Methodist 'Openness' Motto Queried -- Open to What?
by Fred Jackson and Jim Brown
April 28, 2004
(AgapePress) - United Methodists meeting in Pittsburgh appear deeply divided over whether their denomination's motto -- "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" -- requires acceptance of behavior that the Bible calls sinful.
The relatively new Methodist motto has been a source of controversy ever since it was made public. Many conservative Methodists feel it sends a message that all views about God and what constitutes godly living are welcome at the Methodist Church.
Now the issue appears to be coming to a head in the wake of a strong push by liberal Methodists to accept homosexual clergy. At Tuesday's opening session of the UMC's 2004 General Conference, speakers such as Pastor James Perry seemed to give recognition to the divisions -- but then promoted the idea that compromise is the only solution.
"What would it be like if we had a moratorium on issues that divide us, and spent all our time and energy focusing on reaching out to those in our world who feel like outcasts and [sharing] God's love with them?" Perry asked.
Conservatives remain angry that a recent church trial in Washington state acquitted a lesbian pastor or any wrongdoing, even though the UMC's Book of Discipline calls homosexual relationships "incompatible with Christian teaching." Liberals want that clause removed from church law.
Damage Control?
The Pacific Northwest Conference of the UMC, which conducted the trial of lesbian pastor Karen Dammann, is attempting to deflect criticism it has received in the wake of the acquittal. Since the decision, the Conference has stated that the verdict "does not have the power to break the covenant" of the United Methodist Church, and reemphasized its desire to have the Book of Discipline amended to accommodate openly homosexual leadership.
Dr. Jim Heidinger with the Methodist renewal ministry Good News says the Pacific Northwest Conference is doing damage control.
"The whole church is as distressed over this trial as they have been about anything that I can recall in 30 years," Heidinger says. "There's far more distress than there was over the 'Re-imagining' thing [a pro-feminist movement] 11 years ago. I think the evidence of this is when you have 20 or so bishops who have felt [it] necessary to speak out about it."
The conservative Methodist expects discussion of the contradictory verdict to continue throughout the denomination's quadrennial conference, which began on Tuesday. "I would not be surprised if the Judicial Council did not end up with this again and do some kind of ruling or take remedial action of some kind," he says.
" As to what may or may not be done with the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, I'm not going to make any predictions on that right now."
Heidinger says the Pacific Northwest Conference is viewed by most Methodists as "irrelevant" and "out of step" with the rest of the UMC. His group is calling on delegates to the General Conference to consider censuring the Pacific Northwest Conference.
