabbis. Soon they will train Hindus and Buddhists.
Claremont president Jerry D. Campbell
United Methodist apportionment monies support this endeavor to the tune of about $1 million a year.
In a world of great poverty, in a world crying out for preachers to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ, in a denomination short of funds, our tithes and offerings are being used to promote the idea that all religions are various roads to the same god.
The president of the Claremont School of Theology, Dr. Jerry D. Campbell, told the United Methodist Reporter that Christians who seek to evangelize persons of other faiths to accept Jesus Christ have “an incorrect perception of what it means to follow Jesus.”
2) ‘Sex and the Church: An Ordained Single Woman and the [Book of] Discipline.’
This article, part of a series on human sexuality appearing in the Faith in Action electronic newsletter sponsored by the UM General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), essentially argues that the church’s standard on sexuality — “celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage” — needs to be changed.
Sexual intercourse outside of marriage can be loving and fulfilling and should not be considered sinful, even for clergy. (In August, 2009, a Unitarian minister was given space by GBCS to make a somewhat similar argument.)
Other articles in the series have argued that abstinence programs don’t work, abortion is OK, and teenagers need to be instructed in maturity for the timing of sexual encounters.
Missing are any articles written from the perspective of the traditional and Biblical view of marriage and human sexuality.
Missing too for the last 38 years (since 1972 when the board was founded) are any articles or statements in defense of the Biblical (and United Methodist) stance that “the practice of homosexuality [is] incompatible with Christian teaching” (¶161F, The Book of Discipline—2008).
3) The church’s support and lobbying for a partisan health-care plan that narrowly passed the U.S. Congress.
When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly thanked the UMC for advocating for a plan that had only one-party support, it took many United Methodists by surprise. How did we get lined up on only one side of a partisan issue? Those who have been around the inside workings of the church were not so surprised.
Spkr. Pelosi at Glide UMC—San Francisco
It used to be different. Many years ago the church’s moral and social stances came from the people. There were no general agencies to pontificate that the use of alcohol was sin or the slavery was against the will of God. These views grew out of the convictions of the people responding to Biblical preaching.
Today social stances are decreed from the top down. General agencies, such as the General Board of Church and Society, are staffed by some of the most liberal persons in the denomination. These persons write General Conference legislation out of their own biases. This legislation is pushed through the General Conference, often without debate, and placed in the 1084-page Book of Resolutions.
Then the same staff members who wrote the legislation quote the Book of Resolutions, “represent” the “church’s stand” on numbers of controversial issues, and argue before lawmakers that this is the considered United Methodist position. Obviously, the system is flawed.
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Perhaps as never before there is a fundamental divide between the corporate leadership of the United Methodist Church and its people. In addition, the corporate leadership is either unwilling or unable to recognize the seriousness of this problem and relate it to the membership and financial crisis presently facing the church.
The Claremont situation should be considered as exhibit #1 illustrating our problems.
That a denomination that claims to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Book of Discipline ¶121), that speaks of its mission as “making disciples of Jesus Christ” (¶120), that operates with doctrinal standards in the Wesleyan tradition, that historically has been in large part responsible for defining the word “evangelical” in American church life — that such a denomination should continue to pour money into an institution that operates with a philosophy that undermines all that United Methodism has been about is indefensible.
Claremont-provided photo (via UMNS)
Claremont operates without regard to United Methodist history and doctrine. It has declared itself to be going in a different direction from the church. This is fine, but this means there should be disaffiliation.
Let the school raise money from sources in the Middle East (as it has spoken of doing). But why should bishops urge local churches to cut back staff and program to “pay apportionments” when those apportionments are used as “bail out” money to prop up sick seminaries.
Furthermore, MEF (Ministerial Education Fund) monies should support students (who now graduate with huge debts), not institutions. If the fund supports seminaries, it should support seminaries overseas where the UMC is growing and not be restricted only to seminaries in the U.S.
Are these matters even being debated? The Council of Bishops is quiet; the General Board of Higher Education and the Ministry is quiet; the other UM seminaries are hesitant to criticize another seminary lest they too should come under criticism.
Is there hope? At the moment the only hope seems to be the Call to Action Steering Team, which will be making recommendations with the goal of reforming and renewing the UMC.
The church is investing a great deal of energy and trust in this committee. Will the committee rise to the challenge? Will the Connectional Table and the Council of Bishops be willing to support any of the controversial recommendations? Or will the corporate culture, which is invested in institutions and in a defective church structure that simply is not working, be too much to overcome?
The future of the United Methodist Church is at stake.
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In addition to his role as associate executive director of the Confessing Movement, Riley B. Case serves as a member of the Good News board of directors and as president of the board of the Kokomo (Ind.) Rescue Mission.
Dr. Case is a graduate of Taylor University and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He earned a graduate degree from Northwestern University and holds an honorary degree from Taylor University.
