Love Your Neighbor News: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - Cal

NEIGHBOR NEWS
LOVE YOUR
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COMMON WITNESS COALITION
• Affirmation Methodists for LGBTQ Concerns • Black Methodists for Church Renewal •
• Methodist Federation for Social Action •
•National Federation of Asian American United Methodists •
• Native American International Caucus • Reconciling Ministries Network •
• United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities •
generalconference2012.org
INSIDE
SPECIAL
SECTION:
LETTER TO AN
AFRICAN
DELEGATE
Pages 1, 3-6
Dr. James Cone:
Sunday Worship
page 2
NFAAUM:
Inclusion Begins
with Hospitality
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Lettre au délégué africain
par Jorge Lockward
18 février 2012
Cher frère,
Dans votre dernier e-mail
vous a demandé s’il y avait
des recommandations a vous
offrir en ce qui concerne la
Conférence générale. Votre
demande m’encourage a
partager avec vous ce que j’ai
au cœur. Je vous écris comme
a un ami, un collègue de travail en la mission pour Dieu
et comme a un compatriote
délégué à la Conférence générale.
Comme vous le savez, la
position officielle de l’UMC
page 7
love makes
a family
Page 8
Love Your
Neighbor
Chaplain
813-200-8860
Love Your
Neighbor Office
813-416-5569
Check out
our website:
gc12.org
Follow the
Twitter hashtag:
#gc12love
Jorge Lockward. Photo gracieuseté de
Religious Communicators Council
en ce qui concerne lespersonnes gaies et lesbiennes
a été l’un des problèmes les
plus douloureux que l’église
fait face depuis la Conférence
générale 1972. Je joins un
recueil produit par des
Communications des Méthodistes Unies des actions
de la Conférence Générale
sur ces sujets depuis 1972.
Lors de ma dernière visite à
Harare, au Zimbabwe, plusieurs délégués africains ont
parlé avec passion sur cette
question. En les écoutants,
leurs préoccupations révéleraient deux nouvelles idées
pour moi que je voudrais
partager avec vous.
The above is an excerpt of the letter
to an African Delegate. For the full
letter and translations, see pages
3-6.
Bishop Yambasu: ‘What Binds Us Together is
Stronger Than Lines of Difference’
page 7
Reconciling
Communities Top
500
Volume 1, Issue 7
by Derrick Spiva
T
he Africana Dinner Saturday night
featured Bishop John Yambasu of
Sierra Leone, who preached that the love
of God binds us together much stronger
than divisions of race, sexual orientation,
or even family affiliation.
Yambasu is resident United Methodist bishop of Sierra Leone. The dinner was
sponsored by Black Methodists for Church
Renewal, a partner with the Common Witness Coalition.
Yambasu spoke of sexual orientation as
one of many identities that tie people together. He stated that people relate better to
those who share the same sexual orientation. He also stressed the difficulty to talk
about sexuality, both in Africa and in the
United States.
“I’m reminded here that in Africa, sex is
a very delicate issue that you don’t openly
talk about,” Yambasu stated. “And I also understand that here in America it is also just
as sensitive.”
However, Yambasu then lifted up the diverse United Methodists who offer support
for Africa University, the premiere United
Methodist-supported university in Africa.
He offered thanks for the support of the
young students who were present in the
room, and noted that their education was
due to support that came across lines of division.
All of us called United Methodists—homosexuals, bisexuals, black and white, yellow and green, Mende, Temne...all of us,
came together and said ‘it will happen.’”
Yambasu ended his preaching with a vision of heaven.
“When we all get to heaven, there will
only be one question asked of us,” stated
Bishop John K. Yambasu of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference gives the keynote address during the Africana banquet sponsored by BMCR. A UMNS photo by John C. Goodwin.
Yambasu. “It will be, ‘did you spend your
time on earth making it a better place?’”
He said that our lives will be judged, not
by the affiliations we have, but by how we
spent the life that God gave us.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Spiva is a clergy member of
the California-Nevada Annual Conference
and attends Bethany UMC in San Francisco. For the past 20 years, Spiva has been
an entrepreneur developing and operating
multi-million dollar projects in education
and entertainment.
Love Your Neighbor News
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Page 2
Dr. James Cone Points Us to Jesus;
Sunday LYN Coalition Worship Restores Hope
Love Your Neighbor
Coalition Pledge
by Lois McCullen Parr
N
early 1,000 worshipers gathered
and sang “All are welcome…you’re
invited to come and know God’s grace,”
Sunday afternoon at the Love Your Neighbor Common Witness Coalition Worship
at the Straz Center in Tampa, finding hope
and inspiration in Scripture, prayer, song,
church in a white-dominated society while
lifting and exalting the voices and experiences of the oppressed,” said Cone, making
the connections between the cross of Jesus,
the lynching tree of 5,000 African Americans, and the fence of murdered Matthew
Shepard.
The Rev. Dr. James Cone preaches at the Common Witness Coalition’s “Love Your Neighbor”
worship service on Sunday, April 29. Photo by Tom Cullens.
dance, and a celebration of Holy Communion.
“‘Love the sinner, hate the sin?’ Jesus never said that!” said Dr. James Cone emphatically – to a standing ovation and a Twitter
explosion on #gc2012 and #gc12love.
“I have spent a lifetime pointing out
the hypocrisy and mendacity of the white
Another 1,500 persons (live-streaming
from six countries) viewed the webcast,
hearing Cone say that he was going to
“write theology like Louis Armstrong plays
trumpet,” speaking from his experience of
being Black in the U.S.
Telling the congregation that each time
he speaks, he is also speaking for his parents
Lucy and Charlie Cone, who raised him in
segregated Arkansas with “don’t you hate
like they hate…hate kills the haters, not the
hated,” the preacher-theologian raised the
Christian call for love and liberation.
Inspiring the worshipers who heard the
story of the Good Samaritan, Cone said,
“Hope comes by way of defeat, because suffering and death do not have the last word.”
Many found Cone’s message an antidote
to week one of the legislative sessions and
“holy conferencing” on human sexuality.
When Cone said “people who resist create
hope and love for humanity,” shouts – and
tweets – of “Amen!” filled the congregation.
Cone said that those who resist an end to
the discrimination of GLBTQ persons “are
just as guilty as the ones who hung Blacks
on trees and queer people on picket fences
– just like Peter was silent when the Romans hung Jesus on the cross.
“And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy,” responded the congregation, led by Rev. DeLyn Celec, a lesbian ordained by Church Within a Church
(www.cwac.us/) when The United Methodist Church discontinued her ordination
process, and Mark Miller, the gay musician
and lay delegate from New Jersey who began the #standwithmark witness that “when
we are harmed, the church is harmed.”
Rev. Lois McCullen Parr is a pastor at
Broadway UMC in Chicago and a graduate
of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Delegates Face Two Choices to Help Palestine
by Pam Bailey
s delegates gather as a plenary to
vote on church policies this week,
two petitions will be presented that reflect
opposing approaches to helping Palestinian
Christians.
The first is the approach Palestinian
Christians themselves have asked for: divestment from companies that support the
occupation.
The second, from the Financial Administration Committee, calls only for boards
and agencies to explore peacemaking strategies, including investment in Palestine,
and “prayerfully consider advocating” that
companies in which they invest sign principles on human rights. In the second option there is no requirement for any party
to take any action.
Action is what Palestinian Christians
have requested from the church.
Divestment will be offered in a “minority report.” It calls for specific, immediate
action to end the ongoing occupation of
A
Palestinian land: divestment from Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard and Motorola Solutions.
These companies manufacture equipment specifically for use by Israel’s military
to maintain its occupation. United Methodist agencies have engaged with these three
companies for several years, with no hope
in sight that they will end their involvement
in the violence and human rights abuses of
the occupation.
The right decision is very clear to Palestinian Christians.
“It may shock you, but whenever there
is a viable project identified in Palestine,
we can raise the funds,” said Zahi Khouri,
a Palestinian Christian and CEO of CocaCola Palestine.
“We don’t need your financial help, your
charity. What we need is to be able to operate freely. Divestment is the best, most immediate way that you can help us achieve
that. We have been waiting for more than
40 years; we need action now.”
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
• Love Your Neighbor Lunch Speakers
Series
Garlinda Burton, Beauty Maenzanise, and
Nehemia Allera.
• Love Your Neighbor Lunch Speakers
Series
David Weekley, Transgender Extension
Ministry
• Daily Communion provided by
Affirmation
Officiant: Amy DeLong
Location: The Tabernacle
Time: 5:15 p.m.
• Daily Communion is provided by
Affirmation
Officiants: Lyn Ellis and Laci Adams
Location: The Tabernacle
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Time: 12 noon
• General Board of Church and Society
Dinner
Speaker: Tony Campolo
Location: Convention Center, Ballroom A
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. (sold out)
Khouri told delegates that “Palestinians have tried everything under the sun in
terms of nonviolent resistance. We need the
help of people around the world, and I am
appealing to you as fellow Christians. Boycotts and divestment helped end apartheid
in South Africa and it can help end the oppression of Palestinians.”
In a statement issued last week, Desmond Tutu threw his own support behind
the plea of Palestinian Christians.
