Thanks for the editorial
I read your editorial in response to the Reconciling Ministries Clergy. I appreciate your stand in answering their letter. I think that your view is the only view that we can have. The Bible is clear in its message to us, also The Book of Discipline in its statement on the stand of United Methodism in addressing homosexuality. As far as the Lake Junaluska event is concerned, I truly wish that it would not have taken place. My concern is that the media will not thoroughly cover our position and the people who read the coverage will maybe think we are beginning to soften our stance on the issue.

Once again, I believe in what The Book of Discipline teaches on this issue and how we should treat each person created by God. The issues of homosexuals becoming ministers or clergy performing homosexual marriages or unions will not be tolerated by those of us who believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and take it to mean exactly what it says in these cases.

George Smith
Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Refusing membership
I am writing in response to the September/October 2005 article in which your Executive Committee took issue against the Virginia Annual Conference for removing the Rev. Edward Johnson from his pastorate. He had refused church membership to a homosexual.

As a member of a United Methodist church in Phoenix, I would be appalled to learn that anyone could be refused membership based on his gender, nationality, race, or sexual preference by a pastor with prejudice. Having been raised in the South (Tennessee) with segregated churches, I view this as an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, applying to homosexuals. I hope that nowhere in The Book of Discipline is a person of same-sex preference to be denied membership.

A reference was also made in the article to the “sinful behavior of a homosexual.” Acts of love between consenting adults even when procreation is not the reason should not be sinful. Sexual preference appears to be genetically determined rather than a personal decision.

Christ was inclusive, not exclusive, in his acceptance of women, children, prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, and Samaritans. This compassion of Christ for others who were “different” was extremely radical at that time. Women and children who were the property of males, yet separate from them in public, were encouraged to come to Jesus.

Unfortunately, attitudes against homosexuals being unwelcome in our church prevent our church world from being a positive instrument for change in a world that historically excludes. Bible historians today can only speculate about Christ’s own sexual preference.

Carolyn Baker
Phoenix, Arizona

UM membership
I agree with Good News that our pastors have the authority to be discerning about whom to admit into membership in the church. Bishop Kammerer’s comment that no one is to be denied membership is astounding. However, there have to be limits to this power. Just to take a possible case, what would Good News say about a pastor who refused to admit a person into membership because said person believed that homosexuality is a sin? Good News doesn’t have to like it, but many UM pastors are trying to build local churches that affirm the lifestyle. I do not have detailed knowledge of the scope of a pastor’s power to admit people, but surely race or sex could not be grounds for denial, and surely vocal belief in the subordination of one sex or of certain racial groups would be. It seems to me that The Book of Discipline clearly states that homosexual persons may join our churches. Thus, excluding a homosexual because he is a homosexual is contrary to the Discipline. Pastors who will not obey the Discipline do tend to get removed from their posts.

There are, of course, general considerations that lead most members of Good News to want to change the Discipline at this point. When one joins the UM Church, one makes a confession of faith. The pastor does have the duty to evaluate the adequacy of that confession. In rare cases the pastor may find that the applicant’s confession is wanting, and invite the person to continue participating as a non-member while prayerfully considering whatever the issue may be. Since the Scriptures clearly teach that homosexual behavior is a sin, an unrepentant homosexual clearly has an issue on which to work. I can see where any given pastor might bar such a person from membership. I can also see where a pastor might take similar action in the case of a drug addict. On the other hand, what if the drug in question is alcohol or nicotine? How many pastors would bar a potential member over the use of those drugs? We’re on a slippery slope here, and we would surely want pastors to err on the side of admission rather than denial. In any event, The Book of Discipline makes the question moot in the case of a homosexual.

Edwin R. Chamberlain
Asheville, North Carolina

The resurrection
The excellent September/October 2005 article “The Reality of the Resurrection” by Carl Braaten reveals how important belief systems and worldviews are to being Christian. While he outlines questions surrounding Jesus’ resurrection as presented by theologians, it reminded me of how necessary it is in our everyday world for faith to include the resurrection and why so many today find it irrelevant.

Two basic beliefs are required. One is a worldview holding God to be the creator and sustainer of the universe; the other is that God is spirit. Therefore, the spiritual controls the physical and can do with it as it wills. The Bible is full of such “miracle” examples like healings, parting of waters, and even the possibility of moving mountains.

Having these two essential outlooks makes it easy to believe that God could resurrect a body for witnessing to human beings.

Robert Moser
Madisonville, Kentucky

Substitution and satisfaction
Ken Collins’ “Making sense of the atonement” (July/August 2005) was an excellent article. John Stott’s The Cross of Christ helped me to better understand the atonement as substitution and satisfaction. I was surprised to learn that there are so many other theories floating around. The article by Collins did an excellent job of reviewing the various approaches and then zeroing in on what I believe to be the real meaning and essence of the death of our Lord and Savior on the cross.

Carl Hansen
Largo, Florida

Hate-filled exclusion
Ours is a church of love, faith, hope, and second chances. Ours is a church that, for over two centuries, has reached out to people who did not agree totally with each other. As John Wesley said something to the effect, “Dost thou love God? Dost thou serve Christ? I give thee the right hand of fellowship.”

It is beyond me how Christians can be so hate-filled as to try to exclude those who do not subscribe to every dot and tittle of their own beliefs!

How, in the name of a loving, redeeming, personal God, can you and the so-called “Good News” of the United Methodist Church object to the meeting of gays and lesbians and their parents at Lake Junaluska? How can your group be so hate-filled under the disguise of religion? Get with it, friend! Canada changed, and the good ole USA will someday overcome all the hate of the Fred Phelps, et al!

We look forward eagerly to that coming Day of the Lord!

William R. Clark
Clergy person
Kansas East Conference