North Central Jurisdiction Hispanic Caucus Endorses Traditional Plan
The North Central Jurisdiction Hispanic Caucus met in Monroe, Wisconsin, on September 21-22. They met under the theme Transformed to Transform the World. The group discussed the three plans recommended to the special General Conference next February. They approved to support the Traditional Plan prepared by the Way Forward Commission. Pastors and lay leaders from Hispanic congregations from Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio came together for their 34th annual gathering.
This is a significant action because the national Hispanic caucus (MARCHA – Metodistas Asociados Representados la Causa Hispano Americano) is a member of the Love Your Neighbor Coalition promoting the full acceptance of LGBT persons, same-sex marriage, and ordination in the UM Church. Hispanic United Methodists across the country are not agreed in their discernment of the way forward.
Point of observation. All marriage in Bible were male and female.
Point of observation. All gay couples have one who is female in actions/attitudes and one is male by dress/actions
By our very nature we sense the need of male/female.
There are over a dozen scriptures which oppose male/male or female/female relationships
There are scriptures which condemn any sex outside of a male/female marriage.
Point of observation: Marriages in the Bible may have been male and female, however some marriage ways in scripture are not culturally (or in many cases legal anymore): Biblical Marriage: Polygamy (one man with many wives and non-married women – concubines); Levirate Marriage – Widow marries her husband’s brother and their child is legally the dead man’s son). In the context of the day, ALL may have been male and female, however ALL marriages in the Biblical traditions are not accepted in our world today.
Point of Observation: By using the word ALL when alluding to gay couples and “roles” in a marriage, I believe that is an opinion, not a fact. I was taught in English to never use the word ALL. I disagree that ALL have female/male roles in a marriage. That is not even ALWAYS true in heterosexual marriage.
By our very need is the need of LOVE – intimate Love and fidelity – sexual orientation does not have anything to do with this. Jesus came to love.
There are scriptures that oppose same -sex relationships: some are alluding to violence, some are contextual. There are also scriptures that would forbid me to be a pastor today because I am female, scriptures that would make me cover my head in public, scriptures that discourage women from speaking in public/worship setting, scriptures that support slavery…
There are scriptures that condemn sex outside of marriage – that doesn’t change anything. We promise to be celibate in singleness and faithful in marriage…