This past Labor Day weekend, Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), a group advocating for a greater acceptance of homosexuality within the United Methodist Church, held its national convocation called Churchquake: Embracing Freedom. I had the pleasure of attending the convocation, held at the nearby 4-H Youth Conference Center in nearby Chevy Chase, Maryland. Over four days, I heard and saw many things that spoke to the radicalism of the UMC’s reconciling movement. But before going into what I did see, I believe it’d be more instructive to note what I didn’t see.
IRD staff members have attended many events held by organizations we disagree with, but RMN’s press policy was particularly restrictive. Most of the restrictions on the press were designed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of attendees. “[P]ress representatives are welcome to participate in plenary sessions.” RMN’s brochure announces, “Small groups workshop, Ubuntu groups, question and answer sessions, and other times in the schedule, are not opportunities for press reporting or participation.” Explicit permission from RMN was required before I could photograph, video record, or audio record any activities or participants.
All press was also required to clearly wear badges and verbally identify themselves as such. As if that weren’t enough, RMN’s daily newsletter The Epicenter warned participants not to speak to the press without going through them. “Not all press are allies sympathetic to LGBT persons…” it read, “Press are to wear visible passes and identify themselves. Interviews are to be scheduled through RMN.” The RMN brochure also noted that members of the press could have their access revoked at any time at their sole discretion. All this from a group that purports to be a welcoming organization.
Without further ado, here’s what I didn’t see:
The same-sex marriages
The most troubling events I was unable to attend were the same-sex marriage ceremonies. At least two weddings were announced in the pages of The Epicenter, with one announcement explicitly mentioning that it would be presided over in part by ordained United Methodist elder Dr. Rev. Pamela R. Lightsey. Rev. Dr. Lightsey, who is also a professor of theology at Boston University, confirmed her participation in the wedding during Sunday’s afternoon plenary (here, at 1:35:00): “I had the sheer pleasure yesterday of officiating, co-officiating the wedding for Mary Ann and Annanda. It was my privilege to do that.” RMN announced months ago that Mary Ann Kaiser, a candidate for ordination who was denied for being a practicing lesbian, would marry her Presbyterian partner Annanda Barclay at their annual convocation, but the fact that a UMC clergyman would play a role wasn’t mentioned.
The seriousness of Rev. Dr. Lightsey’s actions shouldn’t be understated. RMN is aware of four UMC clergy who are facing official church charges or complaints for officiating a same-sex wedding. In the most recently reported case, Rev. Frank Schaefer faces charges for a wedding he performed for his son five years ago. Such complaints can be filed by any United Methodist under paragraph 2702.1 of The Book of Discipline, which lists “conducting ceremonies which celebrate homosexual unions; or performing same-sex wedding ceremonies” as a chargeable offense. (Rev. Dr. Lightsey declined to comment for this story).
The Drag Queen
When I emailed RMN’s communications staff for a clarification of which “other times in the schedule” I was or wasn’t allowed to attend, they allowed me to attend worship services and bible study as well. However, I was specifically banned from attending the evening entertainment. As the IRD’s John Lomperis noted earlier this year, RMN proudly advertised that they would be featuring a drag queen at the convocation. It was made clear to me that it was as a result of John’s reporting that I was not allowed to attend the entertainment sessions. Readers may satisfy whatever curiosity they might have by checking out the drag queen’s performances on YouTube.
“Ubuntu GoGroups”
Ubuntu, Churchquake’s brochure helpfully pointed out, is a Zulu word meaning roughly “I am human because you are human”. In theory, Ubuntu groups celebrated “how the struggle for freedom and full inclusion of all people is connected to struggles to end racism, sexism, classism, ableism, etc.” In practice, Ubuntu groups were basically shipping attendees to various places in the D.C. area to exploit their legacy to promote gay rights, such as the African-American Civil War Memorial & Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, and the Lincoln, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials. I would have loved to have listened to group leaders explain how the “struggles” faced by our men who served in Korea and Vietnam are comparable to the “struggles” faced by gay Methodists. Instead, I invite any veterans to leave their thoughts on the matter in the comments.
Workshops
I also missed out on attending any of the workshops put on during Churchquake. Oh sure, there was the typical socially liberal workshops, with titles like “How Christianity Was Seduced By Homophobia.” But there were two workshops I had my eye on, in that they revolved around increasing the acceptance of transgendered children. The first was “Creating Safe Space for Gender Questioning & Transgender Children and Youth”. But there was also a screening of “TRANS: The Movie,” whose website says the movie focuses in part on a 7-year-old boy who is convinced he’s a girl. I personally find the notion that children too young to spell “transgender” can choose their gender identity to be an unusual one, but I was definitely interested in hearing the opposing view articulated.
Stay tuned for part two in this series, which will note what (and who) I did see at Churchquake.
Comment by Alex Soderberg on September 4, 2013 at 12:47 pm
“Closed sessions” tends to suggest “we’ve got some things to hide.” I doubt you missed much by being banned from the drag queen’s act, but we can safely assume it wouldn’t have been G-rated.
