This issue of Good News carries the most disturbing news story we've ever published. It's a report on the "Re-Imagining" conference held November 4-7 in Minneapolis. Without question, this event was the most theologically aberrant I have ever read about, far removed from Christian tradition.
The Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) urged staff and directors to attend "Re-Imagining" (all expenses paid) as its theological training event for the quadrennium. Some 391 UM women attended.
Having read transcripts of tapes from most presenters, I am convinced that no UM women should have been subjected to this conference. Consider the following:
· Melanie Morrison, co-founder of Christian Lesbians Out Together (CLOUT), was given time to celebrate "the miracles of being lesbian, out, and Christian," and invited all other lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual women to come forward, join hands and encircle the stage. More than 100 women responded and Ms. Morrison said, "I'm pleased and honored to lead you in prayer and to talk to earth maker Mauna, our creator."
· Nadean Bishop, the first "out" lesbian minister called to an American Baptist church, said that Mary and Martha in the Bible were not actual sisters but lesbian lovers.
· "Womanist" theologian Delores S. Williams said, "I don't think we need a theory of atonement at all....I don't think we need folks hanging on crosses and blood dripping and weird stuff." Applause followed.
· Judy Westerdorf, a UM clergywoman, told a workshop, "The Church has always been blessed by gays and lesbians... witches...shamans ...artists."
· Theologian Mary Hunt said, "I have far more hope in substituting `friendship' as a metaphor for family....Imagine sex among friends as the norm, young people learning to make friends rather than to date. Imagine valuing genital sexual interaction in terms of whether and how it fosters friendship and pleasure...."
The above excerpts are representative of the tone and substance of "Re-Imagining." While wading through transcripts, I counted at least ten presenters who were self-identified lesbians. Prayers were offered repeatedly to the goddess Sophia, including the offensive prayer in the "Service of milk and honey," which said, "Our sweet Sophia, we are women in your image; With nectar between our thighs we invite a lover, we birth a child."
This blending of sexuality and spirituality is more Canaanite than Christian.
Most disturbing of all, many doctrines essential to orthodox Christianity were repudiated at this conference, often in a spirit of derision. This includes the doctrine of God, the deity of Christ, his atoning death, the sinfulness of humanity, creation, the authority of Scriptures, the church, and the biblical understanding of human sexuality. In a word, what was "presented" at "Re-Imagining" was a different religion.
Our UM participation in such an event leaves many of us shocked and angry. Aside from being unacceptable, what does it mean? Clearly a theological polarization in the UM Church is emerging. The doctrinal defection many of us have suspected from nuances and wafflings in the past has surfaced here as defiance of the historic faith.
An international gathering that publicly trashes historic Christian doctrine and celebrates sinful behavior cannot be ignored. Our UM bishops must decide how they will respond to UM participation. Is such teaching acceptable to them? If this event goes unchallenged, then the church is adrift in theological anarchy. This is not a time for dialogue, but for church discipline.
The Women's Division has betrayed its trust with the UM Church. It should disavow the radical substance of this conference and apologize to the church for supporting it. But I doubt this will happen. The Women's Division knew what it was supporting.
Therefore, our UM bishops must intervene. They have the specific disciplinary mandate: "To guard, transmit, teach, and proclaim...the apostolic faith as it is expressed in Scripture and Tradition...." and "To teach and uphold the theological traditions of The United Methodist Church" (Par. 514.2,4). The radical nature of "Re-Imagining" makes imperative some action of theological oversight by our bishops.
In the meantime, local church UMW units must re-think their financial pledge support of the Women's Division if public refutation and apology is not made. Also, conference UMW leaders should call for change in the Women's Division's national leadership. Until that happens, we can only expect more of the same--or worse.