July 23, 2012 issue
Western District upholds decision not to discipline pastor
By Paul Schrag Mennonite World ReviewPage:
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Western District Conference delegates on July 7 upheld a decision by a leadership group not to discipline a Kansas pastor for performing a same-sex covenant ceremony.
Clarence Rempel, right, conference minister of Western District Conference, and Gilberto Flores, associate conference minister for Texas, present a certificate of membership to church planter Natividad Hernandez and his wife, Isabel, recognizing their congregation, Iglesia Menonita Casa de Dios in Dallas, as a new member of Western District. — Photo by Laurie Oswald Robinson/WDC
At the conference’s annual assembly, delegates turned down a request by Bethel Mennonite Church of Inman, Kan., to overrule the Leadership Commission’s decision.
Bethel presented a resolution to suspend the ministerial credentials of Joanna Harader, pastor of Peace Mennonite Church in Lawrence, Kan.
Bethel’s original motion never came to a vote. Instead, delegates amended it, replacing the part that would have suspended Harader’s credentials with a statement noting that her action was “at variance” with Mennonite Church USA’s Membership Guidelines.
Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church of Wichita, Kan., proposed the amendment. The motion to amend passed 184-154, or 54 percent in favor. Delegates then approved the amended motion 203-136, or 60 percent in favor.
MC USA’s 2001 Membership Guidelines forbid pastors to lead same-sex covenant ceremonies but do not require discipline for breaking the rule.
The “at variance” notation will be recorded on Harader’s Ministerial Leadership Information form.
The Western District delegates’ decision is similar to one made recently in Central District Conference. An Illinois pastor who performed three same-sex covenant ceremonies was not disciplined, but her actions were noted as “at variance” with the denomination’s guidelines.
Presenting the original motion, Max Fuqua of Bethel Mennonite Church said the Leadership Commission’s decision not to discipline Harader was “outrageous, rebellious and unacceptable.”
He said Bethel members voted unanimously to bring the motion to the assembly.
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Comments
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About the issue of being "at variance," I am reminded of a conversation that Henry David Thoreau had with Ralph Waldo Emerson, when Thoreau was in jail for refusing to pay war taxes.
Legend has it that Emerson said to Thoreau, "Henry why are you in jail?" Thoreau's response was simple, "Waldo, why are you not in jail?"
So maybe the question lingering for all of the ministers (and congregations) of the Western District conference is this... why are you not "at variance"?
James M. Branum Minister of Peace & Justice Joy Mennonite Church Oklahoma City, OK
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Any act of love that tells persons oriented other than hetersexually that they are loved and accepted in our faith communities and consequently keeps even one person from despairing to the point of self-harm is worthy of acceptance and truly Christ inspired. Thank you to those among us who have heard and responded to that inspiration and were brave enough to help the rest of us hear that call as well.
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REMEMBER SODOM AND GOMORRAH!
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I thank God's for the courage and vision that Joanna possesses. We need a lot more leaders "at variance" with the traditional view of marriage. Jesus was intensely "at variance" with Palestinian religious elites of his day.
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Hello B. Stucky,
Here are the words I'm remembering about Sodom right now...
Ezekiel 16:49 - "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy."
The sin of Sodom wasn't homosexuality. It was a lack of hospitality (the greatest sin of all in the Ancient world). Sodom was a city of great wealth, yet they didn't welcome the strangers who came to visit them, and even went further and planned to abuse them. This is the real sin of Sodom. To claim that the acceptance by some in the Mennonite Church of consensual and loving same-sex relationships is the same as "the sin of Sodom" is ridiculous. I can assure you that advocates of inclusion in our church are very much in favor of radical hospitality and are opposed to exploitative uses of human sexuality, including rape.
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Here's what I remember about Sodom and Gomorrah: They're mythical cities in a mythical story populated by mythical characters. The tale is of sentimental interest for those raised in the Judeo-christian tradition, but has no force of authority with regard to how we live in the modern world. It's certainly not helpful in understanding how God operates, since God (who only manifests mercy and compassion) has never been in the business of destroying entire cities for no good reason. Genesis is full of accounts of a cranky, irrational, unreasonable deity, all of which are no more true than the Sodom and Gomorrah tale.
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Mr Branum, don't forget verse 50, as well as a thorough study of the intent of the chapter. I find the prostitution illustration to be interesting, that sexual sin was used to bring the message of what happens to societies and cultures (as well as people) that turn away from God.
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I'm amazed. My high opinion of the Mennonite Church is no longer a high opinion. There are plenty of churches who do homosexual marriages without the Mennonite church joining in.
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Louise, your suggestion is far too practical. MC USA is led by New Age Anabaptist progressive self appointed wisdom thinkers who carry around the Anabaptist measuring stick. Therefore the GLBT issue and same sex covenant ceremonies must be accepted to show the Anabaptist measuring stick is alive and well.
Jerry, thank you for your note. It is right on. Jude also refers to the sexual sins of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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The Apostle Paul writes: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters not adulterers not male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders not thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." I Cor. 6:9-11 NIV. Thank God for the redemption provided through our risen Lord Jesus Christ.
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It is a dangerous thing to disagree with the Bible. It is a dangerous thing to treat the Bible as just another story book. We can disagree on many issues but to treat the Bible as anything less than the WORD OF GOD is very unwise. We should all stop and evaluate our viewpoints using the Word as our benchmark, our compassion for others should motivate us to love and rebuke, not simply love.
