Online Archives

By John R. Schol
Bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference

Some people have been asking me: Why would you go to a convocation sponsored by the Confessing Movement when at the last General Conference their leadership tried to divide our denomination? (The Confessing Movement is a group within our church that seeks to strengthen the denomination?s commitment to classic doctrine and our opposition to homosexual practice, abortion and divorce.)

Others have asked me: Why would you go to Hearts on Fire, the convocation sponsored by the Reconciling Ministries Network when they oppose statements in the Book of Discipline? (The Reconciling Ministries Network is a group within the church advocating for the ordination of gays and lesbians and for holy unions within the church.)

Here?s why: I went to both groups because I want to be a bishop of the whole church. I want to understand each part of our church. Where are their deepest commitments? What are they feeling? What is their hope for the church's future? And how will I be a better leader in light of people?s commitments, feelings, and hopes?

I found my time with both groups engaging and stimulating. Here are some emphases that I discovered within the groups:

Both groups are sincere. Both groups are committed. Both groups love the United Methodist Church. Both groups are important.

We also need to reframe the questions before us. Maybe the questions should be: What are we willing to work on together? What does scriptural authority and understanding mean and can people of faith arrive at different understandings and still be faithful? Are we going to live out of our divisiveness and pain or are we going to live out of our love for Christ and our mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world? Is making disciples of Jesus Christ really the main thing and if it is, how does it impact the issues that seemingly divide us rather than issues that divide us impacting our mission?

I am attempting to listen ? and to hear. My hope is that we will choose to engage in relationship through listening to each other and open and honest conversation. My prayer is that others will join me in listening to the whole rather than selective parts and that we model what it means to be the body of Christ rather than mirroring a divided world. I am confident that the span of God?s grace is greater than our differences and that God?s grace is sufficient to show us how to be faithful. Scripture and the life of Jesus, portray a dynamic tension of law and grace, justice and righteousness without compromising our souls. We can do the same.

Comparisons

Confessing Movement
Scriptural Authority
Follow the Discipline
'The Bible is being misused to legitamize the culture!'
Emphasizes doctrine
Unity is being used to subvert doctrine
Make disciples of Jesus Christ
Biggest applause line: 'We have a Discipline, we must enforce it!'
We are marginalized by the church
Seven bishops are here, this is a first!

Reconciling Movement
Scriptural Understanding
Change the Discipline
'The Bible is being misused to legitamize people?s prejudices!'
Emphasizes theological exploration
Unity is being used to subvert justice
Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world
Biggest applause line: 'The church is wrong in not fully accepting gays and lesbians!'
We are marginalized by the church
Seven bishops are here, this is a first!