General Secretary and President of the National Council of Churches (NCC) and former General Secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society (UMGBCS) decried white supremacy, male superiority, and American exceptionalism while speaking at 2016 Claremont School of Theology’s (CST) Commencement ceremony.
Decked with an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by CST’s President Jeffrey Kuan, James “Jim” E. Winkler, General Secretary and President of NCC and former General Secretary of the UMGBCS charged seminary graduates to no longer rely on a “fundamental knowledge of scripture, liturgy, and theology,” which he stated is “no longer enough,” but to be “innovators…to bring about real and embodied transformation of contemporary life; this is the contemporary religious world you graduate into today.”
Throughout his commencement speech, Winkler proclaimed a starkly progressive agenda fitting of change for a “contemporary religious world.” He encouraged seminarians to unmask three myths which make it difficult to move forward, the myths of white supremacy, male superiority, and American exceptionalism. In unmasking white supremacy he conversely called for more immigration, in unmasking male superiority he called for a woman president, and in unmasking American exceptionalism he called for a smaller military. These ideas he claimed are “a spiritual and moral crisis,” and this work of moving forward both “challenging and sacred.”
In light of the recent United Methodist General Conference, Winkler recalled his time in Portland and expressed grief over the division of the UMC on the LGBT agenda. “Here we gather on the grounds of one of the thirteen seminaries of the United Methodist Church with sharp disagreements in our denomination over whether we will treat LGBTQ sisters and brothers as fully human, has brought the denomination to the brink of dissolution,” stated Winkler. He continued, “I am thankful for Claremont’s commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, and inter-religious dialogue and understanding.”
Winkler presented a final exhortation to new graduates as “people of faith” in the forefront of society and church life. “Your task my sisters and brothers is to bind up the wounds of the nation and the people, and offer them a vision of God’s preferred future,” exhorted Winkler. This vision of “God’s preferred future” includes advocating for climate change, growing fundamentalism, and a slew other social justices according to Winkler.
In concluding his commencement speech, Winkler has this to say:
“Our salvation is tied to how we respond. I believe the fundamental trajectory of scripture is in the direction of grace, love, mercy, unity, justice, and forgiveness. And that we are living through the death throws agonizing as they may be of patriarchy, homophobia, and narrow-mindedness. But the way forward depends on you. If our children and grandchildren are to have a decent future, it will be because we continue to work as children of God to change the direction of our nation and the world, to one committed to cooperation, justice, and peace. I am committed to this struggle and I am honored to be in it with you.”
Comment by Eddie Gooch on May 27, 2016 at 12:19 pm
So, so sad. We need to pray for this heretic, that he would come to the saving knowledge of the truth of our blessed LORD Jesus, He Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
Comment by Mark Brooks on May 27, 2016 at 12:21 pm
The faithful in the UMC will need to address the issue of their seminaries. It does no good to push back the progressives on matters of discipline if the seminaries keep churning out those who defy the authority of scripture.
Comment by Nutstuyu on May 27, 2016 at 12:36 pm
And his morbidly obese brother is a pastor in the Northern Illinois Conference under the reprehensible “Bishop” Sally Dyck.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 27, 2016 at 8:04 pm
Attacking someone for their weight or for physical appearance is just plain wrong. It doesn’t matter what side of an issue you are on.
Comment by Olivia on May 27, 2016 at 9:45 pm
Funny, the gays sure made constant attacks when they were bashing Kim Davis about her weight. Seems like you have a double standard there.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 6:04 am
I think any attacks on her based on appearance or weight is deplorable. I don’t know why you’d think I have a doubled standard. Can we not even all agree that bullying people based on weight is wrong? It’s wrong, period.
Comment by Eternity Matters on May 27, 2016 at 2:57 pm
He is a pathetic, cartoonish “Christian” Leftist.
“whether we will treat LGBTQ sisters and brothers as fully human”
That’s the kind of question-begging hyperbole you except from the LGBTQX “Christian” crowd. We do treat them as fully human, just at the Bible and the Methodist Book of Discipline instruct! But we don’t say that sin isn’t sin as Winkler does. Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Hopefully he will repent, or he’ll really be getting his due. 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Comment by Mikey R on May 27, 2016 at 5:34 pm
Blah, Blah, Blah. More left wing claptrap. A suggestion to this guy; focus on the source of our salvation, Jesus Christ.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 27, 2016 at 8:05 pm
It is that source, Jesus Christ, that motivates us to speak out for social justice and egalitarian principles. Jesus spoke out against injustice and welcomed all to his table by radically departing from his time’s social norms. We are called to do the same.
Comment by Mikey R on May 27, 2016 at 8:42 pm
I am not sure where Jesus discussed “egalitarian” principles. He said all were invited, but he expects us to change and not continue in our sin. “Inclusiveness” is fine if those included strive to follow his teachings.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 6:08 am
Jesus welcomed women as his disciples and first appeared to them after his resurrection. That is not something most rabbis would have done in that time period in a patriarchal society.
Comment by Mikey R on May 28, 2016 at 3:41 pm
I’m not sure what that has to do with the “white privilege” and “gender fluidity” nonsense. We should be compassionate to everyone, but we don’t need to turn the world upside down for them.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 9:46 pm
As a white male, I know what privilege is. That doesn’t make me bad or wrong, but just means I need to be aware that my experience has been privileged when compared to non-European ethnic groups.
Comment by Barking Dawg on May 29, 2016 at 7:53 am
Name his women disciples.
Chapter and verse.
If you don’t own a Bible, you can access them online.
Comment by Max Friedman on May 27, 2016 at 5:43 pm
Winkler’s opposition to “American exceptionalism” is nothing but a continuation of the hard-Left turn the UMC took in the late 60’s/early 70’s when some of their Boards were more pro-Hanoi than pro-America.
