The Coming Train Wreck: Progressive UMC Plans for General Conference 2016 [JuicyEcumenism]

September 14, 2015

The Coming Train Wreck: Progressive UMC Plans for General Conference 2016

Katy Kiser is a longtime United Methodist and freelance writer from Texas.


Disclose, Divest, Disrupt. This slogan, worn on the shirts of many at the Gather at the River conference sponsored by Reconciling Ministries Network and Methodist Federation for Social Action in San Antonio, Texas, perhaps summarizes what can be expected from progressives at the United Methodist General Conference 2016. It is easy to dismiss such blustering as empty rhetoric only meant to galvanize the progressive United Methodist base. But can it continue to be written off as such, especially considering their past performance at General Conference and the rhetoric and clear messages propagated from Gather at the River?

Speakers at the gathering demanded immediate changes to church doctrine and “full inclusion” in the United Methodist Church. Bishop Minerva Carcaño declared it was time for the church to catch up with society, our sister mainline churches, and God. One presenter defined inclusion as “all who are NOT white, NOT straight, and NOT over 45,” which indicates that exclusivity is the basis for their understanding of “inclusivity.”

Rev. Peter Storey, a (non-UMC) Methodist pastor from South Africa and former chaplain to Nelson Mandela was especially judgmental of those in the church who hold a traditional biblical view of sexuality: “The Holy Spirit knows the prejudices of the devout, no matter how respectable or carefully mapped in dogma, are the most dangerous prejudices there are. The Spirit is showing us what once was revered as ancient truth has become uncouth and untenable. Time makes ancient truth uncouth.”

Nevertheless, Storey assured the conference their future was secure, saying, “Welcome to the future of the UMC where none will be excluded.” But for all his assurance, he reminded the gathering that they must rise above their fear and have a willingness to die. In calling for bold and courageous action, he asked, “What or who is there to fear? Can a bishop water-board you?”


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https://juicyecumenism.com/2015/09/...essive-umc-plans-for-general-conference-2016/

 

One short sentence summarises the outlook of modernists, "Time makes ancient truth uncouth". This sentence in the article is so revealing!

 

Aidan, you beat me to it! My eyebrows rose a foot when I read that statement. And I'll stick to the things that are eternal, thanks very much.

 

And when we trade theology for sociology, embrace the immanent to the exclusion of the transcendent, and seek to be relevant to the world, we end up with a group people who look they could drive a train, but perhaps not lift our gaze to heaven.

 

Thanks Maddie.The truth will always be the truth regardless of how unfashionable

 

Sadly the piped piper of hell is leading the UMC to destruction. My parents and sisters left the Southern Baptist to join this group. Because of their abandonment of scripture and the teachings of Christ, my children are not allowed to visit them unsupervised. My mother refuses to introduce me as a minister or priest because I am not tolerate. I try to explain that I am as tolerate as Jesus is, which is not very. I grieve for my family's souls, they refuse to follow Christ and have embraced a false Gospel. I pray the Holy Spirit will touch them and bring them back to Christ. All I have left is prayer, they refuse to listen. Christ please have mercy.

I have a co-worker, fellow Hospice Chaplain, who was a UMC minister. He left about 10 years ago. Trying to get him to come home to the Church of the Wesley brothers...the Anglican Church.

Blessings

Fr. Mark