Why do people continue to claim that the UMC is liberal?
I am always hearing the the United Methodist Church is liberal. Seems whether in my local church, in the news media, and certainly when talking to others outside of Methodism (be it on a forum like this or in real life) the perception is that United Methodists are all liberals. A new participant in Wesley's Parish even made that statement. In truth, I find just as many liberal Baptists (once saved always saved, so it doesn't matter how you live your life type folks--the epitome of liberalism, even liberatianism if you as me) as I do Methodists. Yet, over and over again I have to combat the notion that we in the UMC are accepting of homosexuality and straining at the bit to endorse gay lifestyles, conduct homosexual marriages, and ordain gay and lesbian ministers. In case you too have been believing that (disinformation of the devil in my opinion), I offer this as a reality check:
There is an official position in The United Methodist Church on gay and lesbian sexuality, and that states the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.
The Judicial Council, the denomination's highest court, in a ruling released Nov. 2 said that the Baltimore-Washington Annual (regional) Conference went too far in adopting its own statement declaring "a more authentic and truthful representation of The United Methodist Church" is that "we disagree" on gay and lesbian issues.
"The effect of the Baltimore-Washington resolution is to negate the church's clearly stated position as reflected in current disciplinary language," the council wrote. "Moreover, the Baltimore-Washington resolution attempts to articulate a new and different standard of church belief using language that has been specifically rejected by the General Conference."
Delegates to the 2008 General Conference rejected proposed changes to the United Methodist Social Principles that would have acknowledged that church members disagree on homosexuality and instead adopted a report retaining language that describes homosexual practice as "incompatible with Christian teaching."
A California-Nevada resolution directing the conference to distribute a list of retired clergy willing to perform same-sex union ceremonies was considered an endorsement of actions prohibited by the Discipline.
United Methodist clergy cannot perform same-sex marriages, even in states where such unions are legal or the ceremonies are endorsed by a regional church group.
The Judicial Council, the denomination's top court, ruled at its spring meeting that it is a chargeable offense for United Methodist clergy to perform ceremonies celebrating same-sex unions.
"An annual conference may not legally negate, ignore or violate provisions of the (Book of) Discipline with which they disagree, even when the disagreements are based on conscientious objections to the provisions," the council ruled.
The council [also] reversed California-Pacific Conference Bishop Mary Ann Swenson's ruling supporting a conference resolution recognizing "the pastoral need and prophetic authority of our clergy and congregations to offer the ministry of marriage ceremonies for same-gender couples."
Thanks for your words. I'm guessing that people think the UMC is liberal due to their experiences in it or with people from a UMC. Even though it may mean that they are painting with a very broad brush.
I moved on from my home church earlier this year (I'm still in the candidacy process...lost some where out in no-man's land but no longer offically pastoring) and am now a member in another UMC. The change is unbelieveable!!!!
In short, I went from a liberal UMC--one that really didn't believe in the value of prayer nor did it really want to have the Bible preached. (I know...I know...) Now, I'm a member (driving nearly 30 miles one way) at a different UMC that is a praying church and a church that appears to be hungry for God's presence and for the Word.
Okay, so technically I followed my pastor...but I was also doing what God wanted me to do too. There's no question in my mind that I was to leave the church I left.
In the meantime, I'm praising God for this change! What a wonderful new family in Christ that I now have!!
My guess would be because the UMC is a rather visible mainline church, and the attacks are coming from Fundamentalist churches that equate mainline with stark liberal. A big part of that may also be that we reject the kind of legalistic views some of them have also (which could be everything from the mundane like dancing or the not-quite-teetotaling-anymore position on alcohol to things like not declaring a specific Origins view beyond stating that God had a hand in it, or performing infant baptism).
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Is the pain of not knowing, worth the price of saying nothing?
Though certainly I affirm the beliefs of what basically the UMC does (we're not much different ).
__________________ "When I speak, I don’t speak as a Democrat, or a Republican... I speak as a victim of America’s so-called democracy. You and I have never seen democracy; all we’ve seen is hypocrisy. When we open our eyes today and look around America, we see America not through the eyes of someone who have — who has enjoyed the fruits of Americanism, we see America through the eyes of someone who has been the victim of Americanism. We don’t see any American dream; we’ve experienced only the American nightmare. We haven’t benefited from America’s democracy; we’ve only suffered from America’s hypocrisy. And the generation that’s coming up now can see it and are not afraid to say it."
