There is much inspirational reading on these pages. The beginning of this collection came from the disastrous Special Called General Conference of 2019 which passed legalistic and punitive legislation on the "practice" of "homosexuality," based on a literalistic reading of Scripture, a myopic view of tradition, and ignorance of the Christian experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex Christians, as well as what science is discovering about the biology and genetics of sexual differentiation, sexual orientation, and gender identity. As a friend has said, it's Methodism without Reason and Experience.
But the outcome of the General Conference and the subsequent ruling by the Judicial Council on the constitutionality of much of what was passed, has led to a major revolt across the church, particularly in the U.S. and in Europe. It is the statements accompanying the commitments to ignore, resist, disavow, and not comply with these new laws which are inspiring, because of the vision of a church that is truly Wesleyan, in the sense of "grace, grace, and more grace" and the honoring of all four of the "sources" for Wesleyan theology and ethics: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
Here are just a few highlights of the inspiring writing you'll find on the "Speaking Out" page:
The Statements by the Western Jurisdiction:
- Progress Report from the Western Jurisdiction Leadership (March 2019)
- WJ Leadership Team Meets March 14, 2019
- From the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops
- Final Word at GC from WJ Mission Cabinet To The World
- Vision Statement of the WJ
Statements by Conferences, Groups of Pastors, Organizations
Individual Churches and pastors:
- Pastor Colin Kerr-Carpenter's blog and pastoral letter to Walnut Creek UMC
- Omaha FUMC Confirmands Delay Joining (UM-Insight) (RNS Story) (Out Magazine) (More media coverage)
- Trinity Church, Austin, TX; Pastor Sid Hall
And in the "Judicial Council Ruling" pages are a number of critiques worth reading!