The biggest is this movement’s rather blatant effort at indoctrinating children. To regard the people that Christ referred to as “these little ones” as subjects for indoctrination or exploitation is truly a horror, and in this case sanctioned not just by a secular entity but by a group that, in theory, is composed of Christians. Not good.
Comment by Justin White on September 4, 2013 at 1:05 pm
“In practice, Ubuntu groups were basically shipping attendees to various places in the D.C. area that exemplified various liberal pet causes, such as the African-American Civil War Memorial & Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, and the Lincoln, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials. ”
uhm… wow…
It seems to me that the IRD really is about maintaining the status quo, i.e., heterosexual white dominance. The “liberal pet causes” are struggles for human equality of people who have truly been oppressed in society. IRD, please learn some cultural competency, or better yet, read your Bible and remember that Christ, liberated and redeemed the oppressed.
Comment by Alexander Griswold on September 4, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Justin,
You’re absolutely correct. The memorials themselves and the causes they represent (racial equality, the plight of Native Americans, etc.) aren’t “pet liberal causes”. If anything, they’re “pet Christian causes”. Instead, the legacy they represent was being used (exploited, really) to push liberal causes. My original wording gave a false impression, and the article will be updated soon.
And I can assure you that as an ethnic minority, white dominance isn’t high on my priority list. 🙂
Comment by Adrian Croft on September 4, 2013 at 10:12 pm
“Heterosexual white dominance.” Well, let’s teach you a new term you might not know about: “hermeneutic of suspicion,” or, as psychologists would call it, “paranoia.” Hermeneutic of suspicion means there is no truth and no history, just “narratives” used by one group to oppress another. If you wish to see a two thousand year old religion as nothing more than a power grab by white hetero males, think you have blinders on. From the very beginning, there have always been more women in churches than men, so it’s curious women would seek out an oppressive system, isn’t it?
I can tell you quite bluntly as one of those evil and oppressive white hetero males that I’m NOT evil and oppressive, and I don’t go to church because I want to dominate anyone. I’m fair-skinned and of Scotch extraction, so “white” might describe me, but I really doubt Jesus of Nazareth, a 1st-century Palestinian Jew was “white.”
Throw away the hermeneutic of suspicion and the world is a much nicer and more interesting place, full of three-dimensional people. On the other hand, if you like dividing the human race into good people (like you) and everyone else, by all means, enjoy the paranoia. Feels good to have lots of enemies, doesn’t it?
Comment by Julie A. Arms Meeks on September 4, 2013 at 2:14 pm
I will hold my opinion on most of your reporting but will point out two corrections: 1. Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey is a clergywoman – or clergyperson if you are going for the generic – but she is most definitely not a clergyman; and 2. “…liberal pet causes…” Did you somehow miss the Church-wide service of Repentance at GC12 in Tampa, as concerns the UMC’s past treatment of our First Nations peoples? How is going to a museum of American Indians a liberal pet cause?
Comment by Adrian Croft on September 4, 2013 at 10:17 pm
Because liberals like to engage in collective guilt, and conservatives tend to focus more on our own sins. The Bible and Christian tradition do not require us to do collective, only individual. If I sin against anyone, I am under a mandate to ask forgiveness and make restitution. I am under no obligation to apologize to “First Americans,” who, by the way, were NOT the first Americans, there are plenty of archaeological digs to show that they displace earlier residents, so “first” doesn’t mean a whole lot. I have never to my knowledge harmed a “First American,” so I have zip to apologize for.
Two different religions, two distinct perspectives.
Comment by Ray Bannister on September 8, 2013 at 11:49 am
“Clergyman” is generic, applies to both men and women, just as “chairman” can be either male or female.
Regarding guilt over American Indians, NARAL promotes the legalized slaughter of millions of unborn children. There is something hypocritical about feeling guilt over what was done to Indians a century ago, horrible as it was, while encouraging industrial-scale abortion on the US today. The Indians were God’s creations, but so are unborn children.
Comment by Pudentiana on September 4, 2013 at 3:15 pm
It is so sad that we have to monitor the things which are being done in the name of Jesus which are so far from Christian teaching. Frankly, it is like a serpent in the bosom of the Church. Yes, we do love our brothers and sisters in Christ who have same sex attractions and questioning identities, but we hope that they would love Christ enough to obey His commandments. Self is God in this movement. All have to choose to resist sin and certainly not promote it.
Comment by Donnie on September 4, 2013 at 5:58 pm
From the sounds of this report, Churchquake sounds very creepy and cult-like.
Comment by Adrian Croft on September 4, 2013 at 10:18 pm
My thoughts exactly Donnie. Keeping some of the gatherings closed to the press does sound a bit cultish, kinda makes me think of Scientologists and their ilk.
Beware of liberals who draw the blinds.
Comment by Janice Curry on September 4, 2013 at 6:13 pm
The insensitivity with which you write this article is exactly why you were excluded from the discussions.
Comment by Greg Paley on September 5, 2013 at 11:24 am
“Insensitivity” translates as “this darn conservative might tell people what actually went on here,” right?
Liberals sure get a lot of mileage out of “insensitivity.”
