A Response to Bob Emrich

On 1/28/12, Bob Emrich wrote:

> Dear Pastor,
>
> As I am sure you are aware, Michael Gray, of the Old Orchard Beach United
> Methodist Church , has recently been prominently featured by Equality Maine
> and other groups advocating a change in Maine law that would change the
> definition of marriage to include "same-sex" couples. The implication and
> impression given is that this is now the position of the United Methodist
> Church Conference.
>
> My understanding is that the position of the United Method Church is still
> in accord with the Book of Discipline which states: "We affirm the sanctity
> of the marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal
> commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We believe that
> God's blessing rests upon such marriage, whether or not there are children
> of the union. We reject social norms that assume different standards for
> women than for men in marriage. We support laws in civil society that define
> marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Page 161 Book of Discipline
> for the United Methodist Church. "
>
> Am I mistaken in my understanding? If not, as a minister in the United
> Methodist Church, would you be willing to help publically clarify this
> important matter?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Pastor Bob Emrich
> Emmanuel Bible Church
> Plymouth, ME
>
>


From: Thom Blackstone
Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:38:22 -0500
Subject: Re: clarification
To: Bob Emrich

Dear Pastor Emrich,

Thank you for your note. You have correctly quoted the 2008 United
Methodist Book of Discipline. This is a passage taken from our
"Social Principles." I don't know how familiar you are with our
church polity. The Discipline as a whole is rewritten every four
years at our General Conference. The next General Conference is being
held this April. As you might expect, the issue of homosexuality is
vigorously debated every four years, including the passage you cited.
Because our denomination has been growing rapidly in numerous African
countries and in So. Korea where traditional views of human sexuality
are only beginning to change, our Disciplinary statements have remained
mostly consistent on this question since 1972 when homosexuality was
first described as "incompatible with Christian teaching."

As United Methodists, we live in a covenant relationship in which diverse points
of view are allowed to exist side by side, as we all seek to live into
God's ultimate truth. While there are official church positions on a
number of issues within our "Social Principles," it is not a violation
of church law to hold differing points of view and to express those
views publicly. Nor is it a violation of church law to advocate for
changes to our Book of Discipline. Our Social Principles merely
reflect the discernment of the majority of the delegates present and
voting at each quadrennial gathering. They are not a theological "purity test"
for our clergy or lay persons, and often do not represent the views of
millions of faithful United Methodists. This isn't to say that our
Social Principles are not important, but that they represent an
ongoing and unfinished conversation between the Scriptures and the
world, in a Wesleyan context.

As United Methodists, we recognize that our official social teaching
has often gone astray from God's will. At times in our history, we
have tolerated the holding of slaves, and
quoted Scripture while we did it. We once segregated persons of color
into a separate ecclesiastical structure known as the Central
Conference, denying them full inclusion in the life of the church. We
once banned women from the pulpit and withheld ordination from sisters
whom God had clearly called to ordained ministry. Now it is becoming
increasingly clear to many United Methodists that we have
illegitimately condemned our homosexual brothers and sisters for
seeking to live, and serve, and love, and marry, and raise children in
accordance with
their God-given sexual orientation. As someone who has followed this
conversation for 30 years, it is clear to me that our Social
Principles will eventually and inevitably be revised to reflect the
meaning of God's
Word in light of modern, scientific understandings of homosexuality.

I have read Pastor Gray's statement, and his journey from a
conservative stance on this issue to an openness towards same sex
marriage is very typical of many of our members and clergy. It is
entirely appropriate that he would share the story of his journey of
faith in a public context, in which "the public" often assumes that there
is only one monolithic Christian view of homosexuality and the
Scripture passages which address it. This is a topic which my church
has often discussed, and I have parishioners on both sides of this
issue. None of them would ever assume, however, that one of our pastors
should, or could, agree with every official social teaching issued by our
General Conference. Such an assumption would strike at the heart of
our rich and creative dialogue around our treasured Scriptures and
what God is saying to us through them.

I am curious why a Baptist pastor would write an unsolicited letter to
another pastor's colleagues in another denomination questioning that
pastor's integrity in sharing God's liberating Word as he feels led. I
had understood that the Maine Christian Civic League had made some
strides over the last two years in shifting its focus towards
religious work that Christian men and women of all denominations can
cooperate on: releasing Mainers from the demons of gambling and
addiction, alleviating hunger and homelessness, and advocating on behalf
of the poor. I would urge you to return to that important work, and
would remind you that this
referendum will have NO impact on any religious organization in
Maine that chooses not to celebrate or recognize the marriages of
lesbian and gay persons. There are so many worthy causes to which your
organization might devote its time and resources. Undermining the
effort to secure the blessings of marriage and family to gay couples
and their children is surely not the will of our loving Savior.

Grace & peace,

Pastor Thom Blackstone
Augusta