“If international courts and governments refuse to deal with this matter, we in
the churches and in the rest of civil society
really have no choice but to act,” wrote the
bishop. “Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have to be liberated, but at this stage
the greater onus is on the Israelis since they
are the ones who are in power, economically, politically and militarily. ..I therefore
wholeheartedly support your action to disinvest from companies who benefit from
the occupation of Palestine.”
The Rev. Alex Awad, dean of students
WE PLEDGE TO make a just church our
reality by:
Working for racial justice and resisting
exploitive systems that teach racial/ethnic
superiority and inferiority.
Building public expressions of inclusiveness and affirmations of diversity in our
church and societies.
Welcoming gender diversity and establishing policies and practices that share power
across gender lines.
Including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender persons in our membership
and ministry.
Supporting seminaries, mission institutions and global partners in providing
inclusive and shared leadership.
Supporting the work with women, children, and youth by United Methodist
Women and the Women’s Division.
Seeking to honor and reconcile our differences, speaking respectfully with one
another in love.
Grounding our ministries in a broad understanding of church, community, environment, and world.
Acting on reducing carbon, radiation, and
other pollutants while refusing to give in
to cynical despair.
Documenting and announcing specific
actions toward these commitments to
encourage others.
Living our Wesleyan tradition as people of
the warmed heart, enlightened mind, and
extended hand.
Being United Methodists who embrace
our unity in Christ, even in the midst of
diverse opinions.
Shaping our lives according to the good
news of Jesus Christ, the Word of God
made visible in our midst.
at Bethlehem Bible College, testified to the
committee: “We are fighting for the very
survival of the Christians of the Holy Land.
Israel won’t do the right thing without a
‘push’ from moral leaders like the United
Methodist Church. When you support divestment, you support peace.”
Pam Bailey is a United Methodist, freelance journalist, and founder of the Palestinian Gandhi Project.
NEIGHBOR NEWS
LOVE YOUR
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COMMON WITNESS COALITION
• Affirmation Methodists for LGBTQ Concerns •
Black Methodists for Church Renewal • Methodist Federation for Social Action •
•National Federation of Asian American United Methodists •
• Native American International Caucus • Reconciling Ministries Network •
• United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities •
Love Your Neighbor News is produced by the Common Witness
Coalition during General Conference 2012.
Publisher
Editor
Managing Editor
Contributing Editor
Graphic Designer
Assistant Publisher
Ann Craig
Erik Alsgaard
Ben Roe
M. Theresa Basile
Jennifer L. Peterson
David Braden
Love Your Neighbor News is printed on recycled newsprint by Sun
Publications, Lakeland, Fla.
Page 3
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Love Your Neighbor News
Letter to an African Delgate
by Jorge Lockward
Dear brother,
In your last e-mail you asked if there
were any recommendations I would offer
you regarding General Conference. Your
request gives me the courage to share what
is in my heart. I write to you as a friend,
co-worker in God’s mission, and fellow delegate to the General Conference.
As you know, the official position of The
United Methodist Church regarding gay
and lesbian persons has been one of the
most painful issues the church has faced
since the 1972 General Conference. I am
attaching a compendium provided by United Methodist Communications of the General Conference actions on these matters
since 1972. During my last visit to Harare,
Zimbabwe, several African delegates spoke
passionately on this issue. Listening to their
concerns revealed two new insights to me
that I would like to share with you.
The first insight came as I realized the
radically different place from where the
matter is being observed and spoken about.
The experience of the delegates who spoke
seemed to be very limited in regards to homosexual persons. As far as I could tell,
it did not include close relationships with
Christian persons who are openly gay or
lesbian.
For example, when they used the words
homosexual or gay, their words seemed
to refer to an experience of persons in the
margins of society. It is likely that none of
them have the experience of being in spiri-
Jorge Lockward. Photo courtesy of Religious
Communicators Council
speak on this matter without considering
this crucial piece regarding the radical difference of our experiences. I am committed
to keeping this in heart and mind in the future, particularly as we engage in holy conversation and joint discernment in Tampa.
The second insight came to me when I
heard a delegate speak passionately about
the heritage received from the missionaries who evangelized Africa. His painful
question was: How can you ask us now to
change again and accept a new understanding of the Bible that differs from the one we
received from the missionaries?
The statement puzzled me, given that
the same person is very anti-colonialist in
his political views. At first I was tempted
to dismiss these words as simple political
manipulation. Yet, something within told
me that there was more beyond the surface
and that I needed to listen deeply in order
to understand.
The next day as I was having breakfast
of these radically different understandings?
The question is urgent as evidenced
by the 501 to 417 vote in the last General
Conference defeating the effort to change
the posture of the UMC to one where we
acknowledge our differences on this matter
without condemning one another. As you
probably know, our sister denominations,
the Presbyterian Church USA and the Lutheran Church of America have recently
found ways to live together in the midst of
difference. When will the time come for the
UMC?
How are we to live into a common future,
given the increased public polarization between a large portion of Africa where there
is a hardening stance regarding homosexuality and a large portion of Western culture
(and some third world countries) where
rapid changes in the law are providing full
rights to gay and lesbians persons.
Even more urgent is the matter of how
the church’s witness interacts with the violence perpetrated against gay and lesbian
persons. I am sad to say that this is a very
personal matter for me as recently a United Methodist friend in Kenya was almost
killed because of suspicions in his community regarding his sexual orientation.
He had to move to another city in order to
survive. How can we, as United Methodists
show the world a different way to deal with
our differences, a way that goes beyond dismissal and division? Can we see how our
witness contributes to the violence? I am
afraid that right now we are not much of an
How can we, as United Methodists, show
the world a different way to deal with
our differences, a way that goes beyond
dismissal and division?
-Jorge Lockward
tual, church-related relationships with persons who are openly gay or lesbian. I could
feel their struggle as they used these words
(gay/lesbian), for, in their minds, and from
their experience, they only reflect negative
connotations. There is no negative judgment in this, since this is the reality they
know.
I assume that although they may know
gay and lesbian persons in their families
and churches, their sexual orientation is not
openly spoken about, but is understood as
a shameful secret or a struggle to be overcome. Again, there is no negative judgment
in this, as it is only a reflection of the realities on the ground.
On the other hand, for many United
States delegates, myself included, the experience of this issue involves many relationships and friendships with faithful United
Methodists who are openly gay or lesbian.
Many of them are in loving and faithful relationships of many years and come to worship together. Some of them have an excellent track record of parenting well-adjusted
children and grandchildren, who also come
to worship with them. Some of them are
our lay leaders, musicians, and worship
leaders. A few of them are our pastors and
district superintendents. These last categories require, of course, that the persons in
question keep this aspect of their lives private, due to the current church law.
The insight that came to me is how difficult it is to speak on this issue from such
different experiences and perspectives and
how unfair it is for us to ignore this. This
new understanding led me to repent of
my own unfairness when I would think or
with a brother from Mozambique, I asked
him about this question regarding the missionary heritage. As he spoke of the missionary experience in Africa, I started to
understand a bit more of the complexity of
the matter. I understood that Africans were
asked by Christian missionaries to radically
change their understanding of the world.
This included letting go of the respect and
veneration of ancestors and their ancient
wisdom. It seems to me that perhaps the
authority of the teachings of the missionaries filled the void created by the release
of the old understanding, and became the
new norm as the received wisdom. This
means that these teachings are held deeply
and are perhaps at the core of identity. The
insight I received is that when it comes to
this issue in Africa, we are facing more than
just the contents of the issue itself, but also
deeper issues of identity related to the radical changes of consciousness and understanding brought about by the colonization
and “Christianization” of Africa.
There are, of course, other important
elements in the conversation around homosexuality, such as Biblical interpretation, a reasonable fear of the liberalization
of society, concerns about the infiltration
of the worst of Western culture, a concern
for the reaction of others and the impact
on evangelism should there be a change in
the church’s posture, among others. I only
shared the two insights above because they
are new to me rising from my experience
in Harare.
Here are some questions that I ask myself:
How are we to live together in the face
example to the world.
I don’t know what to do, but I have
found three principles that I think may help
us to find our way together. I share them
now with you.
The first is that above all things, I need
to listen to the Holy Spirit. I need to listen
to God’s Spirit above and beyond what I already think. This is easier said than done,
for, after all, I am very convinced that my
present beliefs have been provided the Holy
Spirit! It will take a lot of humility to truly
and honestly pray for discernment, and to
be open to what the Spirit may have to say.
This is particularly true as it comes to
our understanding of the Bible. Since it
was the Holy Spirit who inspired the Holy
Scriptures, our only hope to understand
the Bible is through that same Holy Spirit.
God’s Spirit is, in my view, the only authority that can interpret the Bible faithfully
to every age. The question I ask myself is:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to the church
at this moment? Whenever I come up with
a quick answer to this question, I become
aware of my own arrogance and lack of respect to the Holy Spirit and to the body of
Christ. After all, how can I know where the
Spirit of God is leading without my brothers and sisters who also have the Spirit?
My concern is that, most of the time, we
are not speaking “in the Spirit,” but from
our own understandings. The Spirit of God
has moved all of us into new understandings of the Bible in the span of our lives.
