The German theologian and pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, was one of the great Christian martyrs of the 20th Century. He stood for Christ and against the evil of Adolph Hitler in Nazi Germany, and he paid with his life. Adolph Hitler hated and feared Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Where did Bonhoeffer find the strength and courage to stand against evil so courageously?
I think I know. He got his strength from the Word of God. In 1936, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote his brother-in-law who was as liberal theologically as Bonhoeffer was conservative. Bonheoffer poured out his heart about the Bible to his brother-in-law in this letter.
Bonheoffer wrote: First of all I will confess quite simply-I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we receive it. That is because in the Bible God speaks to us. And one cannot simply think about God in one's own strength, one has to enquire of him. Only if we seek him, will he answer us.
Of course it is also possible to read the Bible like any other book, that is to say from the point of view of textual criticism, etc., there is nothing to be said against that. Only that that is not the method which will reveal to us the heart of the Bible, but only the surface, just as we do not grasp the words of someone we love by taking them to bits, but by simply receiving them, so that for days they go on lingering in our minds, simply because they are the words of a person we love; and just as these words reveal more and more of the person who said them as we go on, like Mary, "pondering them in our heart," so it will be with the words of the Bible.
Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does not will to leave us along with our questions, only so shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible .... And I would tell you now quite personally, since I have learnt to read the Bible in this way - and this has not been for so very long - it becomes every day more wonderful to me. I read it in the morning and the evening, often during the day as well... I know without this I could not live properly any longer.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
When the Nazi guards came to hang Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he bade good-bye to his fellow prisoners, and then he said, "This is the end. For me it is the beginning of life." The Word of God had thoroughly equipped him for his good work as a faithful martyr of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
AN IDEA WHOSE TIME IS COMING
I have written a resolution to be presented to the 2011 Mississippi United Methodist Annual Conference. If approved by Annual Conference, it would be sent to the 2012 General Conference for consideration.
The resolution calls for an end to life-time tenure for United Methodist bishops. I believe this is greatly needed for the future of our church. I don't know if it is possible to make such a reform in our church at this time, but it is surely time to begin the conversation about this issue.
There will be many who will believe that this resolution is a response to the recent call by a group of retired bishops to change the United Methodist position on homosexuality. It is not. In fact, I had decided to offer a resolution long before the retired bishops' action. I have long been concerned about the growing disconnect between the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church and the grassroots of the local church. The action of 36 of the retired bishops is just the latest manifestation of this problem.
The resolution speaks for itself and is printed below.
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR LIMITED TENURE OF BISHOPS
Whereas, there is a disconnect between the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church and the local United Methodist Churches, and this disconnect breeds mistrust and seriously hinders the ministry of the United Methodist Church.
And whereas, it is vital that the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church not be out of touch with the local churches.
And whereas, in many of the Central Conferences of the United Methodist Church, bishops do not have life tenure, and those conferences are growing rapidly while the United Methodist Church in the United States continues to lose members.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Mississippi Annual Conference send to the 2012 General Conference of the United Methodist Church this resolution calling for an end to lifetime tenure of bishops by making the following constitutional amendments to the 2012 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.
Amend ¶ 47 by adding the word "active" in the first sentence so that it reads, "There shall be a Council of Bishops composed of all active bishops of The United Methodist Church." The following shall be added as the second sentence of ¶ 47, "Upon completing active service in the office of Bishop, membership in the Council of Bishops shall cease."
Amend ¶ 48 by adding the word "active" to the first sentence so that it reads, "The active bishops of each jurisdiction and central conference shall constitute a College of Bishops..." The following sentence shall be added to ¶ 48: "Upon completing active service in the office of Bishop, membership in the College of Bishops shall cease."