Must have been some really juicy stuff going on that IRD wasn’t allowed to witness.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”
Comment by Donnie on September 5, 2013 at 2:13 pm
But what were they hiding? If they were doing nothing shameful, then they would have let “outsiders” witness these events, yes?
If the IRD held a conference, but only a select few were allowed to see the meetings and events, you’d rightfully be suspicious. Why should this conference be any different?
Comment by Dave Gingrich on September 9, 2013 at 7:39 am
If the truth makes us uncomfortable, we should reexamine our assumptions.
Comment by Ray Bannister on September 6, 2013 at 7:26 pm
For what it’s worth… at this sort of gathering, closing off some of its sessions to the (conservative) press, probably the real “story” was the extra-curricular activity going on “after hours.” That is not an element of the gay lifestyle that gets much coverage, nor will it, in the mainstream media.
Comment by Rev Sarah Flynn on September 9, 2013 at 7:20 am
Given the punitive legislation in place in the UMC Discipline why would the author think there would not be privacy protections at this gathering? Would not similar precautions be taken at a Conservative gathering if such restrictions were in place regarding their participation in the Church? In fact, even with out such restrictions have there not been closed door meetings among Conservatives plotting their political next moves? Such feigned shock is really hypocritcal.
Secondly, the author must assume that there were no LGBTQI members of other minority groups or soldiers involved in the various wars memorialized in Washington, DC. RMC has as much right to speak to those communities as does IRD. Again, more hypocrisy.
The fact that there were same sex marriages held at RMC to which the author was not invited is hardly news anymore. More feigned shock. Same sex marriages by UM clergy are happening and will continue in spite futile attempts to stop them. Get used to it. The refusal to admit that the Church is seriously divided on this issue does not make it go away.
And finally, the comment about parents and their transgendered child reveal that the author still thinks gender identity is a choice. He rightly concludes that the child is too young to make a choice, but then implies the parents should attempt to force a choice upon the child and impose a different identity on this transgendered 7 year old. It maybe that the child when older may choose not to follow this path, but repression will not work and has not worked in the past. All such attempts to change such fundamental identity issues have been shown to be bogus, so the parents are doing the right thing in allowing the child to find out for him/herself which is best.
How long will it take for Conservatives to come to terms with the fact that even their own younger generation of Evangelicals do not share their preoccupation with trying to crusade against gays and trans people? Such outrage by Conservatives is already futile. It is becoming tiresome and finally, it will be too boring to bother to read anymore. Or to bother to respond to with comments like this.
Comment by Cal Duncan on September 9, 2013 at 9:46 pm
I hear this “inevitability” nonsense all the time. It’s “inevitable” that SSM “marriage” will be accepted. So what? Death is inevitable too, but does that mean we ought to go commit suicide and get it over with? I side with William F. Buckley, who said his mission was to stand in the path of modernity and yell “Stop!” I’m all for delaying the acceptance of SSM as long as possible, and for making the case that Christians should NOT accept it, period. Sara Flynn is not exactly made of the stern stuff that the apostles and martyrs were made of, with her attitude of, well, this is happening, so just deal with it and shut up. Conform to an immoral world? What a pathetically cowardly thing to do. Who needs such a wimpy religion? Thanks, but I’ll stick with Christianity – raw and undiluted.
Comment by Adrian Croft on September 10, 2013 at 9:32 am
Regarding the so-called transgender” people: I read a bizarre story about a UM bishop in New York state who actually aided and abetted one of the ministers in his conference as he became a “she” (in reality, is and always will be “he”). When you have leadership like that, no wonder the denomination is in a moral shambles. Obviously any bishop with a Christian conscience (not to mention common sense) would have tried to steer this poor deluded MAN back on the right course instead of encouraging this psychotic delusion that he was “really” avwoman. I suppose we should deal sympathetically with such deeply disturbed people, but it seems that whether you are Christian or atheist, a basic rule is: bring the person back to reality, don’t encourage the delusion.
I must say that I strongly disagree with this Sara Flynn about this RMN conference, if these conferees feared something “punitive” from the UM authorities, maybe they’re in the wrong denominations. The \UCC and Episcopagans are very welcoming of this motley crew of sexual minorities. Obviously the reason they closed some of the sessions to IRD is that they only wanted favorable press coverage. Shouldn’t real Christians be willing to do what we do in public view?
Lots of ex-UMs around, and many more to come, I fear. I’m praying that at the next General Conference the African delegates will become even more assertive, and it would be a good thing if the people whose identities are centered upon their sexual activities would depart and either start a new denomination of join another. Time for a housecleaning at the UM.
Comment by Anthony Fatta on September 10, 2013 at 10:55 am
Where’s part 2?! It’s been almost a week! I am dying to know what else you have to say!!
Comment by Alexander Griswold on September 10, 2013 at 11:08 am
Thanks for your interest, Anthony! I have a few more assignments than I anticipated this week, such as attending a prayer vigil for Syria and an anti-Obamacare rally today. I hope to have Part II up Thursday or Friday.
Comment by Jamie Michaels on September 16, 2013 at 11:38 am
I’m with Anthony! It’s been over 2 weeks since this gathering, and I’m looking forward to hearing more about what happened at Reconciling Ministries Convocation.