This “moving toward perfection in love” is
part and parcel of our Wesleyan heritage. I
think that only honest, open and prolonged
prayer and fasting will reveal to us what
our endless debates and conversations have
failed to show us. In fact, I fantasize often
of a day of fasting at General Conference. I
don’t know yet how this could be done, but
I am committed to being ready for it and
to engage it as an individual and with any
others that may want to also do it. Imagine
that…
Second, I need to approach this matter
from a place of deep respect for the Christianity of persons who hold different views
than mine. I have experienced and have often been tempted into a subtle, unspoken
attitude that does not acknowledge the core
Christian identity of persons who hold an
opposing view on this matter. Often I feel
that we speak from the point of view that
life would be easier, and the church and
the world would be better if those who opposed our views would simply disappear. In
this, we certainly do not treat each other as
brothers and sisters. Also, we speak (from
both sides), as if the issue was a simple matter of stubbornness, lack of understanding,
or sinfulness from the other side. We fail to
see it from the shoes of the other person, as
we should, if we understood each other to
be faithful Christians. The words Conservative and Liberal, or Progressive and Fundamentalist, have come to mean Christian
and not Christian in the language, understanding and practice of many.
Third, and last, I believe that we need to
talk about this matter with increased openness. Again, this is easier said than done.
On the surface, we have been talking about
this for a long time in the church. Yet, in reality, there is a lot of fear in our hearts that
does not allow us to truly speak and listen to
each other. There is the fear (on both sides)
that by simply listening deeply we may be
entering a dangerous path that may lead to
the destruction of all we hold dear and sacred. There is fear that if we speak honestly
what we believe, we will hurt others and
divide the church. There is fear of being rejected and dismissed. I am a good example
of this last fear in my relationship with you.
Although we have been friends for many
years and collaborated on amazing projects
for the glory of God, I think this is the first
time that I speak honestly with you on this
matter. On the back of my mind is the fear
that speaking on this matter would have a
negative influence on our capacity to be in
ministry together and may even damage
our friendship. Even as I write these lines,
this fear is still with me, but I also hear the
voice of the Spirit saying, “Fear not.”
This fear is particularly present for gay
and lesbian persons. In my visits to Africa,
I have always encountered one or two faithful African gay or lesbian United Methodists who find the courage to speak to me
once they find out that I am also one. I listen to their stories, cry with them and try to
support them the best I can.
Dear friend, I thank you for the opportunity to share these thoughts with you
and look forward to your response and to
our conversation. I want to offer myself for
whatever way I can be of help to shed more
light and understanding. Please know that
the purpose of this email letter is not to convince, but to open a conversation that may
lead toward a deeper discernment. Above
all things, I want to understand your heart
and the heart of the delegates of CI, for only
in that understanding will we start to see
the will of God for our beloved church.
With gratitude for your friendship,
ministry and listening ear,
Jorge Lockward
Jorge Lockward is a General Conference
delegate from New York.
Love Your Neighbor News
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Page 4
Lettre au délégué africain
by Jorge Lockward
18 février 2012
Cher frère, Dans votre dernier e-mail
vous a demandé s’il y avait des recommandations a vous offrir en ce qui concerne
la Conférence générale. Votre demande
m’encourage a partager avec vous ce que j’ai
au cœur. Je vous écris comme a un ami, un
collègue de travail en la mission pour Dieu
et comme a un compatriote délégué à la
Conférence générale.
Comme vous le savez, la position officielle de l’UMC en ce qui concerne les personnes gaies et lesbiennes a été l’un des problèmes les plus douloureux que l’église fait
face depuis la Conférence générale 1972. Je
joins un recueil produit par des Communications des Méthodistes Unies des actions
de la Conférence Générale sur ces sujets
depuis 1972. Lors de ma dernière visite à
Harare, au Zimbabwe, plusieurs délégués
africains ont parlé avec passion sur cette
question. En les écoutants, leurs préoccupations révéleraient deux nouvelles idées
pour moi que je voudrais partager avec
vous.
Le premier aperçu viendrait comme je
l’avais réalisé d’endroit radicalement différent des lieux où la question est observée
et entretenue. L’expérience des délégués qui
sont intervenus semblaient être très limitée
en ce qui concerne les personnes homosexuelles. De loin je puis dire, qu’ils n’avaient
pas inclus les chrétiens qui ont les relations
étroites et ouvertes avec les gays ou lesbiennes.
Par exemple, quand ils ont utilisé les
mots homosexuel ou gay, leurs paroles
semblaient se référer à une expérience de
personnes en les marges de la société. Il
est probable qu’aucun d’entre eux n’ait eu
l’expérience d’être en esprit, dans des relations de l’Eglise liées aux personnes qui
sont ouvertement gais ou lesbiennes. Je
pouvais sentir leur lutte pendant qu’ils utilisaient ces mots (gay / lesbienne), dans leur
esprit, et de leur expérience, ils ne reflètent
que des connotations négatives. Il n’ya pas
de jugement négatif à cela, puisque c’est la
réalité qu’ils connaissent.
Je suppose qu’ils peuvent même connaître des personnes gays et lesbiennes dans
leurs familles et dans des églises, l’on ne
parle pas ouvertement de leur orientation
sexuelle, mais cela est considéré comme un
secret honteux ou une lutte à surmonter.
Encore une fois, il n’ya pas de jugement
négatif dans ce domaine, car il n’est que le
reflet des réalités sur le terrain.
D’autre part, pour de nombreux délégués
des États-Unis, y compris moi, l’expérience
de cette question implique de nombreuses
relations et d’amitiés avec les fidèles méthodistes unis qui sont ouvertement gays ou
lesbiennes. Beaucoup d’entre eux sont dans
des relations affectueuses et fidèles depuis
de nombreuses années et viennent prier
ensemble. Certains d’entre eux ont un excellent bilan de compétences parentales et
bien adaptés aux enfants et petits-enfants,
qui viennent aussi adorer Dieu avec eux.
Certains d’entre eux sont nos dirigeants laïcs, des musiciens, et des leaders de culte.
Quelques-uns d’entre eux sont nos pasteurs
et surintendants de district. Ces dernières
catégories de personnes exigent, bien sûr,
que les personnes concernées gardent cet
aspect de leur vie en privé, en raison de la
loi actuelle église.
L’idée qui m’est venue est au combien
il est difficile de parler de cette question
à partir de ces différentes expériences et
points de vue et la façon dont il est injuste
pour nous de l’ignorer. Cette nouvelle compréhension qui m’a amené à me repentir de
mon iniquité quand je pense ou parle de
cette question sans tenir compte de cette
pièce cruciale en ce qui concerne la différence radicale de nos expériences. J’ai décidé de le garder au cœur et à l’esprit pour
Jorge Lockward. Photo gracieuseté de
Religious Communicators Council
tandis que récemment un ami Méthodiste
Uni au Kenya a failli être tué pour raison de
soupçons par sa communauté de son orientation sexuelle. Il a dû déménager dans
une autre ville afin de survivre. Comment
pouvons-nous, entent que méthodistes
unis montrer au monde une manière différente de traiter avec nos différences, une
manière qui va au-delà du renvoi et la division? Pouvons-nous voir comment notre
témoignage contribue à la violence? Je
crains qu’à l’heure actuelle nous ne soyons
pas un exemple pour le monde.
Je ne sais pas quoi faire, mais j’ai trouvé
trois(3) principes que je pense, peut nous
aider à trouver ensemble notre chemin.
Je les partage maintenant avec vous. La
première est qu’au dessus de toutes choses,
j’ai besoin d’écouter le Saint Esprit. J’ai besoin d’écouter l’Esprit de Dieu par dessus
et au-delà ce que je pense maintenant. Cela
est plus facile à dire qu’à faire, car, après
tout, je suis très convaincu que mes croyances actuelles ont été fournies par le SaintEsprit! Il faudra beaucoup d’humilité pour
véritablement et honnêtement prier pour
le discernement, et être ouvert à ce que
l’Esprit peut avoir à dire.
Cela est particulièrement vrai en ce qui
concerne notre compréhension de la Bible.
Comme c’était le Saint-Esprit qui a inspiré
les Saintes Ecritures, notre seul espoir de
comprendre la Bible passe par ce même Esprit Saint. L’Esprit de Dieu est, à mon avis,
la seule autorité capable d’interpréter la Bible fidèlement à tous les âges. La question
que je me pose est: Que dit le Saint-Esprit
à l’Église en ce moment? Chaque fois que je
viens avec une réponse rapide à cette question, je prends conscience de ma propre
arrogance et le manque de respect envers
le Saint-Esprit et au corps du Christ. Après
tout, comment puis-je savoir où l’Esprit
de Dieu nous emmène sans mes frères et
sœurs qui ont aussi l’Esprit?
