Hello friends, and welcome to the final pages of A History of Incompatibility. In this series, we explore the development of Christian beliefs around human sexuality, particularly as it relates to present church schisms over LGBTQ inclusion. If you are just now joining the story, I recommend going back and starting at Part 1.
I began this series somewhat as a response to a follower’s comment that he wanted to love queer people but he felt like he’d be betraying scripture to accept them. My denomination, The United Methodist Church, is actively splitting over issues around LGBTQ affirmation, and especially “rule-breaking” as gay bishops and clergy are approved, and same-sex marriages are officiated by UMC clergy, which violates present language in our Book of Discipline stating “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
The present denomination formed as a merger of like-minded denominations in 1968, forming The United Methodist Church with hopes to set an example of church unity in a culture highly divided over civil rights and desegregation. It was a “big tent” denomination, hoping to house the full gamut of Wesleyan Christians, from fundamentalists to Protestant Liberals and the whole spectrum in between.
But unity is hard. Especially when unity requires the marginalized to submit to harmful rules to maintain the comfort of the privileged majority. And when the marginalized, or their allies, try to speak up for their dignity and belonging, the privileged gaslight them and shut them down in the name of obedience. Specifically, an obedience that requires little or nothing of the privileged. This dynamic plays out over and over in history, and it just so happens that in this moment, the marginalized in question are the LGBTQ Christians.
And yet when we take the gospel seriously, we see over and over again that its most important message is God’s grace and love for the marginalized. We all kneel as equals before the One who crucified everything that made us incompatible with God. What you do with that gospel is now up to you. Will you “protect” it by guarding it? Will you hold on to a few verses that you are so certain exclude 3-5% of the human population from God’s saving love?
Or might you recognize that God’s grace provides room for everyone at the table? Might you seek pathways of holiness that bring life and love to the marginalized? Might you listen to their voices before you assume what is best for them?
And so we reach the end of this particular story I’ve been telling, a story that I hope has helped you and your congregation learn more about how we got to where we are today. I am working on a means publish the whole story to make it more accessible for reading in small groups. The published story will include further resources as well as small group discussion questions. Please email me if you think this would be a helpful resource for your church or classroom. It will really help to have a solid idea of how many copies we could print!
Thank you for following this series. It’s the longest series I’ve ever done and required much more research than I’m used to doing for a weekly webcomic! For now, I’ll be returning to my previous Wesley Bros Comics format, each week having a stand-alone comic exploring theology, history, and church practice. And hopefully it will bring a little light and levity into your week! Till then,
Grace and peace,
Charlie Baber