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"Before God I am a human being.... But I am caught in a situation from which there is truly and radically no escape, in a spider's web I cannot break. If I am to continue to be a living human being, someone must come to free me. In other words, God is not trying to humiliate me. What is mortally affronted in this situation is not my humanity or my dignity. It is my pride, the vainglorious declaration that I can do it all myself. This we cannot accept. In our own eyes we have to declare ourselves to be righteous and free. We do not want grace. Fundamentally what we want is self-justification. There thus commences the patient work of reinterpreting revelation so as to make of it a Christianity that will glorify humanity and in which humanity will be able to take credit for its own righteousness." --Jacques Ellul
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Just for you, one9, from the Persian poet, Omar-Khayyam:
"So I be written in the Book of Love; I do not care about that Book above. Erase my name, or write it as you will, So I be written in the Book of Love."
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"Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen". Romans 1:24 & 25
The Mennonite church is slowly bowing to the idol that society bows to and that is putting one’s self above God and his Word.
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Charlie: I agree with you. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is no doubt mythological.
Max: The Bible contains the Word of God, but it is not the Word of God. There is good stuff in the Bible and there is crap in the Bible. I think God gives us a brain and conscience to know the difference.
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James: When I consider my conscience and my brain as tools to divide the bible into the Word of God and c___ (I cannot use the word you used even in a theoretical conversation about the Bible.) I find those tools very inadequate even offensive. There is plenty of work to do in understanding the Word of God without complicating it with my compromised conscience, and my feeble brain. Portions of the Word of God are beyond our understanding, we should not trim it down to suit our needs or worse yet to suit our conscience. If we do then we do not have the Word of God we have the word of convience, effectively your bible and my bible could then tell us the exact opposite things about right/wrong, justice/injustice, acceptance/prejudice, lost/saved.
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James and Max, remember the story of the six blind men and the elephant? And, by the way, didn't our dear Mennonite church come into being on this very issue - the right of people to read the Bible for themselves? The right NOT to be told what it says? The right to discern meaning?
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Max, thank you for speaking at WDC regarding the need to discipline Joanna Harader for performing two same sex covenant ceremonies. Thank you also for your two comment responses. To you and the other pastors who joined you at WDC, continue to stand firm.
James, your response to Max regarding the c___ word and the Word of God was pathetic. When are you going to put your own version of the Bible on the market? If your comment to Max is the result of your fertile brain, I was not impressed. Someone has said, vulgarity/profanity is the effort of a feeble mind to express itself forcefully. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. As a man thinks in his heart so is he.---It is in the Book. In your Bible these words may be the c--- section.
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My church has been hi-jacked by by left wing ideologues. Why are we allowing these strangers to destroy us?
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Ro 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
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"Crap" is my less than gentle way of saying that the portions of the Bible that endorse genocide, are not of divine origin.
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To James Branum----A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.
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This points to the very divide in our church that will not be bridged. When some hold that the Bible contains "crap" and others hold it as "The" word of God. How can these two sides continue in fellowship? This debate is not about homosexuality; it is about totally different views of God, scripture, sin, nature of man, work of the Holy Spirit. These are the true dividing issues they just manifest themselves over issues like homosexuality.
We should also heed the warning of John in the book of Revelation writing to the church in Thyatira, Rev 2:20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality NIV
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Also let me quote from the confession of faith: "We believe that ALL scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit for instruction in salvation and training in righteousness. We accept the scriptures as THE WORD of God and as the fully reliable and trusthworthy standard for Christian faith and life."
This is our agreed upon statment about scriptures. Why is it that no-one reads or agrees with the confession of faith anymore. One of the stated purposes of the confession is to build a foundation for unity. So when we have such a varied view of the confession is it any surprise that we are not unified?
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To MWR editors, Ervin Stutzman, Western District Conference delegates who voted with the majority, Joanna Harader, Megan Ramer and other like minded New Age Anabaptist Wisdom Thinkers:
The comments of Jeff Linthicum and other Biblical comments from likeminded individuals should be pasted on your bathroom mirrors and read daily. Satan has used homosexuality to divide because he sees the thoughts of people and promptly utilizes an opportunity to use one of his many wedges to divide the church.
1Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour.”
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I am deeply disturbed by this post.
People may have the personal right to be "at variance" or follow their conscience on the issue of same-sex marriage; but at what point should a conference stand, lead, and defend with love, that which the Word of God clearly states is sinful expression of sexuality? At what point will conferences decide on a firm position, and not waver.
It seems as if their "turning a blind eye," and indifference to this situation, reflects a lack of integrity and vision for leadership.
There has to be a point where Anabaptist's leaders actually lead, and are not afraid of dealing with conflict and other issues at hand for the sake of keeping peace.
This does not mean that there should be chaos, abuse of power or other inappropriate means to dealing with the situation. In fact, we are cautioned to be "gentle" in our dealings with those who choose to walk and teach a manner that is opposed to truth of Scripture (2 Tim. 2:25-26).
The goal is not to mistreat, abandon, or destroy; but to help people return to a proper understanding biblical truth. Are we still willing to see discipline as a healthy mandate for the church? One that shows genuine love for our members?
If not, its not wonder that people are more often seeing the church and the word of God as irrelevant; If the people of God do not abide by the word or hold to it for the truth that it is, then why should they?
We are called to rebuke, exhort, judge and discipline within the body of Christ. If we do not heed seriously the role and function of discipline for the church found in 1 Corinthians 5, we will have much greater problems.
I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ work amidst this situation, and among the community of saints, that He would be glorified in, throughout, and after it all.
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