Ma préoccupation est que, la plupart
du temps, nous ne parlons pas en “dans
l’Esprit», mais à partir de nos propres
compréhensions. L’Esprit de Dieu a transporte chacun de nous vers une nouvelle
compréhension de la Bible en espace de
nos vies. Ce “mouvement vers la perfection dans l’amour» fait partie intégrante de
notre patrimoine Wesleyen. Je pense que
c’est seulement par honnête, ouverte prière
et jeûne prolongé qui nous révélera ce que
nos interminables débats et les conversations n’ont pas réussi à nous montrer. En
fait, je m’imagine souvent un jour de jeûne
à la Conférence générale. Je ne sais pas encore comment cela pourra se passer, mais
je suis prêt pour cela et très engagé en tant
qu’individu a le faire, et avec tous ceux qui
voudrons se joindre a moi. Imaginez que ...
Deuxièmement, j’ai besoin d’aborder
cette question avec un profond respect
pour le christianisme des personnes qui ont
des opinions différentes de la mienne. J’ai
vécu et j’ai souvent été tenté dans un subtile, attitude non-dits qui ne reconnaît pas
l’identité chrétienne fondamentale des personnes qui ont un point de vue opposé sur
ce problème. Souvent, je pense que nous
parlons du point de vue que la vie serait
plus facile, et l’église et le monde seraient
meilleur si ceux qui s’opposaient à notre
l’avenir, comme nous nous engageons dans
une sainte concertation et discernement
commun à Tampa.
La deuxième idée m’est venue lorsque j’ai
entendu un délégué parlent avec passion de
l’héritage reçu des missionnaires qui ont
évangélisé l’Afrique. Sa douloureuse question était: Comment pouvez-vous nous demandez maintenant de changer de nouveau
et d’accepter une nouvelle compréhension
de la Bible qui diffère de celle que nous
avons reçu des missionnaires?
La déclaration me laisse perplexe, étant
donné que la même personne est très anticolonialiste dans ses opinions politiques.
Au début, j’étais tenté de rejeter ces mots
comme une manipulation politique simple.
Quelque chose en moi me disait qu’il y avait
plus en profondeur qu’au-delà de la surface
et que j’avais besoin de l’écouter attentivement pour le comprendre.
Le lendemain, au petit déjeuner avec
un frère du Mozambique, je lui ai demandé à propos de cette question concernant
l’héritage des missionnaires. Comme il a
parlé de l’expérience missionnaire en Afrique, j’ai commencé à comprendre un peu
plus de la complexité de l’énigme. J’ai compris que les Africains ont été invités par les
missionnaires chrétiens à changer radicalement leur compréhension du monde. Cela
inclurait l’abandon du respect et de vénération des ancêtres et de leur sagesse ancestral. Il me semble peut-être que l’autorité
des enseignements des missionnaires, a
comblé le vide créé par la libération de
l’ancienne vision, et est devenu la nouvelle
norme de la sagesse reçue. Cela signifie que
ces enseignements ont lieu en profondeur et sont peut-être au cœur de l’identité.
L’idée que j’ai reçue est que quand il s’agit
de ce problème en Afrique, nous sommes
plus confrontés au contenu qu’a la question elle-même, mais aussi des problèmes
plus profonds de l’identité liées aux changements radicaux de la conscience et de compréhension introduite par la colonisation et
“ christianisation »de l’Afrique.
Il y a bien sûr, d’autres éléments importants autour de la conversation sur
l’homosexualité, telles que l’interprétation
biblique, une crainte raisonnable de la
libéralisation de la société, les préoccupations au sujet de l’infiltration de la pire de la
culture occidentale, un sujet de préoccupation pour la réaction des autres et l’impact
sur l’évangélisation devrait-il y avoir un
changement de posture de l’église, entre
autres. Je partage seulement les deux idées
ci-dessus parce qu’ils sont nouveaux pour
moi et viennent de mon expérience de Harare.
Voici quelques questions que je me pose:
Comment allons-nous vivre ensemble dans
ces conceptions radicalement différentes?
La question est urgente comme en témoigne le vote de 501 à 417 dans la dernière
Conférence générale battant l’effort de
changer la posture de l’UMC à une situation où nous reconnaissons nos différences
à ce sujet sans condamner les uns les autres. Comme vous le savez probablement,
nos confessions sœurs, l’Eglise presbytérienne des Etats-Unis et l’Eglise luthérienne
d’Amérique ont récemment trouvé des façons de vivre ensemble dans le milieu de la
différence. Quand sera le tour de l’UMC?
Comment pouvons-nous vivre dans
un avenir commun, où la polarisation
publique croit entre une grande partie de
l’Afrique où il y a un durcissement de position sur l’homosexualité et une grande
partie de la culture occidentale (et certains
pays du tiers-monde) où les changements
rapides de la loi donnent tous les droits aux
personnes gays et lesbiennes.
Il est même plus urgente en la matière de
savoir comment l’église témoigne les interactions avec la violence perpétrée contre les
personnes gays et lesbiennes. Je suis triste
de dire que c’est une affaire très personnelle
point de vue disparaissaient tout simplement. En cela, nous n’avons certainement
pas se traiter mutuellement comme des
frères et sœurs. En outre, nous parlons (des
deux côtés), comme si la question était une
simple question d’entêtement, de manque
de compréhension, ou de péché de l’autre
côté. Nous n’arrivons pas à le voir partir
des chaussures de l’autre personne, comme
nous le devrions, si nous nous comprenions
les uns des autres comme des fideles chrétiens. Les mots conservateurs et libéraux,
progressistes et fondamentalistes viennent
à signifier chrétienne et non chrétienne
dans la langue, la compréhension et la pratique de bien d’autres.
Troisième et dernier, je crois que nous
avons besoin de parler de cette question
avec une plus grande ouverture. Encore
une fois, cela est plus facile à dire que de
faire. Superficiellement, nous en parlions
depuis très longtemps dans l’église. En réalité, il ya beaucoup de crainte dans nos
cœurs qui ne nous permet pas de vraiment
parler et d’écouter les uns aux autres. Il ya la
peur (des deux côtés) que par simplement
écouter attentivement les uns les autres,
nous pourrions prendre dans une voie dangereuse qui peut conduire à la destruction
de tout ce que nous chérissons et avons de
sacré. Il est à craindre que si nous disons
honnêtement ce que nous croyons, nous
injurierions les autres et diviser l’église. Il y
a la crainte d’être rejeté et repoussé. Je suis
un bon exemple de cette dernière crainte
dans ma relation avec vous. Bien que nous
soyons amis depuis de nombreuses années
et collaboré à des projets étonnants pour la
gloire de Dieu, je pense que c’est la première
fois que je parle franchement avec vous sur
cette question. Au delà toute ma pensé, y
est la peur de parler a ce sujet aurait une
influence négative sur notre capacité à être
ensemble dans le ministère et peut même
endommager notre amitié. Même au moment où j’écris ces lignes, cette crainte est
toujours avec moi, mais j’ai entendu la voix
de l’Esprit qui, me disant: «Ne crains pas.”
Cette crainte est particulièrement
présente pour les personnes gays et lesbiennes. Lors de mes visites à l’Afrique, j’ai
toujours rencontré un ou deux fidèles africains gays ou lesbiennes Méthodistes
Unis qui ont le courage de me parler une
fois qu’ils trouvent que je suis aussi l’un des
leurs. J’écoute leurs histoires, je pleure avec
eux et j’essaie de faire de mon mieux pour
les aider.
Cher ami, je vous remercie de
l’opportunité que vous me donner de partager ces pensées avec vous. J’attends avec
impatience votre réponse à notre conversation. Je veux m’offrir pour n’importe
quel prix ; je veux être aidé à faire plus
de lumière et de compréhension sur cette
matière. S’il vous plaît, sachez que le but
de cette lettre n’est pas de convaincre, mais
d’ouvrir une conversation qui peut mener
vers un meilleur discernement. Au-dessus
de toutes choses, je veux entendre votre
cœur parler, et le cœur d’autres délégués
africains d’autant bien c’ est seulement par
la compréhension que nous commencerons
à voir la volonté de Dieu pour notre église
bien-aimée.
Avec toute ma gratitude pour notre amitié, le ministère et l’écoute,
Jorge Lockward
Jorge Lockward est un délégué de la Conférence de New York.
Page 5
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Love Your Neighbor News
Barua ya wazi
na Jorge Lockward
Katika barua pepe uliyonitumia mwisho
uliuliza kama kuna mapendekezo ningetaka kutoa kuhusu kongamano kuu. Swali
lako linanipa ujasiri wa kuweza kukugawia
yaliyo moyoni mwangu. Nina kuandikia
kama rafiki, mfanyi kazi mweza katika kazi
ya bwana na mjumbe katika kongamano
kuu.
Kama unavyojua msimamo wa dini la
Methodist kuhusu mashoga ni mojawapo
ya changamoto kubwa zaidi kuwahi kulikumba dini tangu kongamano kuu la
mwaka wa 1972. Nimejumulisha habari
kuhusu hatua zilizochukuliwa na dini kutoka wakati huo. Katika ziara yangu huko
Harare Zimbabwe, nilikutana na wajumbe
waliokuwa wamejawa na mapenzi wakinena kuhusu jambo hili. Walinipa maono
tofauti ambayo ningetaka kukupa pia.
Mwelekeo wa kwanza nilioupata ni baaada ya kutambua kuwa kuna tofauti sana
ya mawazo kuhusu jambo hili la mashoga
katika upande huu wa ulimwengu. Tajriba
ya walionena ilionyesha kutoelewa kuhusu
mashoga. Niliposikiza nuilielewa fika kuwa
mtazamo wao haukuwajumulisha wakristo
walio na uhusiano wa kishoga.