His books include Evangelical and Methodist: A Popular History (Abingdon) and Understanding Our United Methodist Hymnal (Wipf and Stock).
Sadly, this is too little, too late. We’re leaving our local church after seven years. While some UMC Churches are still Bible-based, ours has turned to the “Claremont Model” (putting up Buddha statues during “Christian yoga” in the church, etc.).
Those in our local congregation who complain about such practices are hauled before the Administrative Council and told that their beliefs “are not in sync with this denomination.” They aren’t asked to leave but are told to keep quiet, lest their protestations that we should follow the Bible “upset and divide the Congregation.”
It is bad enough when the leadership at high levels does this sort of thing, but it’s creeping down into the local churches too. It’s a horribly sad thing to see.
Dr. Case lays it out — of course, the list could be much longer.
When are United Methodists going to start paying attention?
Paying attention? How can one pay attention when he is being kept in the dark and fed garbage? (Methodist Mushrooms)
Dr. Case is spot on in his analysis. The future of our church is at stake. The only way the “progressives” can remain in power is by making sure we’re all good little Methodist Mushrooms who continue to pay our apportionments.
I feel for the pastors as well as for us laymen, because they’re tied to this system with no way of changing it or getting out of it other than by walking away and, in many cases, losing their retirement benefits after many years of faithful service.
How long can we continue on this way?
It is people like Dr. Case who make me ashamed to be United Methodist. This post is nothing but lies and distortion.
Shame. Shame. Shame.
I’d like to ask Mr. Gill to give examples of the “lies.” Such accusations are easy to make.
The real shame should be on organizations such as GBCS that use church money to fund their own personal or political agendas — or, worse, to underwrite activities that are clearly anti-Christian.
Dr. Case is well informed and very astute as to the condition of the UMC.
The diagnosis is that the Church is sick. The prognosis is that it’s going to continue to get weaker and die unless a remedy is found or used. Unless people in our upper administration boards, councils, and committees are held accountable, the UMC prognosis is clear.
The people in the pew are mainly unaware of our dire circumstances.
Adequate leadership (as Dr. Case is doing and promoting) is the right remedy. With God’s help, the Methodist Ship can get back on the right course.
After 60 years as a Methodist, my husband and I have sadly left our beloved Methodist church for another denomination. (We love the Methodist pastor and his family, as well as all the members at the Methodist church.) When we left we talked with the minister and told him that we did not wish to cause problems within the local church, which we don’t, but we wonder if somebody does need to blow the whistle.
It is so very sad that these dear church members are totally unaware even that their church is up to its ears in partisan politics — let alone all other hidden agendas not in sync with Biblical teachings. It is as if Satan has sneaked into the hierarchy of the United Methodist denomination and is PURPOSELY being hidden from unsuspecting members.
We couldn’t just sit still and do nothing. The only thing we could do was withdraw our financial support and our membership from the UMC.
I feel sad for our dear pastor. He and so many others are truly caught in a catch-22 situation.
With so many members continuing to leave the United Methodist Church, I think it is time for evangelicals to pull out as a body while there are enough left to organize a new church. There is no way we will change the Bishops, the executives of the agencies, the seminaries.
We are fighting a losing battle, while all the time we continue to lose good, Bible-believing members.
This site has been so refreshing to my wife and me because our church leadership has set a tone that made us assume we were alone in our concerns.
People are leaving our church and when some of us have tried to discuss our views, the results have been less than stellar! (Today, during a council meeting, another member and I tried to discuss our concerns about our church’s “Christian yoga” class. The head of our SPRC stood up, told me I was “wrong” and “crazy,” then stormed out of the meeting before I even got to make my full statement.)
My wife and I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring a revival to the UMC. We are struggling with the idea of having to leave our church (a church my wife grew up in). Many, many prayers and support to this site — and all of those who stand firm to the Lord’s Word!
I wish “Christian yoga” was the worst of our problems.
We must stand firm and be silent no more. If we have to leave at least we can say that there were plenty of warnings given.
Pelosi thanked the UMC for helping pass Obamacare. In a related Obama administration move on Medicare, there is an appointee who will apply rationing to Medicare recipients, which could kill me when my MGUS turns into multiple myeloma.
Isn’t it funny that a Democrat said Republicans wanted me to die early, when it really is a Democrat president and the UMC who are likely to provide my early death?
I appreciate your thoughts on these issues. One point I think you stated but missed is the fact that General Conference is the only official “speaker” of The United Methodist Church. Regardless of who writes legislation, resolutions and such the Conference has to vote on these issues. Example: If the Body votes that healthcare should be available for all then the agency in which that falls will work to make that happen.
