UMC seeks signs of hope as it confronts homosexuality

When times are hard, hope matters. In our nation, the level of political conflict, demonization and breaching of past norms has raised our anxiety level to new heights. In our state, political leaders wrestle with major issues about the funding of public education and appear not to have adequate solutions. In the Southern Baptist Convention and Roman Catholic Church, reports of sexual misconduct by leaders and inadequate responses to that misconduct have eroded trust and led to questions about the adequacy of our Christian organizational systems.

In my own United Methodist Church, delegates will soon begin a three-day General Conference in St. Louis, seeking a way forward after four decades of debate about homosexual practices and the proper roles for LGBTQ persons in the church.

Our denomination currently welcomes LGBTQ persons as members and affirms that they are persons of sacred worth who are entitled to civil rights in our society, though, since 1973, we have maintained our current stance on human sexuality in “The Book of Discipline,” which prohibits the church from blessing and performing same-gender marriages and allowing self-avowed practicing homosexuals to be ordained.

Because our church has both progressive and evangelical members and clergy, these beliefs have been questioned and challenged over the last decade, ultimately creating much strife within our denomination.

Our debate has too often mirrored the worst of American secular conversations. There have been public discussions about the possibilities of one part of the church leaving to form a new denomination. We have been distracted from our mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world, and we long for a new focus on reaching the unchurched in our communities.

In such times, many of us seek signs of hope.

As a church leader, I am hopeful about the future of our country, our churches and the world.

Our nation has strong institutions, a time-tested constitution and the checks and balances that will correct abuses of power and change leaders as necessary.

Our pledge of allegiance notes that we are “one nation under God” and our currency carries the motto “In God we Trust.” I am confident God will lead us to make the changes we Americans need to make.

Leaders in our sister churches are promising decisive action to address their systemic failures. All churches need to be continually reforming and renewing, and the identification of systemic failures requires systemic solutions.

The United Methodist Church will be embracing some sort of change and may not look the same in structure or scope at the conclusion of this process. Change isn’t necessarily bad, if it results in a stronger organization in the end.

I expect some persons will leave the United Methodist Church either to join another denomination or form new branches of the Wesleyan movement. This may be necessary in order to move forward in unity, but I hope that such departures are small and carried out amicably.

Regardless of what is decided at the General Conference, the most important outcome must be for the United Methodist Church to offer the transforming love of God to everyone within its reach. A recommitment to our mission is the foremost issue before us.

My hope is based on my trust that God will guide our leaders to new forms of unity that will make our witness even stronger. We know that Christ is the head of the church and that in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17-18).

We need to remember the powerful words of Scripture, the Constitution and our purposes in order to focus on our ultimate reality. However uncertain, scary and difficult our current situation appears to be, we must know that God is the ground of our hope and the promise of our deliverance. America has come through difficulties in the past, and so have various parts of the Christian church.

During the 2008 economic downturn, a wise older woman made it clear to me. She said, “Scott, for those of us who lived through the Depression and World War II, these problems look quite manageable.”

Hope can come from such a broad historical perspective. It can come from a recommitment to fundamental principles. For me, hope comes from my faith in God who has guided his people for centuries. As the Apostle Paul said, “Faith, hope and love abide.” While all three matter, uncertain times call for an extra dose of hope. Jones serves as the resident bishop of the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church with an office in Houston.