Kwa mfano, walipotumia neno shoga
halikuwa na maana ya wakristo bali wale
walio nje ya jamii. Ilionyesha kuwa hakuna mtu aliye katika uhusiano wa kishoga
katikati yao. Walikuwa na ugunmu kutaja
maneno hayo kwani kwao yaliashiria maovu. Sikati kesi dhidi yao kwani hivyo ndivyo wanavyoelewa.
Ninadhania kwamba ingawanje wanafahamu watu ambao ni mashoga au wasagaji
katika jamii na makanisa zao jinsia yao haijadiliwi wazi, lakini inaeleweka kama siri
yenye aibu ama kinyanganyiro ambacho
lazima liepukwe. Hapa hukana kukata kesi
pia, ni jinsi ilivyo huko mashinani.
Katika upande mwingine, wajumbe
wengi kutoka Marekani, nikiwemo kati
yao tariba yetu ni kuwa maneno haya yana
mwingiliano , uhusiano na urafiki katika
waumini wa Methodist ambao ni wazi
kuwa ni mashoga na wasagaji. Wengi wako
katika uhusiano wenye mapenzi na uaminifu wa miaka minigi na hushirikiana katika ibada. Wengine wana historia njema ya
malezi ya watoto na wajukuu wao, ambao
pia huabudu pamoja. Wengine ni viongozi
maarufu, waimbaji na viongozi wa kidini.
Wachache kati yao ni wahubiri na viongozi
wa wilaya. Kundi hili la mwisho linahitaji
kuwa mambo haya yawe siri kulingana na
sheria za kidini.
Mtazamo nilio upata ni kuwa – ni vipi
ilivyo vigumu kuoengea kuhusu jambo hili,
kutokana na tajriba na mtazamo tofauti
wao na jinsi ilivyo haramu sisi kupuuza
neno hili. Kuelewa huku kulipelekea mimi
kutubu kuhusu haramu yangu nilipofikiria
au kunena juu ya jambo hili bila kuzingatia tofauti za kimsingi katika tajriba yetu.
Ninajitolea kuweka haya moyoni na katika
mawazo yangu siku za usoni hasa tunapojitayarisha kwa kongamano la Tampa.
Mtazamo wa pili ulinikujia niliposikia
mjumbe mmoja akinena kuhusu utamaduni walio upokea kutoka kwa wamisheni
walioleta injili barani Afrika. Swali lake lenye uchungu ni – Jinsi gani sasa mnataka
kulibadilisha tena funzo la Bibilia tulilopokea kutoka kwa wamishenari?
Habari hii ilinishangaza sana, ikizingatiwa kuwa jamaa huyu ana mtazamo mkali
wa kisiasa dhidi ya ukoloni. Mwanzo nilidhani kuwa haya yalikuwa tu ni matokeo ya
siasa mbaya, lakini wazo likanijia na kunionyesha kuwa kulikuwa na mengi wala sio
tu yale niliyoyadhania. Nilihitaji kusikiza
vyema ili kuelewa.
Siku iliyofuatia nikila kiamsha kinywa
na ndigu mmoja kutoka Msumbiji. Nilimuuliza swali hili kuhusu utamaduni wa
wamishenari. Aliponena kuhusu wamishenari barani Afrika, nilianza kuelewa jinsi
jambo hili lilikuwa lenye uzito mwingi.
Nilielewa fika kuwa wamishenari waliwau-
Jorge Lockward. Picha kwa hisani ya kidini
mawasiliano Baraza.
liza WaAfrika kubadilisha mtazamo wa
ulimwengu. Hii ni pamoja na heshima na
hekima ya mababu zao. Ilienekana kwangu kuwa mafunzo haya ndiyo yaliyopelekea mtazamo wao na hekima mpya waliyoipokea. Hii inamaanisha kuwa mafunzo
haya yako katika mizizi yao na wanajitabulisha nayo.
Mtazamo nilioupata nikuwa- Jambo hili
linapoangaziwa barani Afrika, kuna changamoto zaidi ya yaliyomo bali pia utambulisho wa jamii ulipelekewa na mabadiliko ya kimsingi kutokana na ukoloni na
uenezaji injili barani Afrika.
Bila shaka kuna vigezo muhimu katika
mjadala huu wa mashoga kama vile tasfri
ya Bibilia. Uwoga wa utandawazi wa jamii,
kuenea kwa mila mbaya za Kizungu, uwoga dhidi ya matokeo ya uinjilisti ikiwa dini
litabadilisha msimamo wake kati ya mengineyo. Nimenena kuhusu mitazamo hiyo
miwili pekee niliyoipata Harare Kwa ajili ni
mpya na sijayashuhudia tena.
Baaadhi ya maswali ninayojiuliza ni :
Tutaishi vipi pamoja tukiwa na mitazamo tofauti kimsingi?
Swali hili ni la dharura kama ilivyoshuhudiwa katika kongamano kuu ambapo
kulikuwa na nia ya kuubadilisha msimamo
wa dini la Methodist ili kukubali kuwa
kuna tofauti baina yetu bila kuwakemea.
Upande uliokuwa ukiupinga mjadala huu
uliibuka na ushidi wa kura 501 dhidi ya
417 kwa wale waliouunga mkono. Kama
mnavyofahamu madhehebu tunayoshirikiana nayo kwa karibu , lile la Presbyterian na
Lutheran huko Marekani wamepata jinsi ya
kuishi pamoja licha ya tofauti zao. Wakati
wa Methodist utafika lini?
Tutaishi vipi tukiwa pamoja siku zijazo,
haswa ikizingatiwa pengo kuu lililo kati ya
mtazamo wa ki Afrika ambapo kuna ugumu zaidi kuhusu ushoga, na ule wa Kizungu. Hii ni pamoja na nchi zinazoendelea
ambazo zimeweka sheria zinazo walinda
mashoga na wasagaji.
Jambo la dharura tena sana ni jinsi dini
linashughulikia ghasia dhidi ya mashoga na
wasagaji. Nina kiri ingawa kwa hasira kuwa
jambo hili lina nihusu sana. Hivi karibuni
rafiki mmoja wa Methodist alinusurika
kifo baada ya jamii nakoishi kugundua hali
yake ya kinjinsia. Ilimbidi ahamie mji tofauti ili kuokoa maisha yake. Vipi basi sisi
kama waMethodisti tunavyoweza kuonyesha ulimwengu hali ya kuishi pamoja licha
ya tofauti zetu, kwa njia inayokiuka mipaka
yote? Tunaweza kuona jinsi shahidi wetu
anavyochangia katika vurumai hizi? Naogopa kuwa kwa wakati huu hatuna mfano
mwema katika ulimwengu.
Sijui la kufanya, lakini ninazo kauli tatu
ambazo nafikiri huenda zikatusaidia kupata mwelekeo mmmoja.
Ndizo hizi nawapa sasa.
Muhumu sana ni kuwa nahitaji kumsikiza roho mtakatifu. Nahitaji kumsikiza
raho wa Bwana na zaidi ya ninayofikiria. Ni
rahisi kusema kuliko kutenda haya, kwani
nimeshawishika kuwa ninaloamini sasa ni
kutokana na roho mtakatifu. Inagharimu
unyenyekevu mwingi ili niweze kuomba
kuwa niwe na mawazo wazo kumsikiza
roho mtakatufu anaponena.
Hili ni kweli hasa inpozingatiwa jinsi
tunaielewa Bibilia. Ni roho mtakatifu aliye
jaza upako maandishi takatifu, hivyo basi
kuelewa kwetu sisi hata sasa kwa tegemea
huyo roho mtakatifu. Roho wa Mungu ndiye pekee anayeweza kutafsiri Bibilia kwa
njia inayofaa kulingana na maoni yangu.
Swali ninalojiuliza ni nje: Roho mtakatifu
anasema nini wakati huu kwa kanisa? Kila
ninapoubua jawabu la haraka kwa swali
hili, mimi huelewa jinsi ninvyomkosea heshima roho mtakatufu and mwili wa Kristo.
Ni vipi basi nivyoweza kujua mahali Roho
wa Mungu anapoelekea bila ndugu na dada
zangu ambao pia wako katika Roho?
Linalo nitia wasiwasi, ni kuwa wakati
mwingi hatusemi kiroho ila jinsi tunavyoelewa. Roho wa Mungu ametuelekeza
sisi wote kuelewa upya Bibilia maishani
mwetu. Mwelekeo huu kuhusu upendo
ni kiungo muhimu cha itikadi ya Wesley.
Nafikiri kuwa ni maombi ya ukweli, uwazi
na kufunga ambayo yatatuelekeza kuelewa
yale ambayo mijadala na mazungumzo yetu
yamekosa kuashiria. Ukweli ni kuna wakati
utakaofika katika kongamano kuu ambapo
wajumbe watafunga kwa maombi- licha ya
kuwa hili ni ndoto tu. Na ahidi kuwa niko
tayari kufanya lolote ili kuafikia lengo hili
pamoja na wengine walio na maoni sawa.