Amend the second paragraph of ¶ 50 to read as follows: "The bishops of The Methodist Church elected by the jurisdictions, the active bishops of The Evangelical United Brethren Church at the time of union, and bishops elected by the jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church before 2016 shall have life tenure. Beginning with Jurisdictional Conferences in 2016, bishops elected by the jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church shall have a tenure of two quadrenniums. If a bishop is elected to complete the term of a bishop who vacated his or her office, this shall not count toward the limit of two quadrenniums. Those holding the office of bishop shall retain membership in their home annual conferences while serving as bishop, and may return to serve as an elder in their home annual conferences after completing their term as an active bishop. Each bishop elected by a central conference shall have such tenure as the central conference electing him shall have determined."
Amend ¶ 409 Replace ¶ 409 with the following: "A retired bishop, and any bishop who has completed his or her term of service, is no longer an active bishop, and is no longer a member of the Council of Bishops. Those holding the office of bishop shall retain membership in their home annual conferences while serving as bishop, and may return to serve as an elder in their home annual conferences after completing their term as an active bishop. However, retired bishops may use the title "Bishop" in a strictly honorary sense. In emergency situations, where a resident bishop is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the College of Bishops may appoint a retired bishop to serve as a temporary replacement for up to two years."
The resolution calls for an end to life-time tenure for United Methodist bishops. I believe this is greatly needed for the future of our church. I don't know if it is possible to make such a reform in our church at this time, but it is surely time to begin the conversation about this issue.
There will be many who will believe that this resolution is a response to the recent call by a group of retired bishops to change the United Methodist position on homosexuality. It is not. In fact, I had decided to offer a resolution long before the retired bishops' action. I have long been concerned about the growing disconnect between the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church and the grassroots of the local church. The action of 36 of the retired bishops is just the latest manifestation of this problem.
The resolution speaks for itself and is printed below.
Whereas, there is a disconnect between the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church and the local United Methodist Churches, and this disconnect breeds mistrust and seriously hinders the ministry of the United Methodist Church.
And whereas, it is vital that the hierarchy of the United Methodist Church not be out of touch with the local churches.
And whereas, in many of the Central Conferences of the United Methodist Church, bishops do not have life tenure, and those conferences are growing rapidly while the United Methodist Church in the United States continues to lose members.
Therefore, be it resolved that the Mississippi Annual Conference send to the 2012 General Conference of the United Methodist Church this resolution calling for an end to lifetime tenure of bishops by making the following constitutional amendments to the 2012 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.
Amend ¶ 47 by adding the word "active" in the first sentence so that it reads, "There shall be a Council of Bishops composed of all active bishops of The United Methodist Church." The following shall be added as the second sentence of ¶ 47, "Upon completing active service in the office of Bishop, membership in the Council of Bishops shall cease."
Amend ¶ 48 by adding the word "active" to the first sentence so that it reads, "The active bishops of each jurisdiction and central conference shall constitute a College of Bishops..." The following sentence shall be added to ¶ 48: "Upon completing active service in the office of Bishop, membership in the College of Bishops shall cease."
Amend the second paragraph of ¶ 50 to read as follows: "The bishops of The Methodist Church elected by the jurisdictions, the active bishops of The Evangelical United Brethren Church at the time of union, and bishops elected by the jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church before 2016 shall have life tenure. Beginning with Jurisdictional Conferences in 2016, bishops elected by the jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church shall have a tenure of two quadrenniums. If a bishop is elected to complete the term of a bishop who vacated his or her office, this shall not count toward the limit of two quadrenniums. Those holding the office of bishop shall retain membership in their home annual conferences while serving as bishop, and may return to serve as an elder in their home annual conferences after completing their term as an active bishop. Each bishop elected by a central conference shall have such tenure as the central conference electing him shall have determined."
Amend ¶ 409 Replace ¶ 409 with the following: "A retired bishop, and any bishop who has completed his or her term of service, is no longer an active bishop, and is no longer a member of the Council of Bishops. Those holding the office of bishop shall retain membership in their home annual conferences while serving as bishop, and may return to serve as an elder in their home annual conferences after completing their term as an active bishop. However, retired bishops may use the title "Bishop" in a strictly honorary sense. In emergency situations, where a resident bishop is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the College of Bishops may appoint a retired bishop to serve as a temporary replacement for up to two years."
