Former UTS President Discusses Religious Liberty and Wesleyan Theology

on June 23, 2017

“Two-thirds of the world does not have this but desperately yearns for it,” begins Dr. Wendy Deichmann of United Theological Seminary in her first of three recently published videos on religious liberty. The former president and current professor of history and theology uses the videos she posts on her YouTube channel cool.seminary.tutorials to teach her classes. The videos are on a range of topics related to the history of Christianity and current issues facing the Church. In addition to her videos, Deichmann authored Gender and the Social Gospel, a series of essays telling the lesser known contributions of women to the social gospel movement at the turn of the century. She has also written articles on Christian doctrine, and her areas of teaching and research include: the history of Christianity, American religious history, women in the history of Christianity, historical theology and Wesleyan/United Methodist studies.

So without further ado, here is my interview with Deichmann:

Q: Do your talks cover religious liberty issues inside the U.S.?

A: Yes, I have focused on the history and ethics of religious liberty in the US and how it is an important factor in some current, hot issues, such as immigration and civil rights.

Q: Why is there not more United Methodist focus on religious liberty?

A: I think that many people, including many United Methodists in the US, don’t understand what’s at stake. We are, in general, patriotically grateful for our liberties and especially for those armed troops who defend liberty by defending our nation, but we lack clarity about the implications of these liberties, especially religious liberty.

Even though the UMC is a global denomination, it has not generally been impressed upon United Methodists in North America that religious liberty is a current, life-or-death issue that affects all of us, and that a lack of religious freedom imperils people’s lives and wellbeing wherever it is denied.  We are largely unaware that the majority of the world does not have religious liberty or that that we have a moral and ethical responsibility to defend and promote this basic human right, not only in the US, but also throughout the world.

Religious studies and seminary curricula provide great contexts for teaching about religious liberty, especially in American religious history courses.  Sadly, in most of these programs, very little time is usually spent on the history of Christianity in the US, except for developments in our own, respective denominations. Additionally, in UM history, the Methodists arrived in America somewhat in the shadow of the Anglican Church and only organized a denomination after the new nation had been formed. So it wasn’t seen as much of a Methodist issue, even though it provided a context in which Methodism flourished and grew by leaps and bounds. In contrast, Roger Williams and the Baptists had to carve out their own right to exist and worship over against the establishment of religion and religious persecution in the Colonies so religious freedom has tended to be emphasized as the sacred trust that it is by many Baptist groups. Similarly, Catholics have been persecuted in the US and elsewhere for their brand of Christian faith, so perhaps they have developed more focused appreciation for its value than have Methodists.

Q: Do you think there is rationale in traditional Wesleyan history and teaching for special focus on religious liberty advocacy?

A: Certainly. This can be part of church history, theology/ethics, and mission and evangelism courses, among others. For example, one can study the implications for religious freedom in biblical studies going all the way back to Adam’s and Eve’s freedom to obey or not obey God in the Garden as a God-given human right with consequences for using it wrongly.  One can study St. Augustine’s theology of freedom and grace, and Luther’s Freedom of a Christian—which should compel those of us who are free to serve Christ to care completely about the freedom (or lack thereof) afforded to others.

Methodists would do well to remember that the orthodox Christian heritage prior to Wesley was assumed by Wesley and is thus part of the great heritage of Wesleyan theological thinking.  In Wesleyan theology we should reflect upon the prevenient grace that goes before conversion to Christ that is active throughout the world leading people to Christ. This holy work of God should not be curtailed anywhere in God’s creation by a lack of religious freedom. Ethically speaking, do we truly love our neighbor as ourselves when he or she is denied basic human rights and we do nothing to help?  Sanctifying grace is the power of the Holy Spirit helping us to do what is right, including when we advocate for religious freedom. I’m afraid these comments are only a shadow of what could be said on behalf of religious freedom advocacy from a Wesleyan perspective.

Q: How can advocacy on behalf of the persecuted church spiritually affect a congregation and its individuals?

A: Profoundly.  When we engage with brothers and sisters in the persecuted church in true Christian unity, we are in fact standing by their side bearing this burden with and for them.  Their suffering, pain, hope and joy in Christ are ours.  As persons who enjoy the gifts of freedom, we have the responsibility to advocate on their behalf, to bear the costs of this discipleship, and to help prevent unnecessary suffering in the future.

Q: What are some good books, authors and other resources to which you look for counsel on religious liberty?

A: Most recently I have referred to the following:

Books:

Allen D. Hertzke, ed. Religious Freedom in America: Constitutional Roots and Contemporary Challenges (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2015)

William Lee Miller, The First Liberty: American’s Foundation in Religious Freedom(Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2003)

John F. Wilson and Donald L. Drakeman, Church and State in American History: Key Documents, Decisions, and Commentary from the Past Three Centuries (Cambridge: Westview Press, 2003)

Articles:

“Pope Francis’ speech on religious liberty,” LA Times, September 26, 2015

Jennifer A. Marshall, “Why Does Religious Freedom Matter?”  Heritage Foundation publication

Thomas Reese, “Religious freedom is a fundamental human right,” National Catholic Reporter, May 16, 2014

For other resources, Deichmann has recently referred to the U.S. Department of State, International Religious Freedom Reports, Pew Research Center: Religion and Public Life, First Amendment Center and United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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