Tafakari hayo!
Pili, nafaa kuliangazia swala hili nikiwa
na heshima kuu kwa Wakristo wenye maoni
tofauti na yangu. Nimepitia wakati mgumu
wenye kujaribiwa kupuuza wakristo wengine wenye maoni tofauti. Wakati mwingi
nahisi kuwa tunaongea kwa mtazamo
kuwa maisha yangekuwa rahisi, kanisa na
ulimwengu zingekuwa njema, hasa kama
wale wenye maoni tofauti na yetu hawangekuwepo. Hapa bila shaka hatuwachukulii kama ndugu na dada zetu. Tunanena
pia bila msimamo, ni kana kwamba jambo
hili ni rahisi na la kusumbua, kukosa kuelewa, au uzinifu wa walio upande mwingine. Tunakosa kuona jambo hili jinsi wenzetu wanavyolitazama licha ya kuwa ni
wakristo kama sisi tunaofaa kuelewana bila
tatizo lolote. Maneno kama vile wahifadhi,
watandawazi au wenye misingi ya maendeleo yamepata maana ya Kikristo ila sio kwa
lugha, maelewano au hata matendo.
La tatu, na la mwisho naamini kuwa,
tunahitaji kuongea juu ya jambo hili kwa
uwazi zaidi. Tena, hili ni rahisi kusema kuliko kutenda. Kwa juu, tumekuwa tukisema
jambo hili kwa muda mrefu kanisani. Lakini ukweli wa mambo ni kuwa kuna uwoga
mwingi katika nyoyo zetu ambao unatuzuia kunena na kusikizana wenyewe. Kuna
uwoga pande zote mbili kuwa kusikizana
kutatuingiza katika njia ya uharibifu wa
yale tunayoyadhamini na kuyaona takatifu.
Huu ni uwoga kuwa tukinena kwa kweli
kuhusu tunayoamini, tutawakera wengine
na kugawanya kanisa. Huu ni uwoga wa
kuogopa kukataliwa au kufukuzwa. Mimi
ni mfano mwema katika uhusiano wangu
nanyi mwaka uliopita. Hata ingawa tumekuwa marafiki kwa muda mrefu na kushirikiana nanyi katika miradi tofauti ya maajabu kwa ajili ya utukufu wa bwana, nafikiri
hii ni mara ya kwanza na nena kwa ukweli
nanyi kuhusu jambo hili. Katika mawazo
yangu nahofia kuwa kunena hivi kuhusu
jambo hili huenda kukaathiri uwezo wetu
wa kuwa katika huduma pamoja na pia
likaharibu urafiki wetu. Hata ninapoandika mistari hii, uwoga huu bado uko ndani
yangu. Lakini pia nasikia sauti ya Roho ikinena “Usiogope.”
Uwoga huu ni mwingi hasa katika
wasenge na wasagaji. Katika ziara yangu
Afrika nimekutana na muumini mmoja au
wawili wanaokiri ni wasenge au wasagaji
wanaopata ujasiri wa kunena nami wanapotambua kuwa mimi pia ni mmoja wao.
Mimi huwasikiliza , hulia nao na pia kuwaunga mkono wanapohitaji.
Rafiki mpendwa, nashukuru kwa nafasi
hii ya kuweza kushirikiana mawazo haya
nanyi. Natarajia kuwa nitayapata majibu
yenu na mazungumzo baina yetu. Najotolea kwa vyovyote vile ninavyoweza ku-
saidia kuwafafanulia mawazo haya. Ningetaka pia muelewe kuwa sababu ya barua
hii pepe, sio kuwashawishi ila kufungua
mazungumzo na kuletea utambuzi zaidi
na kuelewa. Juu ya yote hayo, ningetaka
kuelewa nyoyo zenu na za wajumbe wa CI,
kwani kuelewa huku ndiko pekee kutatufanya kuona nia ya Mungu kwa kanisa letu.
Ni mimi wenu mwenye shukrani ya
urafiki, huduma na ninaowapa sikio langu.
Jorge Lockward
Jorge Lockward ni Mkuu wa Mkutano wa
Mjumbe kutoka New York.
Love Your Neighbor News
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Page 6
Carta à un representante à Conferencia Geral
por Jorge Lockward
18 de fevereiro de 2012
Amado irmão,
Em seu último e-mail que você perguntou se havia alguma recomendação que eu
poderia oferecer-lhe a respeito da Conferência Geral. O seu pedido me dá a coragem de compartilhar o que está em meu
coração. Escrevo como um amigo, colega
de trabalho na missão de Deus e como
companheiro e representante à Conferência Geral.
Como você sabe, a posição oficial da
UMC sobre pessoas gays e lésbicas tem sido
uma das questões mais dolorosas a igreja
tem enfrentado desde a Conferência Geral
de 1972. Estou anexando um compêndio
fornecido pela Secretaría Metodista de Comunicação das ações da Conferência Geral
sobre estas matérias desde 1972. Durante
minha última visita a Harare, Zimbabwe,
vários delegados africanos falaram apaixonadamente sobre esta questão. As suas
preocupações revelaram duas novas preocupacoes para mim, e que eu gostaria de
compartilhar contigo.
A primeira preocupação veio quando
eu percebi o lugar radicalmente diferente
de onde o assunto está sendo observado
e falado. A experiência dos delegados que
falaram pareciam ser muito limitada em
relação aos homossexuais. Tanto quanto
eu poderia dizer, que não incluem relacionamentos íntimos com pessoas cristãs que
são abertamente gay ou lésbica.
Por exemplo, quando eles usaram as
palavras homossexual ou gay, suas palavras pareciam referir-se a uma experiência
de pessoas nas margens da sociedade. É
provável que nenhum deles tem a experiência de estar em espiritualmente, ligadas à
Igreja e relacionamentos com pessoas que
são abertamente gay ou lésbica. Eu podia
sentir sua luta em que usou essas palavras
(gay / lésbica), para, em suas mentes, e de
sua experiência, eles apenas refletem conotações negativas. Não há julgamento negativo neste, uma vez que esta é a realidade
que eles conhecem.
Presumo que, embora possam conhecer
pessoas gays e lésbicas em suas famílias e
igrejas, a sua orientação sexual não é falada
abertamente, mas é entendida como um
segredo vergonhoso ou uma luta a ser superada. Novamente, não há nenhum juízo
negativo nisso, pois é apenas um reflexo
das realidades em nossas comunidades.
Por outro lado, para muitos delegados
dos Estados Unidos, inclusive eu, a experiência desta questão envolve muitos
relacionamentos e amizades com os fiéis
metodistas unidos que são abertamente
gays ou lésbicas. Muitos deles estão em relacionamentos amorosos e fiéis de muitos
anos e viemos para adorar a Deus juntos.
Alguns deles têm um excelente histórico de
pais bem ajustados filhos e netos, que também vêm adorar a Deus com eles. Alguns
deles são nossos líderes leigos, músicos
e líderes de louvor. Alguns deles são nossos pastores e superintendentes distritais.
Estas últimas categorias exigem, naturalmente, que as pessoas em questão devem
manter esse aspecto de suas vidas privadas,
devido à lei da igreja atual.
A percepção de que veio para mim é
que como é difícil falar sobre esta questão
a partir de tais experiências e perspectivas diferentes e quão injusto é para nós
ignorarmos isso. Esta nova compreensão
levou-me a arrepender da minha própria
injustiça quando eu ia pensar ou falar sobre este assunto sem considerar esta peça
crucial a respeito da diferença radical de
nossas experiências. Estou empenhado em
manter isso em mente e coração no futuro,
especialmente no que se envolver em santidade e discernimento conjunto em Tampa.
A segunda preocupação veio a mim
quando ouvi um delegado falar apaixonadamente sobre a herança recebida dos
missionários que evangelizaram África.
Jorge Lockward. Foto cedida pelo Conselho
Religioso Comunicadores.
Sua dolorosa questão era: Como você pode
pedir-nos agora para mudar novamente e
aceitar uma nova compreensão da Bíblia,
que é diferente do que recebemos dos missionários?
A declaração me deixou perplexo, uma
vez que a mesma pessoa é muito anti-colonialista em seus pontos de vista políticos.
No começo eu estava tentado descartar
estas palavras como manipulação política
simples. No entanto, algo dentro me disse
que havia mais além da superfície e que eu
precisava escutar profundamente para entender.
No dia seguinte, eu estava tomando café
da manhã com um irmão de Moçambique,
eu perguntei a ele sobre essa questão em
relação à herança missionária. Enquanto
ele falava da experiência missionária na
África, comecei a entender um pouco mais
da complexidade da questão. Eu entendi
que os africanos foram convidados pelos
missionários cristãos para mudar radicalmente a sua compreensão do mundo. Isto
incluiu o desapego do respeito e veneração
aos antepassados e da sua sabedoria antiga.
Me parece que talvez a autoridade dos ensinamentos dos missionários, preencheu
o vazio criado pela liberação do entendimento de idade, e tornou-se a nova norma
como a sabedoria recebida. Isto significa
que estes ensinamentos são mantidos profundamente e são, talvez, no núcleo de
identidade. A visão que eu recebi é que
quando se trata deste assunto na África, estamos diante de mais do que apenas o conteúdo do tema em si, mas também questões
mais profundas da identidade relacionada
com as mudanças radicais de consciência e
compreensão trazidas pela colonização e “
cristianização “da África.
