Purity

 In a special called conference this weekend, 81 Central Texas churches formally disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church and the Central Texas Conference. There are more to come.

In my mind, the reasons being given for their disaffiliation can be summed up in a single word: purity — doctrinal purity (orthodoxy), moral purity (the condemnation of homosexuality), biblical purity (the literal reading of scripture).

Those leaving have been led to believe that United Methodists no longer hold to traditional orthodoxy. They have been told United Methodists have abandoned belief in the virgin birth, Jesus’s miracles, the resurrection, hell, and salvation through Jesus alone — just to name a few. What these individuals have been told is simply not true. The doctrinal standards of The United Methodist Church have not changed since the founding of the Methodist Church in the 1700’s. While there may be some who reject these beliefs, these beliefs are still a part of the doctrinal standard of The UMC. They are used in examining those seeking ordination. The vast majority of elders in The UMC believes and preaches them.

Those leaving The UMC believe in moral purity, particularly in relation to sexuality. They insist that homosexuality is a sin that is incompatible with biblical teaching. This position was the presenting issue that initially led to the disaffiliation process. Those who hold this position appeal to the purity code found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus. The proposed Book of Discipline of The Global Methodist Church condemns homosexuality as a perversion that must be corrected. Consequently, those who identify as gay or lesbian will experience judgment and condemnation in this new denomination. They will not be welcomed and accepted unconditionally. They will not be allowed to hold leadership positions in their churches, particularly as clergy.

By the term biblical purity, I mean believing the Bible says what they believe it says. They allow little room for interpretation or biblical scholarship. They allow no room for differing views of scripture.

It seems to me these disaffiliating churches have left The UMC in pursuit of purity — doctrinal purity, moral purity, biblical purity.

Purity is an illusion.

The purity these churches desire is better described as sameness. They all hold the same position on these issues. They all believe alike. Their sameness presents the appearance of unity, but that appearance will quickly dissolve when disagreement over some other issue arises. Disagreement will not be tolerated. It will lead to rejection or to another split.

Purity is impossible.

Our human condition precludes purity. By nature, we are and always will be imperfect, in process, lacking in some area, rebellious in others (sinful). The desire for purity is an effort to overcome these aspects of our normal human condition. It is an attempt to escape being human. It is an attempt to be like God (what the man and woman in the Garden sought in their choice to disobey the directive of God).

Purity is an issue of the heart, not morality.

Ironically, the insistence upon purity reflects an impure heart. Jesus, following the prophet Jeremiah, taught the source of our problems was in the heart (Mark 7:21-23). The heart — the attitudes and inner spirit which govern our lives — is what needs to be made clean (pure). The experience of the psalmist leads us to pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10) and “Give me an undivided heart” (Psalm 86:11). Instead, we are inclined to focus on behavior — morals, right and wrong. This focus is based on the belief that right behavior is the key to purity.

Jesus told a parable that pointed to the danger of focusing on behavior rather than the heart (Luke 11:24-25, Matthew 12:43-45). A demon was cast out and the house (life) swept clean with everything put in order. Wrong behavior was eliminated; right behavior was put in place. Later, when the demon returned, he found the house (life) clean, but empty. It had not been filled with anything that gave it life. Seeing the empty condition of the house, the original demon found seven other demons, inviting them to move into the house. The result was the last condition was worse than the first – seven demons versus one. The house was filled with evil. Right behavior that is not paired with a right spirit leads to a judgmental, condemning spirit. Focusing on how another’s life is out of order in comparison to his own, the person is blind to the spirit out of which he lives.

 The spirit of condemnation and judgment that is expressed in relation to homosexuality indicates unrecognized and unaddressed issues of the heart. Jesus warned against judging others, calling us first to recognize the 2x4 in our own eye, that is, what is in our heart. A judgmental spirit exposes the unaddressed issues in our own heart (our 2x4, our shadow). It indicates a lack of self-awareness. Blind to our own need of grace, we have little grace to offer others (Luke 7:36-50). “The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little” (Luke 7:47b).

Purity is rooted in merit-based thinking and relating.

Those who insist on purity live out of merit-based thinking. They barter acceptance in exchange for conformity (another word for sameness). Their acceptance is conditional, given “if” and “when.” For those who identify as gay and/or lesbian and/or trans, repentance is a prerequisite to being accepted and included. Repentance is viewed as the path to purity. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God claims us (Ephesians 1:4-5) and embraces us long before we confess or repent of our sins. John Wesley called this prevenient grace.

At its core, purity is a veiled power-play.

Bartering acceptance in exchange for conformity, coupled with judging, condemning, and rejecting those who fail to conform, is an abuse of power. It is using power over, down against another – a use of power Jesus expressly condemned (Mark 10:42-45). It is the way the world uses power. In the kingdom, power is used to serve. It is used on behalf of others, particularly the powerless. Power in the kingdom is used to empower.

I grieve the disaffiliation that these churches have chosen. I respect their right to make the decision and the desire it reflects. Yet I fear they have been misled. I particularly grieve the lack of grace I perceive in their position. I grieve that our polarization reflects the polarization of our culture and our splintering reflects the way of the world. The apostle Paul identified it as one of the many works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Thus, this disaffiliation grows out of our default human nature (the flesh), not out of our spirituality or our discipleship. I grieve that we have failed to love one another as Jesus commanded. In doing so, we have failed to offer the world God’s way of dealing with our differences.

As I grieve, I want to move beyond my anger and my hurt and my own judgmental spirit. So I pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”

Merciful God, may it be!