Someone ask WInkler if he can describe, in a few paragraphs what the Red Chinese are doing in the South China Sea and how it threatens the freedom of navigation and general trade for all those countries that the new “bases” are aimed at.
Ask him to comment on the terrible human rights record of Communist Vietnam and if the UMC is going to take responsibility for backing the pro-Hanoi (so-called “Anti-Vietnam Movement”) movement that helped make a communist victory and mass slaughters possible in SE Asia.
Ask him about No. Korea’s military buildup and whether he considers it a threat to peace. The same for Red China and Russian similar buildups.
How about freedom for Tibet?
What would he do about ISIS, and how is he helping to protect Christians in Iraq/Syria/Pakistan.
What does he think of Putin and his expansionist policies and what would he do about them.
Will he flip a coin for a position on Israel and the Palestinian issue, the Western Wall/Holy Temple, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Knife Infitada?
Winkler is a fool who makes Neville Chamberlain seem like a political genius because Chamberlain finally saw and admitted the errors of his ways (of thinking and seeing).
Until the UMC purges itself of its Marxist-leftist/progressive (same thing) and politically correct leaders, it will remain badly split and shrinking.
Will the UMC have a true “Methodist Spring” or will it be crushed by the Left just as Khomeini and Deng Shao-ping crushed their “Springs”?
On Memorial Day, this might just be the thing to think about.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 27, 2016 at 8:04 pm
I am glad that he spoke out in favor of progressive values. If conservatives want to be able to speak at commencements and as professors, liberals should be welcome to do the same. I am equally glad that he is encouraging future clergy and lay leaders to strive for a more inclusive and accepting church.
Comment by Olivia on May 27, 2016 at 9:44 pm
There is no future for the progressive church. Check your own numbers. When you replaced Christianity with Political Correctness, you made a commitment to empty pews. You got friendly with the secular world, and the secular world didn’t fill up your churches, they just laughed at having useful idiots pushing a secular agenda in the churches.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 6:05 am
It seems, then, that we are the ones not being “politically correct”. We are not in the business of being the most ‘popular’. That may be how you determine value or rightness in a church, but we base our decisions on what we believe will bring justice and love into our world. I think you would benefit from more compassion.
Comment by Olivia on May 28, 2016 at 8:44 am
Since you define “compassion” as “the SJW agenda,” then I can happily say I’m not compassionate. Of course, by that definition, the apostle Paul, with his stances on women and sexual deviance, would not be compassionate either. The Jesus that you claim to honor is not the Jesus of the New Testament, he’s something you invented, a mirror image of yourselves. You follow whatever the secular elites are doing, then rubberstamp that with “that’s what Jesus would do.” The many verses in the New Testament about Christians not conforming themselves to the world are totally ignored.
Regarding church numbers: true, the numbers don’t prove that a church is right or wrong. But your side keeps on saying that traditional churches are driving people away, yet the numbers show that the biggest losses are in the left-wing churches, not the conservatives. Your narrative – “we’re hip and relevant, we don’t drive people away” – doesn’t square with the facts. Christians are fleeing your churches in droves, while many conservative churches are growing. You’re shrinking because you are not meeting people’s spiritual needs. People can get Political Correctness by flipping on the TV, they don’t need to get out of bed on Sunday and drive to church to get it.
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 9:56 pm
I very much disagree with that assessment, but do not forget that Galatians, which is attributed to Paul, also says “there is neither male or female in Christ Jesus”. Perhaps, the conservatives are those who seek a “mirror image of [themselves]” by seeking a world that only looks like them.
Comment by Jon on May 31, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Galatians 3:28 isn’t about transgenders, gays, feminism, racism, or any of those SJW issues. It is stating that all are united through their FAITH in Christ, regardless of being male or female, slave or free, or from any cultural background (especially in this epistle, the Gentiles vs the Jews). The key is faith in Christ. By putting faith into Christ, we die to sin and walk in the Way of Christ. If one is glorifying, enabling, or trying to justify sin, they are not walking in the Way of Christ.
Comment by darh477 on May 28, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Is this a joke?
Comment by JohnEpiscopal on May 28, 2016 at 9:45 pm
I do not think freedom of speech is a joke. Conservatives and liberals should both have free speech.
Comment by JulianandHeather Law on May 27, 2016 at 8:42 pm
It seems like the leftward turn always seems inevitable. Especially in places of leadership. Why? Just why???
Comment by Dan on May 28, 2016 at 5:42 pm
In addition to being a left wingnut, “Wee Willie” Winkler can now add heresy to his many accomplishments. “Our salvation is tied to how we respond” is just plain heretical. I know it’s fashionable in UMC circles to espouse justification by works but it’s not biblical or orthodox. Even an old Arminian like John Wesley would likely rebel at this characterization of salvation.
Comment by darh477 on May 28, 2016 at 5:52 pm
Your basic church bureaucrat, someone who was a failure in parish ministry and would have been a failure in private industry, but as a paper-shuffling white-collar poseur, he gets a pension and never gets his hands dirty. Men like this never need fear martyrdom, they are as far removed from Jesus’ apostles as space aliens are.
Comment by the_enemy_hates_clarity on May 31, 2016 at 3:36 pm
This demonstrates that the method the UMC uses to fund its seminaries needs reform. Claremont should not receive a dime of our apportionments. That school is much more of a secular humanist university than a christian seminary.
In Christ,
The enemy hates clarity
Comment by Puddleglumm on May 31, 2016 at 10:04 pm
I’m with Mikey. Jesus, Paul, Jude, and Peter addressed this kind of false teaching and immorality in the “last days.” This is NOT the church founded by John Wesley.