Há, naturalmente, outros elementos
importantes para a conversa em torno da
homossexualidade, como a interpretação
bíblica, um medo razoável de liberalização
da sociedade, a preocupação com a infiltração do pior da cultura ocidental, uma
preocupação com a reação dos outros e do
impacto sobre evangelismo deve haver uma
mudança na postura da Igreja, entre outros. Eu só partilhado as duas idéias acima,
porque elas são novas para mim aumentando a minha experiência em Harare.
Aqui estão algumas coisas que eu me
pergunto:
Como estamos vivendo juntos em face
desses entendimentos radicalmente diferentes?
A questão é urgente como evidenciado
pelo voto 501-417 na última Conferência Geral derrotar o esforço para mudar
a postura da UMC para outro em que reconheçamos nossas diferenças sobre este
assunto sem condenar o outro. Como você
provavelmente sabe, denominações irmãs,
como a Igreja Presbiteriana dos EUA e da
Igreja Luterana da América têm encontrado recentemente maneiras de viver juntos
em meio à diferença. Quando será que a
hora chegará para a UMC?
Como podemos viver em um futuro comum, dada a crescente polarização entre
público uma grande parte da África, onde
há um endurecimento em relação a homossexualidade postura e uma grande parte da
cultura ocidental (e em alguns países do
terceiro mundo) onde rápidas mudanças
na lei são fornecimento de plenos direitos
para gays e lésbicas pessoas?
Ainda mais urgente é a questão de como
o testemunho da igreja interage com a violência perpetrada contra as pessoas gays
e lésbicas. Estou triste em dizer que esta
é uma questão muito pessoal para mim,
como recentemente um amigo Metodista
Unido no Quênia foi quase morto por causa de suspeitas de sua comunidade á respeito de sua orientação sexual. Ele teve que
se mudar para outra cidade, a fim de sobreviver. Como podemos, como Metodistas
Unidos, mostrar ao mundo uma maneira
diferente de lidar com nossas diferenças, de
modo que vá além da demissão e divisão?
Podemos ver como o nosso testemunho
contribui para a violência? Tenho medo
de que agora nós não sejamos um exemplo
muito bom para o mundo.
Eu não sei o que fazer, mas eu encontrei
3 princípios que eu acho que pode nos ajudar a encontrar o nosso caminho juntos. Eu
quero compartilhar com você.
A primeira é que acima de tudo, eu preciso ouvir o Espírito Santo. Eu preciso ouvir
o Espírito de Deus acima e além do que eu
já penso. Isto é mais fácil dizer do que fazer,
pois, afinal, estou muito convencido de que
minhas crenças atuais têm sido, desde que
o Espírito Santo! Vai ter um monte de humildade para a honestidade e sinceridade,
orar por discernimento, e estar aberto para
que o Espírito possa ter a dizer.
Isto é particularmente verdade de acordo com a nossa compreensão da Bíblia.
Desde que foi o Espírito Santo que inspirou
a Sagrada Escritura, a nossa única esperança de entender a Bíblia é através desse
mesmo Espírito Santo. Espírito de Deus é,
na minha opinião, a única autoridade que
pode interpretar a Bíblia fielmente a todas
as idades. A pergunta que me faço é: Que é
que o Espírito Santo está dizendo à igreja
neste momento? Sempre que eu venho com
uma resposta rápida para essa questão, eu
me torno consciente da minha própria arrogância e falta de respeito ao Espírito Santo e para o corpo de Cristo. Afinal, como
posso saber onde está o Espírito de Deus
conduzindo meus irmãos e irmãs que também têm o Espírito?
Minha preocupação é que, na maioria
das vezes, não estamos falando “no Espírito”, mas a partir de nosso próprio entendimento. O Espírito de Deus se moveu
em todos nós e novos entendimentos da
Bíblia apareceram de acordo com nossas
experiências. Este “movimento em direção
à perfeição no amor” é parte integrante
de nossa herança Wesleyana. Acho que
só a oração honesta, aberta e prolongado
jejum e vai revelar-nos que os nossos intermináveis debates e conversas falharam
em mostrar-nos. Na verdade, eu fantasio
muitas vezes com um dia de jejum na Conferência Geral. Eu não sei ainda como isso
poderia ser feito, mas eu me comprometo a
estar pronto para ele e para acoplá-lo como
um indivíduo e com quaisquer outros que
queiram também fazer isso. Imagine que ...
Em segundo lugar, eu preciso abordar
esta questão de um lugar de profundo respeito pelo cristianismo de pessoas que têm
visões diferentes da minha. Eu experimentei e muitas vezes têm sido tentados em uma
atitude sutil, silenciosa, que não reconhece
a identidade cristã e núcleo de pessoas que
possuem uma visão contrária sobre o assunto. Muitas vezes eu sinto que falamos a
partir do ponto de vista de que a vida seria
mais fácil, e a igreja e o mundo seriam melhores se aqueles que se oponem às nossas
opiniões iriam simplesmente desaparecer.
Neste caso, nós certamente não tratamos
uns aos outros como irmãos e irmãs. Além
disso, falamos (de ambos os lados), como
se o problema fosse uma simples questão de
teimosia, falta de compreensão, ou pecado
do outro lado. Nós não conseguimos vê-lo
a pele de outra pessoa, como deveríamos,
se entendemos uns aos outros para sermos
cristãos fiéis. As palavras Conservador e
Liberal, ou Progressivo e fundamentalista
têm vindo a dizer cristão e não cristão na
língua, a compreensão e a prática de muitos.
Terceiro, e último, acredito que precisamos falar sobre este assunto com maior abertura. Novamente, isso é mais fácil dizer
do que fazer. Na superfície, temos falado
sobre isso por um longo tempo na igreja.
No entanto, na realidade, há muito medo
em nossos corações que não nos permite
realmente falar e ouvir uns aos outros. Há
o medo (em ambos os lados) que simplesmente escutar profundamente podemos
estar entrando em um caminho perigoso
que pode levar à destruição de tudo o que
prezamos e sagrado. Não é o medo que se
falar honestamente o que acreditamos, vamos ferir aos outros e dividir a igreja. Há
medo de ser rejeitado e demitido. Eu sou
um bom exemplo desse medo passado na
minha relação contigo. Embora tenhamos
sido amigos por muitos anos e colaborado
em projetos incríveis para a glória de Deus,
acho que esta é a primeira vez que eu falo
honestamente contigo sobre este assunto.
Na parte de trás da minha mente é o medo
de que falar sobre este assunto teria uma
influência negativa sobre a nossa capacidade de estar no ministério em conjunto
e podem até prejudicar a nossa amizade.
Mesmo enquanto escrevo estas linhas, este
medo ainda está comigo, mas eu também
ouço a voz do Espírito dizendo: “não temas”.
Este medo está particularmente presente para as pessoas gays e lésbicas. Em
minhas visitas à África, eu sempre encontrava um ou dois fiéis Africanos gays ou
lésbica Metodistas Unidas que encontram a
coragem de me contar, uma vez que descobrem que eu também sou um. Eu ouço suas
histórias, choro com eles e tento apoiá-los o
melhor que posso.
Caro amigo, eu te agradeço pela oportunidade de compartilhar esses pensamentos com você e aguardamos a sua resposta
para a nossa conversa. Eu quero oferecerme de qualquer maneira que eu possa ser
de ajuda para lançar mais luz e entendimento. Por favor, saibam que o objetivo desta carta e-mail não é convencer, mas para
abrir uma conversa que possa levar adiante
a um profundo discernimento. Acima de
tudo, eu quero entender o seu coração e
o coração de outros delegados africanos,
porque apenas nesse entendimento, é que
vamos começar a ver a vontade de Deus
para a nossa amada Igreja.
Com gratidão por sua amizade ministério, e ouvido atento,
Jorge Lockward
Jorge Lockward é UM delegado da
Conferência Geral de Nova York.
Page 7
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Reconciling Communities Top 500 on 40th
Anniversary of “Incompatibility” Policy
O
n the 40th anniversary of the policy
that states that “homosexuality is
incompatible with Christian teaching”, the
number of United Methodist communities
to publically state their welcome of people
of all sexual orientations and gender identities has passed an important milestone.
Reconciling communities, those who have
made an explicit welcome of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people,
now number over 500. The anniversary
and the milestone both occurred while The
United Methodist Church meets in General Conference to debate the inclusion of
LGBT people in the life of the church.
Both Madras United Methodist Church
of Madras, Oregon, and Aldersgate United
Methodist Church of Chapel Hill, NC approved statements that specifically name a
welcome of people of all sexual orientations
and gender identities. These statements
were received by the staff of Reconciling
Ministries Network during the first week of
The United Methodist General Conference.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
had been using reconciling language for
many years, but had never submitted the
language to Reconciling Ministries Network until now. “We had been living it out,
but not been very public for years,” said
Lyn Koehnline, a member of the congregation. “The proposed North Carolina constitutional amendment banning marriage
equality prompted the church to be more
public about its welcome.”
