Reflections on the United Methodist General Conference

By: Ann Henderson

On Sunday, May 15, I returned from Portland, OR.  I had spent the previous five days observing the United Methodist Church’s General Conference legislative sessions.  For those that do not know, this is where nearly 1,000 delegates divide up into sub-committees to discuss particular petitions for the Book of Discipline.  Some are brand new petitions and some are amendments to older paragraphs.  The main focus, however, was the topic of human sexuality and how it relates to the Methodist Church.  The Book of Discipline currently states that homosexuality is “incompatible” with Christian teachings.  There were many petitions that related to this subject matter.

This General Conference has created an irony to the name “United Methodist” for we are very much divided on the issue of human sexuality, in particular.  The church even seriously discussed the option of splitting the church in the last several days.

What baffles me is the conservative thinkers who claim all their understanding comes from Biblical texts, and yet, they do not give supporting evidence.  I would like to take a moment to counter-argue that the conservatives are actually not properly using Biblical texts.  Before getting angry, hear me out.  Luke 6:27-36 is Jesus’ speech of ‘Love for Enemies’.   Jesus explains that enemies are people whom we do not agree or get along with.  So for conservatives who believe that LGBTQI people are living in sin, why not instead love the enemy the way scripture tells us to, regardless of whether you agree with each other.  Kicking someone out of the church because of a disagreement does not follow Jesus’ teachings either. In verses 27 and 28 Jesus says “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”  United Methodists, we are not listening to the words of scripture.  We are only using parts of the texts to make points for one side instead of using our hearts to love even the differences.

Let’s take a moment to look at the story of Jesus’ death in Luke and Matthew.  In Matthew 26:66b Jesus is told that he deserves death, even though readers know that Jesus did nothing wrong.  In Luke 25:63-64 it is even worse.  Jesus is mocked, beaten and blindfolded.  Even though, once again, he does not deserve it.  It’s as if we have forgotten that human beings, like ourselves, that believed the same faith were the ones that persecuted Jesus.  What if instead of thinking that Jesus dies for our sins, we look at it as if Jesus died because of human sin.  To excommunicate a person based on fear of difference is a sin.

Have all United Methodists forgotten how to love?  Let’s not be the church that creates a repetition of history where we crucify someone because we are scared of their differences.