STANDING FIRM, LETTING GO

The United Methodist Church, in common with other Judeo-Christian denominations, struggles today with a problem that has bedeviled us for millennia in the context of societal changes: Discerning what theological principles we should hold firm versus what principles we should abandon. We've been through this process with slavery, Civil Rights, and full equality for women - to name only a few issues. Today, homosexuality represents a current major controversy that has divided many denominations and will shatter the collegiality of many more.

Ms. Mary Ann Kaiser, a youth director at University Methodist Church in Austin, TX, and an avowed lesbian, has proclaimed her candidacy for ordination in the The Southwest Texas Annual Conference. Her local church and district approved her candidacy. The Annual Conference recently voted to remove Ms. Kaiser from the ordination track. The decision has been appealed to Bishop James Dorff because, arguably, the Annual Conference violated its rules and regulations by prematurely removing Ms. Kaiser without due process.

My letter to Bishop Dorff in support of Ms. Kaiser's candidacy follows:

19 Jun 2013

Bishop James E. Dorff

United Methodist Southwest Texas Conference

16400 Huebner Rd.

San Antonio, TX 78248

Bishop Dorff:

Please do not make a theological and societal mistake with respect to the candidacy of Ms. Mary Ann Kaiser for ordination as a United Methodist minister.

For background: I was born into, and raised within, the Community of Believers at the First Presbyterian Church in LaGrange, GA. I joined the Methodist Church shortly after my wife, Andrea - a life-long Methodist, and I graduated from the Methodist-affiliated LaGrange College in 1960. I have remained a Methodist because I resonate with most of Wesleyan theology and because of our denominational focus on social action based upon important theological principles.  Andrea and I have been married for 53 years in an exclusive heterosexual relationship; we have two adult daughters, both married heterosexuals. That is, I have no homosexual ax to grind other than promoting theological rationality within our denomination.

You must be aware of the scientific evidence demonstrating homosexuality is neither a mental illness nor an aberration of the nature God bestowed upon human beings. I see no reason to delve into these issues in this letter other than to point out that our denominational stance on homosexuality does not conform to reality as revealed by biological science.

St. Paul clearly states God has not abrogated his covenant with Israel; hence, Jews remain God's chosen people. As such, again as St. Paul forcibly proclaimed, Torah (the Law, including the Levitical prohibitions against homosexuality) provides the path to salvation for our Jewish brothers and sisters. In his most profound discourses, St. Paul teaches Jesus Christ is the means by which Gentile Christians come to salvation and, therefore, Gentile Christians are not bound by the strictures of Torah.

I am well aware of St. Paul's statements that are often used as justifications against homosexuality. I presume you are equally informed that homosexual and homosexuals are by no means the best translations of the Greek words St. Paul employed. Accordingly, United Methodist prohibitions against homosexuality based upon putative Pauline imprecations fail the intellectual test of rational application of theology for Gentile Christians.

If, however, you and other members of our United Methodist administration continue to exclude homosexuals, including those in committed exclusive relationships, from ordination, I expect the following immediate pronouncements from you: Revocation of the ordination of all present female clergy, heterosexual and homosexual; injunction against women speaking out in church or teaching classes within the church; and insistence that all women attend worship services with their heads covered. Retention of the prohibitions against homosexuality requires these actions in order to maintain theological and intellectual consistency with the entirety of St. Paul's Epistles. While you're at it, you should also proclaim that we must not vote or act in any other way to change the present government of the United States because God, not humans, institutes earthly rulers. Following this line of false Pauline logic suggests that foundation of the United States and Texas via revolutions violated God's will.

You, other members of the United Methodist hierarchy, and some laypersons may believe that, by holding firm against full inclusion of homosexuals within our fellowship, you will in effect preach the church empty and then preach the church full again. Such a position places our Church against the protean tidal course of theologically legitimate societal changes, as occurred with our regrettable history concerning equality for women and civil rights for our black brothers and sisters. That is, maintaining the present course will lead to the impossibility of preaching the church full again: You will have no one left in the pews within a few years to hear your preaching. The present course inevitably will lead our denomination into irrelevance and we will not be able to perform our duty to implement the Great Commission through the United Methodist Church.

It is high time for someone with theological discernment and courage to lead our denomination fully into the 21st Century along pathways thoroughly consistent with Jesus Christ's Gospel of inclusivity. Accordingly, I urge you to allow the ordination process for Ms. Kaiser to proceed without impediments.

My wife and I are members of Berkeley United Methodist Church in Austin, TX. I have not discussed this letter with our minister and friend, Rev. Jeanne Devine: The thoughts expressed are my own as a committed layperson who has held several positions within our denomination, including Lay Delegate to the North Georgia Annual Conference.

The full blessings, comfort, and especially the discernment of the Holy Spirit be upon you,

Michael F. Frosolono, Ph.D.