“Reaching 500 Reconciling Communities during both General Conference and
the 40th anniversary of the ‘incompatible’
language is a significant sign,” said Rachel
Harvey, Associate Executive Director of
Reconciling Ministries Network. “Clearly, there is growing desire among United
Methodists to provide ministry to all of
God’s children. We continue to pray that
The United Methodist Church will recognize that the harmful policies of exclusion
that have burdened the church for 40 years
need to be eliminated.”
As soon as the 500 milestone was
reached, it was exceeded. Even while General Conference continues, more reconciling statements are coming in. Two more
Reconciling Communities have already
been added, Grace United Methodist
Church of Lake Bluff, Ill. and Stone Village
Church in Columbus, Ohio. To date, 503
Churches, Sunday School classes, United
Methodist Women Units, campus ministries, and annual conference groups have
strengthened the Reconciling Ministries
Network through their witness for a fully
inclusive church.
The United Methodist Church is meeting in General Conference April 24-May 4.
Reconciling Ministries Network is working in coalition with several organizations
to ensure membership, remove barriers to
ordination, and advance marriage equality for people of all sexual orientations and
gender identities.
Love Your Neighbor News
‘Wilderness’ is All Around Us
by Chett Pritchett
W
ilderness is an experience of biblical proportions. Whether it is the
40 years of saying gay and lesbian people
are “incompatible with Christian teaching,”
the suffering of immigrants, or systems of
poverty, the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) has sought to be a voice
in the wilderness for people and places on
the margins of church and society.
As an independent voice, MFSA focuses
on peace, poverty, people’s rights, progressive issues, and justice within The United
Methodist Church.
At the MFSA “Out of the Wilderness”
reception last Saturday evening, MFSA
leaders reflected on the variety of wilderness experiences.
Board Co-Presidents, Tara Thronson
and Vicki Woods, welcomed those gathered and offered an opportunity for people
to connect with one another, meet Board
members and staff, and encouraged their
work that supports people on the margins.
David Hosey of Dumbarton United
Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.
spoke of his experience on a BorderLinks
trip that was sponsored by OnFire, MFSA’s
Young Adult Chapter. He met with workers
and newly arrived migrants, government
and immigration enforcement officials on
both sides of the border, and business people in the maquiladora sector, noting that
participants on the trip were challenged to
reexamine their own assumptions and beliefs.
“By experiencing first-hand life in communities like Nogales, Sonora, we are able
to wrestle with the complexity of life on the
border,” Hosey said.
The reception also celebrated the work
of the MFSA’s Young Adult Scholarship
and Sponsorship recipients. Sixteen young
adults were selected to serve in leadership
roles with the Common Witness Coalition. By working with mentors, scholars are
learning how to track legislation and plan
logistics for hospitality.
“Being a scholarship recipient allowed
me to come to General Conference and
see the legislative process from beginning
to end,” said the Rev. Justin White of Wells
UMC in Jackson, Miss. “I look forward to
helping mentor other young adults in 2016.”
‘I’m tired of hearing that young adults
are the future of the Church,” said Jill A.
Warren, Executive Director of the Federation. “They are the Church here and now.
MFSA is proud to have sponsored their
participation at General Conference.”
Chett Pritchett is the Development and
Communications Associate at Methodist
Federation for Social Action. A graduate of
Wesley Theological Seminary, he serves as
Lay Leader at Dumbarton United Methodist Church in Washington, DC.
Don Hayashi, NFAAUM Coalition Member,
Says Inclusion Begins with Hospitality
by Lois Parr
“It was a no-brainer,” said Don Hayashi
about the National Federation of Asian
American United Methodists joining the
LYN Coalition. “We believe in justice and
inclusion,” continued Hayashi, “in part because we have been victims of being left
out, overlooked.
“To reach out to other constituencies
that have also been harmed starts with
hospitality,” the Federation President says.
“If we are to be the Church of Jesus Christ
reaching out to all, we need to hear and be
in relationship with all.”
persons who are LGBT,” says Hayashi, “but
we had not thought of this issue for a workshop...it was a revelation that we could talk
about this together.”
The Federation draws together the diverse ethnic groups even though the needs
of the Asian American community are
quite varied. Hayashi says some families
have been in the United States for many
generations, and some are newly arrived;
some are living in urban centers, while others are in obscure areas. But, says Hayashi,
it’s important for the different ethnic groups
Don Hayashi, John Oda, and Sylvia Phon. Photo by Lois McCullen Parr.
The Federation is made up of 10 subethnic groups: Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Formosan, Hmong, Japanese, Korean,
Laotian, South Asian, and Vietnamese; as
well as 15 languages. Its mission is to encourage full participation of Asian American United Methodists in all aspects of the
life of the Church.
Hayashi explains that a couple years ago
for the Federation’s National Conference,
two women requested a workshop on acceptance of lesbian and gays in the church.
“Regardless of ancestry group, there are
to identify together “so that we have voice
and visibility.”
NFAAUM supports not only the legislation for full LGBTQ inclusion but also the
MFSA plan for the denomination’s restructuring.
“We’re very concerned about the CTA
and IOT proposals which would eliminate
the General Commissions on Religion and
Race, and Status and Role of Women. We
know that over the years it’s been very important to have groups who help the church
be the church,” he said.
Women and racial/ethnic groups are
often overlooked, says Hayashi, who has
worked for the General Church. “These are
the people we need to help the Church to
grow,” he says, “and to develop new leadership.”
One such young leader, Sylvia Phon,
is with NFAAUM in her first GC experience. As an observer and monitor, Phon is
moved by the opportunity to learn about
the church and to discover more profoundly God’s call on her own life.
“I did not think that coming here would
relate to me personally,” Phon says, “but
I’m discovering that God is speaking to me
through the many elders who are here. As a
Cambodian, I’ve had to learn to overcome
the past lack of acceptance of women.”
Phon says within her own ethnic group,
she felt disadvantaged as a woman, but being at General Conference has helped her
to “gain strength to express how God is
speaking to me.” Phon says that the encouragement she has from her mentors from all
over the U.S. has given her the courage to
say that “outloud!”
Hayashi beams as Phon says that next
GC she’ll bring other women and young
people, because this kind of leadership development is one of the goals of NFAAUM.
“While there is a thirst for ministry and
places to worship among Asian Americans,”
says Hayashi, the church also functions as a
center of community. The hospitality that
is culturally significant serves as a way to
care of people’s physical and social needs –
and that’s the meal served after worship as
a sign of welcome.
Hayashi says that many Asian Americans know of our denomination because
of the work of UMCOR, and the hospitality they experienced as refugees or in other
ministries led them to seek out UM congregations.
“There’s a great story told of a Cambodian Chief who did this,” he tells, “who went
up to the preacher after worship and said ‘I
want to join your church and so do all my
people.’
“It’s told that the pastor had to call the
DS to see if it was legal,” he laughs, even as
he names the pain that attends the history
of immigration for Asian Americans in the
U.S.
“Immigration isn’t only a Hispanic/Latino issue,” he says, “as many Asian American congregations have persons who have
had challenges.”
The history of Asian immigration in the
U.S. has been filled with exclusion and rejection, which is what makes hospitality
such a powerful way to extend the love of
Christ.
“It’s natural to have NFAAUM and all
our other Coalition partners together,” says
Rev. John Oda, former RMN Board Chairperson, “because they are communities
that have been disenfranchised historically
over the years.”
Oda speaks painfully of the Service of
Repentance held Friday evening. “When is
the Church going to repent of the pain it’s
caused other communities, including the
LGBT community?”
“It’s recognizing the past and that there
is pain,” says Hayashi, “and that we need to
be in ministry to that pain.” Our witness is
affecting the delegates, he asserts, “making
them more aware of something that they’ve
been unable to speak about.” The Coalition witness is respectful and hospitable,
he says, “and hospitality goes a long way
toward opening doors.
“It’s when we get to know each other
that we can relate and then know that God
makes all of us, just in different ways,” concluded Hayashi. “LYN is doing this.”
Rev. Lois McCullen Parr is a pastor at
Broadway UMC in Chicago and a graduate
of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Love Your Neighbor News
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Page 8
love makes a family
I know a lot of you are feeling in that dark place because religion and religious people are telling you that you are an abomination before
God. Maybe you are growing up in a Roman Catholic household and you hear from your church that you are intrinsically disordered. Or
maybe you are growing up in a Mormon household or a Southern Baptist household, and you’re told that that somehow your life is not
acceptable to God. I want to tell you, as a religious person, that they are flat out wrong. I think Christians should stay away from spiritual
arrogance and show more love, mercy and zeal for justice.
God loves you the way you are and God doesn’t want you to change. God doesn’t want you to be cured or healed, because there’s nothing to
be healed from. You’re the way you are, the way God made you, the way God loves you.
If you’re considering hurting yourself, please don’t. God wants you to live in the light of God’s love,
and that light will take away all of this darkness.
So, hang in there, be strong, and know that despite the messages that you get from religious people, God loves you beyond your wildest
imagining, and only wants the best for you.
It gets better, I promise. It gets so much better.
—Bishop Gene Robinson