BONUS BLOG: backstory on the big news regarding the United Methodist Church

With gratitude to Owen Ross for this perspective —-

In 1946 some Bible translators interpreted some ancient words and introduced the word “homosexual” in Holy Scripture.

Serious Bible Scholars have debated since 1946 the accuracy of this term for words first written over 2000 years ago.

While debate continues over how to interpret these verses, most serious Biblical scholars agree that the 6 debated verses (out of more than 31K in the Bible) were NOT talking about two monogamous individuals of the same sex living in a committed, covenantal relationship, even if they use these texts as their basis for teaching against same-sex relationships.

Twenty-six years after these translators interpreted/misinterpreted these verses by introducing the term “homosexual” into Holy Scripture, The United Methodist Church introduced the term “homosexual” into its Book of Discipline with prohibitions around marriage and ordination for “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.”

Thus began a 52 year fight in the church which led to the recent exodus of many congregations from The UMC and a whole new methodist denomination formed because this issue, not dissimilar to how the 1845 Methodist Episcopal Church, South formed a new denomination over a single social issue that it argued was biblical, slavery. None of us believe now, almost 180 years later, that the interpretations of the perceived pro-slavery texts justify slavery today.

I am grateful that yesterday, the United Methodist Church decided to go back to our historic, pre-1972 roots, with greater Scriptural and historic fidelity by removing the word “homosexual” from of our Book of Discipline.

This step recognizes the misinterpretations of the 1946 Bible translators and subsequent misinterpretations and decontextualizations of these texts that has done great harm to many of God’s children.

In doing so, The United Methodist Church has taken a more faithful, holistic, and contextual approach to Scripture.

We live into our tradition of seeking to do no harm and advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ for all people. We have learned from and apply our experience and mistakes, overcoming past prejudices as Peter did in Acts 10 and 11.

And, we apply reason to process these sources as well as to process contemporary learnings and studies on important issues such as these.

The four sources with primacy of Scripture has guided The United Methodist Church to removing the harmful language in our Book of Discipline that did not even exist in our church’s lexicon 100 years ago.

The General Conference of The United Methodist Church made the right and faithful decision yesterday in removing the harmful and erroneous prohibitions against same-sex marriage and the prohibitions against “homosexuals” being able to full live into divine callings of ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church.

This is a good and historic day in the church, and I am proud and grateful to be a United Methodist.

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