Social stances may seem like they are coming top down, but again, the way the system (to my understanding) is set up is that people vote. Bishops become Bishops because there is a vote at the jurisdictional level. The people who get to vote at the jurisdictional level are voted on at the Annual Conference level. To get to Annual Conference your pastor or committee from church does the selection. That seems more bottom-to-top to me. (The system of Annual Conference irks me anyway, but that’s a different topic.)
I’d hate to judge whether the “corporate leadership” does or does not recognize the seriousness of the problems. They are working hard — and, I’d dare say, like you, love United Methodism and are working to keep it alive.
Politics and religion are always sticky to put together so I’d rather stay on the subject (healthcare, economics, disease, etc.) and talk about it and not what my “party” has to say about it. And why the villainization of those we disagree with? Fear is becoming a strong feeling in which people act upon.
I think it all comes down to two things: Love God. Love your neighbor. (Love, not agreement.) As Christians, I think that has somehow drifted to the very bottom of our priorities. If we loved God and our neighbor, how many of the “issues” would go away? When people who are “different” step into our congregations I bet most don’t find love, they find condemnation. And with that, there will always be issues.
As a pastor I know likes to say, “Go give them heaven.”
[Editors note: For background on the General Conference’s votes on health care, see https://methodistthinker.com/2009/11/11/umc-health-care-as-a-right/. Also, this paper (PDF), authored by UM renewal leaders and presented last year to the Council of Bishops Unity Task Force, discusses concerns about General Conference resolutions and voting procedures.]
Heather writes:
“Politics and religion are always sticky to put together so I’d rather stay on the subject (healthcare, economics, disease, etc.)….”
Good! That’s exactly the point many of us here are making. Why does the General Board of Church and Society, certain folks on the council of Bishops, and other leaders in Methodist academic institutions not get that point?
I have been a Methodist most of my 61 years. I am an ordained Elder who has left the denomination.
It began to dawn on me several years ago that the UMC was out of touch with traditional Methodist theology. I was attending an ordination service in Lakeland, Fla. The Bishop spoke. He must have quoted 20 different scientists, writers, authors, theologians, etc. Not once, however, did he ever quote Jesus! Not once did he mention the name above ALL names.
In an attempt to be all inclusive the church has become so bland that it lukewarm on the essentials. I am now searching for a new church home.
Like the old song says, “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.”
If I had written one of the above responses to this story, I couldn’t have written any better than GK White (see above) to express myself. My husband and I have been Methodists for about 25 years and we have been agonizing over many of these concerns, as well as others, for several months now, wondering how we can continue to be Methodists.
We considered designating our tithe to the local congregation or to specific ministries within the local church, but we know that wouldn’t really help; the apportionment money would come from somewhere else.
We are embarrassed by our church affiliation. We believe the denomination has lost its way, and we feel we are in a sense “shooting ourselves in the foot” by continuing our membership. Liberal politics are contrary to our conservative values.
When the UM General Board of Church and Society endorsed last Saturday’s Socialist-supported rally on the Washington Mall, it was about the last straw with me.
I am still deciding what I will do as far as attending my church again. There are other non-denominational churches around I could attend.
I have been a Methodist since baptism as a baby, but I will not follow like a sheep a church that is in collusion with the socialist-leaning Obama government.
[Editor’s note: The General Board of Church and Society withdrew its endorsement for the “One Nation Working Together” gathering one day before the rally took place. In a statement, GBCS chief Jim Winkler said the list of endorsers had grown to “include a variety of organizations that created enormous and unnecessary controversy.”]
The analysis is spot on. During our churches revival late last month, our speaker (a Methodist preacher for 15+ yrs.) said the UMC needs a “tea party” to save it self.
I agree with the comparison he was making. The social issues that seem to be taking our country down the toilet seem to attaching themselves to the UMC and taking it with them.
These response have been very encouraging to me — even if it’s just “misery loves company.” My husband and I brought up our children (now in their 30s with three children of their own) in the UMC I grew up in. But the past few years have been so frustrating.
The Evangelism Committee we are on wanted to hang a beautiful painting of the Apostles’ Creed but were prevented by the Administrative Board. Those who opposed the painting said that people who didn’t believe in the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection would be offended, and that people who don’t believe in the divinity of Christ would be turned off if they came into our church and saw it. One lady who asked me why “our group” was upset about the Apostles’ Creed incident told me condescendingly that “they believed those things when they were children.”
Our Director of Christian Education has pushed classes in studying the series, “Living the Questions.” Many who consider themselves to be exceptionally well educated have embraced Marcus Borg’s and Bishop Spong’s ideas.
My husband and I have a Bible study in our home each Monday night with 21 believers from our church. Our pastor’s wife (who seems to be on a different theological page than her husband) has Beth Moore Bible studies in her home. These two groups, as well as the praise team at the contemporary service, keep us in the church — but we don’t know how much longer we can stay.
Thanks for letting me vent!