In response...

UMC.org recently posted an article about a statement recently released by 33 retired Bishops calling for an end to the ban of gay and lesbian clergy.


In opposition, Bishop Whitaker responded, "We have the Church — with a capital C — in many different cultural settings, and in those different cultural settings, there are different understandings of human sexuality. I think in making its decisions, the Church must be mindful of its responsibility to its members in all its cultural settings and not just select ones.”

This is a recurrent line by people who wish that the conversation would go away, and it is basically a moot point.

This statement is a double-edged sword. In some African, Asian, and Eastern European contexts the United Methodist Church would be laughed out the door and seen as a great disgrace for allowing gay and lesbian clergy. In other areas - Western Europe, some Asian countries, and some areas in the Americas - the United Methodist Church is ignored as culturally irrelevant for our sexual hang-ups and lack of acceptance.

I think that it would be foolish of any church to hold cultural norms as a deciding factor in theological ideals. The base point is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms cultures. It doesn't bend and shape until it finds a comfortable position that lines up with society - it re-invents society.

When missionaries first went to Africa they reported cannibalism, inter-tribal warfare, the worship of animistic gods, and all other sorts of evil. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has transformed the lives of those present in the church. For those who have accepted the grace and love of Jesus Christ - animism, cannibalism, and other cultural items have become a historical footnote.

I'm not entirely convinced that our missionaries didn't also bring the strong hatred for GLBT people that is so prevalent. Along with the gospel, we imported many of our own cultural ideas and understandings. This is why many churches in Africa have pipe organs and bell towers. This might also be the reason that Christians in Africa believe it is okay to hate gay and lesbian people.

Ugandan David Kato, a gay rights activist, was recently murdered in his home after local newspapers posted photos and home addresses of many gay and lesbian people fighting for basic human rights. Allegedly, the paper specifically called for mob justice. The church was relatively silent on his death. In other parts of Africa recent reports indicate that the number of "restorative rapes," in which a lesbian is raped by groups of men in order to convince her to become heterosexual, is on the rise.

In Ukraine, where I serve as an Individual Volunteer, GLBT people are scared for their lives. I'm close friends with a lesbian couple - and they risk their lives every time they are seen together in public. I could write stories they have told me about the abuse they and their GLBT friends have endured; but you probably wouldn't believe them. One Christian who visited the United Methodist church in Ukraine asked me, "Do you beat homosexuals in America?" He went on to explain that maybe if we beat homosexuals in America we wouldn't have so many of them. This, he explains, is what he learned at his church.

So, the point has been raised that out of respect for Christians in other cultures we should drop the subject and stop pushing for the ordination of gays and lesbians. I would respond that out of love for the world, we should pray that Christ would transform their cultures - and that we must fight for the safety of gay and lesbian people in all countries.

On a recent trip to the Philippines I attended Makati City UMC. It's a medium size church in a shady section of Manila. Nestled between a trans-gender strip club and a Korean butcher shop, the church is literally caught in the middle of this issue. They have chosen the route of love. They love and support the GLBT community, and the youth are actively seeking ways to reach out to this community on their block.

When I was an exchange student in Russia I lived in a small town. There was only one small protestant church and there was only one other young person who attended. Masha and I were good friends because of our common faith. She came to me one day with a look of absolute brokenness. Her friend Misha, who was gay, was going to get beat up. The boys at school had apparently been planning it for several days and by the time Masha and I got there quite a large, angry mob had gathered around Misha. Luckily, a language-challenged American always serves as a good diversion - and Masha was able to help Misha escape. When I look back at all of my mission work; I would probably count that day as one of the most missional things I have ever done. Because Masha and I were protestants, it was a natural extension that we would protect someone from harm.

I guess in this conversation, one key distinction must be made clear: we must wait expectantly for Christ to transform our own culture as well. I am strongly opposed to legislative overhauls within the church. True transformation of hearts is needed on this issue. People must be convinced that God loves and accepts all people through an international grassroots effort. No vote at any General Conference will solve this problem - but consistent love and generous grace on a large scale would be able to change hearts and minds. When our denomination makes a stand that all people are worthy of the grace of God and that none is truly righteous to earn the calling of pastor - and extends ordination to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ - this will be one small step in the transformation of the world.

As United Methodist we are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. May it be so. Amen.