A DELAYED ATTACK OF CONSCIENCE
Thirty-six retired United Methodist bishops have signed a statement saying it is time to change the church's stand on homosexuality. These retired bishops believe the church is losing members because of our position on this issue. They want the church to remove from the Book of Discipline language critical of homosexual practice and permit the ordination of practicing homosexuals. These retired bishops believe the church is out of touch with today's world.
What is the United Methodist Church's present stand on homosexuality? On the one hand we believe that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching." That is what the Bible teaches (Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9), and the Bible is our primary and supreme authority on all matters. Our conscience is bound by the Word of God.
At the same time, the United Methodist Church affirms that all persons, including homosexuals, are individuals of sacred worth who need the ministry of the church. The sin of homosexual practice is no worse, or no better, than anyone else's sin. Homosexuals, like all the rest of us, need the forgiving and healing grace of God.
The United Methodist Church's present stand on this issue is both biblical and compassionate. The problem is that the church cannot condone anyone's sin.
It is these thirty-six retired United Methodist bishops who are out of touch. They are out of touch with the Scriptures, out of touch with God, and out of touch with the grassroots of the United Methodist Church. The numbers we might be losing from our present position on this issue is nothing compared to the numbers we would lose if we abandoned our biblical position. If the retired bishop's counsel was followed, it would destroy the United Methodist Church as we know it. Such approval would almost certainly result in schism and thus break the covenant that binds the churches of the United Methodist Church together.
The good news is the overwhelming majority of retired bishops refused to join the thirty-six bishops in their call. Bishops, whether retired or active, do not speak for the United Methodist Church. Only General Conference does, and General Conference is very unlikely to change our biblical and compassionate position on this issue.
These retired bishops seem to have a delayed conscience on this issue, don't they? Why didn't they take this stand when they were active bishops? Why did they wait until they didn't have to deal with the consequences of their actions? Was it because they valued the power and prestige of being bishop more than their consciences? They seem a bit cowardly to me, and they have done great harm to the church by stirring up this controversy.
What is the United Methodist Church's present stand on homosexuality? On the one hand we believe that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching." That is what the Bible teaches (Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9), and the Bible is our primary and supreme authority on all matters. Our conscience is bound by the Word of God.
At the same time, the United Methodist Church affirms that all persons, including homosexuals, are individuals of sacred worth who need the ministry of the church. The sin of homosexual practice is no worse, or no better, than anyone else's sin. Homosexuals, like all the rest of us, need the forgiving and healing grace of God.
The United Methodist Church's present stand on this issue is both biblical and compassionate. The problem is that the church cannot condone anyone's sin.
It is these thirty-six retired United Methodist bishops who are out of touch. They are out of touch with the Scriptures, out of touch with God, and out of touch with the grassroots of the United Methodist Church. The numbers we might be losing from our present position on this issue is nothing compared to the numbers we would lose if we abandoned our biblical position. If the retired bishop's counsel was followed, it would destroy the United Methodist Church as we know it. Such approval would almost certainly result in schism and thus break the covenant that binds the churches of the United Methodist Church together.
The good news is the overwhelming majority of retired bishops refused to join the thirty-six bishops in their call. Bishops, whether retired or active, do not speak for the United Methodist Church. Only General Conference does, and General Conference is very unlikely to change our biblical and compassionate position on this issue.
These retired bishops seem to have a delayed conscience on this issue, don't they? Why didn't they take this stand when they were active bishops? Why did they wait until they didn't have to deal with the consequences of their actions? Was it because they valued the power and prestige of being bishop more than their consciences? They seem a bit cowardly to me, and they have done great harm to the church by stirring up this controversy.
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