One of our Sunday school classes recently studied parts of
the United Methodist Book of Resolutions, which articulates the UMC’s position
on various political and social issues pertaining to our faith. In class, there was often disagreement
expressed about some of the UMC’s positions.
And that’s okay. Many decisions
are made in the general conference with a thin margin on the majority’s side.
Afterward, people are welcome to continue to voice their dissent and hopefully
the discussion continues with civility. Some decisions are revisited every four
years.
When there is a heated disagreement where sizable portion of
the membership differ with the majority, it is tempting for the “winning side”
to say, “This is what we voted on. Now be a good Methodist and go along with
it.”
This is a mistake. We don’t tell people what to think. We don’t tell them
to be quiet. We can’t force them to cooperate. And we won’t say, “If you don’t
like it, there’s the road.”
Making resolutions gives us direction and enables us to act.
But the discussion is ongoing, especially in the areas of controversy, such as
ecology, poverty, human sexuality, involvement in government, etc.
When I first considered joining the UMC, one of the things
that made me want to join is how they are willing to grapple with the hard
topics, often before anyone else will. Methodists were some of the first ones
to call for slavery to be abolished. Methodists recognized how alcoholism was
causing so much havoc in families, and they called for action.
So of course there is going to be sharp disagreement at
times.
I like it. In many churches, people are required to have
only one set of thoughts where no diversity is allowed. But in Methodism,
there’s true unity, where you get to have your thoughts and you get to express
them and be heard, even if you’re in the minority.
