tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post606156506836594801..comments2024-03-22T08:29:51.173-05:00Comments on UM & Global: Mission as basis for United Methodist unityDavid W. Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024204453848260271noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-79563145508530190752017-10-16T22:52:54.888-05:002017-10-16T22:52:54.888-05:00Your series is quite enlightening so far, particul...Your series is quite enlightening so far, particularly in highlighting how weak a base our unity is truly built on. When we have no common understanding of the gospel and what it requires of us, trying to seek some form of commonality in missions is doomed to failure. We completely disagree even on what missions entails; not only disagreement, but often we are working vigorously in direct opposition against each other!<br />I look forward to your thoughts on relationships, but I see that as a weak basis as well. I have friends all across the theological spectrum who I respect and who respect me, but, in general, we understand that this is just a fact of how things are; we don't kid ourselves that our friendships ties us together theologically. I cherish my friendships with those in the UMC who are theological liberals in the same way that I cherish my friends who are atheists, agnostics, or who follow other religions. I pray that they will come to saving faith in Christ and that our relationship will be used by God to further his kingdom. For others in the UMC whose faith is weak such that they are being led astray by false teachings within the UMC, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will strengthen their faith and discernment. In all cases, no matter how strong my friendship is with those who are "preaching another gospel", I definitely do not want them to be holding any positions of leadership.<br />Based on this, I'm curious how relationships can form a basis for unity when we are commanded not to be "unequally yoked", and, consistent with John Wesley's doctrine, we honestly and sincerely view our progressive friends as part of the mission field, not as fellow believers.Paul W.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-66420795348247260832017-10-12T15:18:47.221-05:002017-10-12T15:18:47.221-05:00Tom, thank you for the comment. You're absolut...Tom, thank you for the comment. You're absolutely right that there are some deep philosophical divides among American Methodists on how we understand social justice, and that the UMC needs to be much more than the Democratic Party at prayer.<br />I think that in addition to a holistic understanding of mission, there needs to be a willingness to tolerate actions by fellow Methodists that stem from a common impulse (love of God leading to love of humans) even when they play out in different ways. I think ultimately that depends not just on how we think about mission, but the sorts of relationships we have with one another. It's hard to correctly judge the motivations of those we don't know.<br />That's where this series of posts is going to go in the next several weeks - an exploration of the importance of relationships as the real basis of unity in the UMC or any other group.<br />One of the things I have really appreciated and respected about the work you and other members of the Commission on a Way Forward have done is the amount of relationship-building you have done among yourselves. I wish there were more opportunities for more Methodists to do such work.David W. Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024204453848260271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4615496199721498323.post-51831259014777050172017-10-11T11:00:42.888-05:002017-10-11T11:00:42.888-05:00You make some good points, David. One of the diffi...You make some good points, David. One of the difficulties, however, is that many of those promoting a social justice approach to mission do so from a certain political perspective. One example is the shock that many conservative United Methodists experienced when Nancy Pelosi thanked the UMC for helping to pass Obamacare. Whether or not Obamacare was a good idea, it did not reflect the approach favored by a large segment of United Methodists. So not only is there bifurcation between conversion and social justice, but also within social justice in terms of the political philosophy embraced to guide answers to generally agreed upon problems. If the UMC feels like the Democratic Party at prayer, many Republican UM's cannot embrace that (and vice versa).Tom Lambrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17913619221384169979noreply@blogger.com