The Moratorium is Over

Last week, the WCA shared part of its response to centrist and progressive leaders, endorsing groups, and signatories withdrawing their support from the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation. The first part of our response was a call to the laity to escrow/withhold apportionments in the 19 annual conferences that are adding punitive and onerous requirements to the paragraph 2553 disaffiliation process. Adding those extra requirements makes it extremely difficult (in some conferences impossible) for churches to depart The United Methodist Church. The purpose of this escrow/withholding of apportionments is to encourage these bishops and annual conference trustees to rethink their disaffiliation requirements. We hope they will implement gracious policies that allow congregations to freely follow God’s leading in their affiliation decisions, rather than attempting to coerce congregations to remain in the United Methodist Church solely for financial reasons.

For over two years, the WCA has encouraged theological conservatives not to file complaints against leaders violating The Book of Discipline. We self-imposed this moratorium to show support for the Protocol as we had pledged. Today the Wesleyan Covenant Association announces the second part of its response to progressives withdrawing their support for the Protocol. If progressive leaders no longer wish to keep their word and no longer believe the Protocol is viable, we consider the moratorium against church complaints/trials to no longer be viable and therefore at an end.

In too many annual conferences and jurisdictions, paragraphs in The Discipline are being selectively enforced to favor progressives. Progressives are allowing same-gender weddings to occur in UMC churches and looking the other way when UMC clergy perform them. Boards of Ordained Ministry are recommending candidates for ordination that violate the denomination’s ordination standards. Entire annual conferences are putting in place the failed One Church Plan rejected by the General Conference. The Western Jurisdiction has declared itself a safe-harbor for people who wish to violate The Discipline. The North Central Jurisdiction has adopted a vision to violate The Discipline.

We can no longer stand idly by and allow progressives to impose “rules for thee, but not for me.”

The moratorium was implemented as part of the Protocol principle that “The United Methodist Church is committed to recognizing, respecting and protecting the rights and personal dignity of every person, including people of all races, sexual orientations, genders, national origins, ages, and social classes” – including traditionalists. In some annual conferences, the rights and dignity of traditionalists has been disrespected through arbitrary appointment decisions by some bishops and cabinets, the penalizing of information sharing by traditionalists, and the removal of some traditionalist licensed local pastors. The moratorium is an unfair respecting of some persons’ rights and dignity while that of others is being disregarded.

The moratorium was also instituted “as one expression of reconciliation and grace through separation.” Its purpose was to promote an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation during a brief interim time while conferences and congregations were making their affiliation decisions. That brief interim time has turned into eight years due to the postponement of the 2020 General Conference to 2024, with the first post-separation UM General Conference now to be held in 2028. It is no longer healthy for the church body to continue operating without accountability to its stated teachings and rules. Given that some bishops and annual conferences are freely implementing the One Church Plan that General Conference rejected, it is no longer reasonable to expect traditionalists to unilaterally tie our hands.

To be clear, the WCA has no interest in encouraging theological conservatives to go on a proverbial witch hunt to bring charges against LGBTQ+ clergy. We very much, however, encourage theological conservatives to hold bishops, district superintendents, conference officials, boards of ordained ministry, and other leaders accountable by no longer allowing violations to slide.

We have no doubt that some bishops will likely dismiss complaints brought by theological conservatives. Such is the nature of this broken denomination. We will not be surprised if jurisdictions go through the motions of processing complaints against bishops only to dismiss the charges. It doesn’t matter. We should and will do what is right and pursue the upholding of The Discipline.

To those who say that our call for increased accountability through ending the moratorium this week is inconsistent with our call to escrow/withhold apportionments last week, we reject the premise of that argument entirely. Scripture never calls followers of Jesus to support efforts antithetical to the Gospel. The Apostle John in 2 John 1:9-11 taught us that those who support persons spreading unbiblical teaching share responsibility for doing so. John wrote:

Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. (NLT)

The Apostle Paul also called upon Christians not to support sin in Ephesians 5:3-7 when he wrote

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them.” (NIV Emphasis Added)

In this time when bishops and annual conferences are a law unto themselves, deciding which parts of The Book of Discipline will be enforced, the only means of accountability left is the “power of the purse.” Called to be good stewards of God’s resources, how can traditionalists continue to see those resources entrusted to us used to support a broken and sometimes unfaithful system? At the same time, there are annual conferences and bishops still willing to uphold the Discipline and follow the accountability processes it sets forth. It makes sense in those conferences to utilize the accountability process we have. Even in conferences where we are doubtful about the willingness of a bishop to follow the process with integrity, we still believe it is right to try. When a bishop fails to implement the accountability process we have, it only further illustrates why separation is needed.

In the days after Joshua led Israel into the promised land, but before the Lord anointed Saul as King of Israel, God called Judges to lead. Leaders such as Deborah, Samson, and Gideon stepped forward to lead God’s people. At the end of the Book of Judges, we find this description of what it was like in Israel, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” (Judges 21:25 NIV)

Those salient words could also describe the present state of The United Methodist Church: “everyone did as they saw fit.” Christians live in accountable community. It’s time for us to restore accountability to our United Methodist denomination.

The Rev. Jay Therrell is president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association.