--Malcolm X
"Wherever Law ends, Tyranny begins."
--John Locke
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
--Lord Acton ------------------------
ESTJ
My UMC is definitely on the liberal side. I've only been attending for about 4 months and the 20 people or so that I've talked to are definitely on the liberal side.
I don't consider the claim that the UMC is liberal as an insult.
there is a big difference. YOu have to remember before Roe v Wade divided our Political landscape, many of the issues that Democrats champion now are causes that all Christians held to such as welfare for the poor, equal rights etc.
I was raised in the United Methodist Church. After I got into my early 20s, I explored churches in other denominations. Relative to most other churches, the UMC is liberal. Liberalism comes in many forms depending on the issue.
The church extols the values of social justice, compassion and kindness to others. The church also teaches that people should use reason to interpret the Bible. These values are generally not emphasized in the more conservative denominations.
Unlike many fundamentalist Protestant churches, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches or Southern Baptist churches, the UMC allows women to be ministers.
You are mistaken to use the homosexual issue as the benchmark in determining whether a church is liberal. All of the mainline churches--Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, United Church of Christ-- are divided on that issue. The Episcopal church is splitting over it.
The UMC's official stance on homosexuality is that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Some people did try to overturn this teaching, but they were outvoted.
When I was growing up, I never heard any sermons about homosexuality, abortion or any other sexual issue.
There are UM churches which are gay affirming. They are called Reconciling churches.
Last edited by fieryphoenix; 5th November 2009 at 08:20 PM.
I'm an ultra conservative and the above is accurate.
__________________ Sola Scriptura is Eternal Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, 2 Peter 1:20. "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams (October 11, 1798). Roe vs. Wade - 45 million **Proverbs 6:16-17 - states that there are seven things that are an abomination to the Lord; one of them is the shedding of innocentblood. The B.O. Must Go! Huckabee in 2012
I consider being called a liberal while in UMC a complement.
Dear GraceSeeker and the rest of the World Christian Movement:
I'm guessing people call the UMC a liberal denomination because of how we take care of different people. My questions and challenges of the status quo are as follows:
Am I and the UMC liberal because the church does not wait for people to validate my opinion and faith statement before providing needs?
Am I a liberal because I am pro-actively involved in taking care of my community? Hence, the UMC is not compartmentalized and seperated from the rest of community. Maybe, if more churches were involved in their community, the particular "conservative" church will have the ideal revival that they have been talking about?
Am I liberal because I respect others theology (e.g., does not mean I am agreeing with them)? The church is called to love our neighbors? The church is called to love our enemies? The church is called to love God whole heartily?
Am I liberal because I believe discipleship is not making *yes men* out of people in the pews, and I actually pro-actively disciple and equip people to perform their ministries?
The gospel of Jesus Christ and the New Testament allows us to be reasonable, use common sense, and be flexible. Any person that is compartmentalized, lives in isolation from world, or is dogmatic is not really living the gospel in a pro-active healthy manner. Hence, Jesus is more concerned about your praxis of the gospel not making *yes men* out of people?
People need to understand the gospel sets us free so that one has liberty in Christ (Rom. 14). Legalism and license are both extremes that is not the gospel. One needs to be careful to not mistaken liberty for license. Liberty in the Biblical sense and ancient meaning is not the same meaning as license. License means one can do what they want, how they want it, and without any accountability. On the other hand, the gospel calls us to be accountable in the faith covenant community. This means one must not be theologically indifferent nor dogmatic towards people. At the same time, whatever happened to: do no harm!!!
And Iowa Pastor,
I was in a "ultra-conservative denomination/organizaiton???" and the members acted like they did not want to become disciples. The members acted like they did not want to grow in theology, grow in discipleship, grow for ministry, and grow for outreach. It appeared to be one big glorified Bible Study, and the attention was not about spiritual growth and discipleship. Their is some "conservative churches???" out their that have members that are very stagnate too. The importance is the desire to be discipled so that the ministry/mission of the church can be expanded in God's Kingdom.
I agree with holyroller because like Jesus, the UMC as a whole never turns anyone away who needs ministering to, food, etc. I think many misinterpret the slogan: Open Doors, Open Minds, Open Hearts (which ever is the correct order).
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