Saturday, May 30, 1998

Resolution making waves in Methodist conference

By LORETTA FULTON / Abilene Reporter-News

A history-making resolution for the Northwest Texas Annual Conference to withdraw from the United Methodist Church doesn't stand much chance for passage, observers believe, but it definitely is making a statement.

The resolution submitted by Robert L. Hawkins, a member of First United Methodist Church in the Panhandle community of Hart, will be one of many voted on when the Northwest Texas Conference convenes in Midland Wednesday through June 6.

"I don't think that will get to first base," said the Rev. Kenneth Metzger, superintendent of the Abilene District. "It's just a symbol of the feelings of some people."

And those feelings are strong. Fueled by the acquittal in March of a Nebraska minister who performed a same-sex union in his Methodist Church, conservatives, or evangelicals as they prefer to be called, are up in arms and threatening to leave from coast to coast.

"The future of the church definitely is at stake," Metzger said.

Dr. David Ray, pastor of Wylie UMC, agrees.

"Many of us just don't see how it can hold together," Ray said. "I would hate that -- I would grieve over it."

In fact, the historic church founded in the 18th century by John Wesley is not holding together entirely.

Another resolution to be introduced at the conference, signed by the Rev. Rick Doyle, pastor of Elmwood West UMC in Abilene along with others, calls for a study group to begin planning now in case churches do decide to leave the national church.

The resolution is based in part on a document, "In Search of Unity," prepared by the national church's Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.

In effect, the commission determined that "we have two divergent points of view within the church," Doyle said. "Basically they found we don't have common ground."

Based on that finding, the resolution signed by Doyle and others asks that the Northwest Texas Annual Conference implement a course of action that allows "for possible diversification of ministries," including new ministries with "a just and equitable distribution of church properties."

Just last week the California-Nevada Annual Conference rejected a proposal for a separate organizational entity for evangelicals within that region.

The president of the Evangelical Renewal Fellowship in the conference, the Rev. Kevin Clancey, subsequently withdrew from the United Methodist Church and announced plans to start an independent congregation.

A statement from church officials announcing rejection of the proposal for the separate entity said that "The diversity of the United Methodist Church is broad enough to include all the viewpoints represented around the table of our consultation."

It's that diversity that some evangelicals believe has gone too far. On March 13 the Rev. Jimmy Creech was acquitted by a jury of his peers of being disobedient to church law after he performed a same-sex union ceremony at First United Methodist Church in Omaha, Neb.

Since then, the "Creech acquittal" has become a rallying point for evangelicals. A key question in the trial was whether the church's Social Principles, which include the proscription against same-sex unions, are merely guidelines or church law.

The principles are contained in the denomination's governing *iBook of Discipline,*i but they are in a different section from the main body of law. The church's Judicial Council or "supreme court" will meet in Dallas in August to determine the legal status of the Social Principles.

In the meantime, the debate rages.

Another resolution to be voted on in Midland next week titled "A Call to Doctrinal Integrity," asks the conference to join The Confessing Movement, an evangelical movement founded in 1995 by more than 900 United Methodists meeting in Atlanta.

The Northwest Texas resolution, introduced by the Rev. Steve Holston, pastor of St. Mark's UMC in Midland, asks that the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Cabinet use "these affirmations and repudiations (of The Confessing Movement) in developing standards of effectiveness for clergy serving the Northwest Texas Annual Conference."

Those "affirmations and repudiations" include confessing that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and that he is the one and only Lord of creation and history.

Those statements won't be hard for most mainstream Methodists to line up behind. In fact, they are so mainstream that more moderate Methodists see no reason to join with The Confessing Movement.

The Rev. Archie Echols, pastor of Abilene's largest membership Methodist church, St. Paul, believes The Confessing Movement statement implies that Methodists haven't been professing those beliefs all along.

"We say the Apostle's Creed every week," Echols said, noting that the historic statement of belief makes the same pronouncements as those in The Confessing Movement.

Although he is not a part of The Confessing Movement himself, Echols said there is a strong drift toward it in this area.

"Our conference is one of the strongest evangelical conferences," he said.

Wylie UMC's Ray is a supporter of The Confessing Movement resolution, because he believes the church needs that reaffirmation of belief.

"We no longer have that which once held us together," he said, citing the centrality of the cross, the authority of Scripture, and the teachings of John Wesley.

Ray and other conservatives believe that by joining The Confessing Movement, the Northwest Texas Annual Conference would be making a statement that is badly needed.

"We simply are holding the Scriptures as our authority," he said.

Although the statements of belief of The Confessing Movement aren't likely to cause much stir at the Northwest Texas Annual Conference, the "repudiations" may.

The repudiations, which are included in Holston's resolution, include "teachings and practices that misuse principles of inclusiveness and tolerance to distort the doctrine and discipline of the church."

Among those repudiations is "condoning homosexual practice."

Because of its wording, considered inflammatory by some, the Holston resolution probably won't pass as written, the superintendent of the Abilene District believes.

"I think a resolution similar to this will pass," Metzger said.

The issue of how homosexuals should be included in the church is a hot button issue facing many churches today, not just the United Methodist Church.

"This has been a very divisive issue that caused a lot of pain," Metzger said. "I don't think anyone wants to cut off ministry to homosexuals or their families."

However, the "homosexual issue" has become "the standard by which the church measures whether it's staying with Scriptural authority," Metzger said.

The future of the resolutions remains to be seen, but Metzger, and others know one thing for sure.

"There will be a heated debate," he said.

With that in mind, a number of other resolutions with placating titles such as "Call for Harmony," "Call for Conversation," and "Call for Prayer in the Midst of Crisis" will also be voted on.

Ray, pastor of Wylie UMC who signed the "Call for Prayer" resolution, said he wants to make sure that prayer isn't shortchanged in the midst of conflict.

"We take care of business, but prayer as a corporate body seems to be left out," he said.

Just in case all else fails, the resolution signed by Elmwood West's Doyle will be introduced. The resolution is designed to work out solutions before problems arise, Doyle said, "so that people feel satisfied with the answers."

With all the conflict the church is facing, it seems unlikely that all the people are going to be satisfied with the answers. But Doyle, and others, believe the dialogue, even when rancorous, is healthy.

"I think we need to talk," Doyle said, "especially if we disagree." His hope is that the annual conference will end with everyone having had his say.

"I hope we get a chance to see where we are as an annual conference," Doyle said.

Abilene's district superintendent, Metzger, believes that will happen. He also believes that when the shouting's over, the sound coming from Midland will be somewhat less audible.

"There will be a big sigh of relief," he predicted.