Politics as (un)usual

First published in The Daily Sentinel, Friday, April 4, 2008

Be prepared for some heavy-handed political maneuvering. Accusations and counter-accusations may fly from both the right and the left. One side may accuse another other of losing touch with their basic human compassion. Meanwhile, that other side will point fingers back for not remaining truly loyal to their commitments. It may get very ugly before it’s over.

Think I’m talking about the Pennsylvania Democratic primaries? Nope. National conventions in August and September? Nada. General presidential election in November? Not even close. I am referring to the once-every-four-years gathering of United Methodist Church leaders from around the world for what we call the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. It’s happening down in Fort Worth, Texas at the end of April, but the politics are already going on.

Allow me to do a quick “UM 101” for all those who are not United Methodists (and maybe even for a few that are). The United Methodist Church is a world-wide church, with congregations not only in the United States but across Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well. They are organized into Annual Conferences, and the Annual Conferences elect delegates to represent them at General Conference – that quadrennial gathering referred to above. Here in Ohio, United Methodists are organized into two Annual Conferences – East Ohio and West Ohio – loosely based on geographic boundaries. I say “loosely” because Meigs County belongs to the West Ohio Conference even though its in the southeastern corner of the state.

United Methodists also have a document known as the “Book of Discipline.” This book is our covenant agreement as United Methodist Christians for how we are organized, how we conduct ministry, and what the processes are for joining the church, becoming pastors, and almost everything else that one could possibly imagine. It also contains the rules for what to do when things go wrong, with lots of definitions of what those wrong things include. Every four years during General Conference, what’s in the Book of Discipline can be completely altered, amended or deleted by vote of the delegates.

What if someone thinks something in the Discipline is wrong and wants to change it? And what if someone else thinks that the Discipline is just fine without change? And what if another person wants to change that something, but in a different way that the first person? It gets complicated.

Now multiply that “someone” by just short of 1000 – that’s the number of delegates at General Conference – and multiply the “something” by more than 1500 – that’s the number of suggested changes to the Discipline that they will have to deal with. Now it is more than complicated – it’s politics!!

I wish I could say that church politics is handled more gracefully than governmental politics. But everyone who’s been to a church meeting when there’s something controversial being decided knows the truth: church politics can be pretty mean. People can get so focused on what they think about the issue that they no longer listen to anyone else. And when convinced of being absolutely “right” about the issue, they can become harsh, condemning or condescending to anyone who doesn’t agree. So when two “rights” are diametrically opposed to one another, no one listens, everyone yells, and decisions are based on majority rule rather than prayerful consensus. We have “winners” and “losers”, but the truth is really that no one wins.

We cannot get away from politics. And I much prefer political fights to fist-fights or all-out war. And, yes, there are some things that really are more right than others – even when popular opinion says otherwise. God has declared some things to be right and others to be wrong. Consider the Ten Commandments, or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 1, offers a list of wrongs that may be less well known, but is certainly to the point:

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all kinds of godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. They not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

Paul’s words are not pretty; but his words describe us! Yes, I include myself in that description. And if you are honest with yourself, you will admit to it, too. Even as Christians, we can fall into the trap of reverting to old behaviors and old ways of thinking that look like Paul’s list of wrongs, unless we remember to include God and follow God in all of our decision-making and actions.

What happens when we do put God first? Paul tells us what that looks like in Romans 12:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Honor one another above yourselves. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if politics could be conducted the way Paul tells us to behave as Christians? Of course, in governmental politics; but especially in church politics! So that’s my prayer for our General Conference: that the delegates from all sides will depend on God first and put Romans 12 into practice, leaving behind the more common but wrong practices of Romans 1. Even if you aren’t United Methodist, would you join me in that prayer? And I’m happy to pray it for your church, too!