Being a United Methodist…

Being a part of the United Methodist Church for the last 30 years has been a joy and a privilege for me.

But I am uneasy this week, while the General Conference of our denomination meets in Portland, Oregon.  It feels to me as if God’s Word is on trial, and my heart is heavy at what I fear might happen:  that those making decisions for us may reject the truth and authority of scripture outright, that they may alter its historical interpretation, or that our denomination could even break apart, unable to come together on a solution to the challenging issues before us.

I love my church, and the many diverse people who are a part of it.  I chose to join the United Methodist Church as a young woman, after growing up with exposure to both the Catholic and Baptist denominations, having a parent from each background.  I was first introduced to Methodism as a student at Hendrix College.  I found it to be a nice combination of things I loved about the two very different denominations of my childhood.  I loved the traditional features I had experienced in the Catholic Church, like the pastoral robes and some of the corporate prayers and recitations.  I loved the emphasis on the Bible and Bible Study that I had seen in the Baptist Church.  I was instinctively drawn to the methodical approach of John Wesley, and I appreciated the acceptance of differing opinions within the church body.  Of course, another big factor in my becoming a Methodist was that my husband, Gary, was already a member.

The way I understand it, as United Methodists, we have historically followed the Wesleyan practice of giving scripture primary authority in theological matters.  We also consider tradition, reason, and experience, but only to the extent that they complement scripture.  If these secondary factors conflict with scripture, scripture should prevail.  (this approach is often referred to as the “Wesleyan quadrilateral,” and I hope to write more about it in future posts)

I recognize that some in the denomination may have drifted away from this practice, beginning to place more importance on their individual reason or personal experience.  But, I sincerely pray that we will not deviate from our historical position regarding the primacy of scripture.  How can we elevate our own experience or our own reason to a place above scripture – God’s Holy Word revealed to us?  Isn’t that putting ourselves in the place of God?  Substituting our judgment for His?

Solomon, known for his great wisdom, warns us against this very thing in Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I pray that God will help us avoid this trap of leaning on our own understanding.  That our decision-making body will find loving solutions to the issues we face, without departing from or setting aside God’s Word.  I pray that we can work this out and stay United!

Hopefully,

Catherine