{"id":15847,"date":"2018-01-11T21:18:07","date_gmt":"2018-01-12T05:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=15847"},"modified":"2018-01-12T07:50:51","modified_gmt":"2018-01-12T15:50:51","slug":"schism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/schism\/","title":{"rendered":"Schism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bebbington\u2019s renowned efforts to define Evangelicalism – including tenets of conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism \u2013 (interestingly terms not even recognized by spellcheck) and pay homage to a \u201cneglected\u201d British sect are comprehensive and enlightening.[1]<\/a> I would be remiss, however, if I didn\u2019t admit that England\u2019s very own John Wesley – and his creation of Methodism highlighted by Bebbington – caught my attention and became the focus of this review.\u00a0 You see, I am a United Methodist.\u00a0 I was born into the United Methodist Church, was baptized and confirmed a United Methodist, and am a member and engaged participant in my community United Methodist Church.\u00a0 And why is this relevant?\u00a0 In case you haven\u2019t heard, the UNITED Methodists are embroiled in a near division – \u201cThe Christian denomination is considering schism, largely over LGBT issues.\u201d[2]<\/a> As I follow this bitter denominational conflict, I\u2019m intrigued by Bennington\u2019s definition of Evangelicalism and how it can applied to the Methodist belief system \u2013 those both for LGBTQ inclusion and those against.<\/p>\n

One thing is clear\u2026United Methodists at their core are evangelical! From its beginnings, \u201cMethodism has always been part of, and often at the vanguard of the broader movement within Protestant Christianity called “evangelicalism.”[3]<\/a>\u00a0 According to UMC.org \u201cDeclaring the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ offered freely to all who wish to receive it is at the very heart of who we are as United Methodists. We declare that good news with the expectation that it will lead persons to an experience of conversion, of “entirely turning over” their lives to God by becoming disciples of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. And we expect that all disciples of Jesus Christ are transforming the culture in which they find themselves, individually and collectively, as they bear witness to and become agents of the work of God’s kingdom in the world. We are evangelical!\u201d[4]<\/a>\u00a0 When analyzing the four tenets of Evangelicalism against the Methodist denomination, perhaps the concept of Biblicism is the area in which two factions of United Methodists cannot agree.\u00a0 Because, according to Bebbington, Biblicism is a particular regard for the Bible.\u00a0 Opposers of LGBTQ inclusion would likely point to the deeper issues of Biblical truth and interpretation as their foundation of their stance. A counter argument one might make is discussed in Bebbington\u2019s Chapter 9, Time and Change\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

In thought provoking statements, Bebbington concludes that \u201ccultural context, not economics or politics, does most to explain the shape of Evangelical religion.\u201d[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Bebbington goes on to say that \u201ctrends\u201d in Evangelicalism were shaped by \u201cshifts in cultural mood\u201d that altered orientation of the population.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 Social class, intellectual climate and education, and cultural influence have modified Evangelicalism for hundreds of years. The theoretical concept of \u201cdiffusion\u201d is the idea that socially and intellectually elite groups absorb new ideas and \u201cfresh attitudes\u201d which is eventually \u201cdiffused\u201d to lower class, less educated people.\u00a0 This diffusion process explains periods of time in history (and presently in the Methodist faith) where division\/conflict spurred by deep theological debate is a cultural wave or attitude which hasn\u2019t yet fully diffused from one class to another.\u00a0 This same idea is further explored in \u201cspacial diffusion\u201d which is specific to urban\/rural locations and the \u201cdiffering degrees of proximity to the sources of fresh waves of opinion.\u201d[7]<\/a> You could easily connect the United States current political climate of the rural vs. urban support of President Trump.\u00a0 A visual map clearly indicates urban sects support a more liberal leader while rural areas are staunch supporters of a conservative leader.<\/p>\n

Brian Harris writes a thought provoking review (Beyond Bebbington:\u00a0 The Quest for Evangelical Identity in a Postmodern Era) <\/em>of Bebbington\u2019s text.\u00a0 Harris suggests that it may be \u201cappropriate to move beyond\u201d Bebbington\u2019s definitions of Evangelicalism, to embark on a quest for evangelical identity that will be better suited to a postmodern era.\u201d[8]<\/a>\u00a0 Harris shifts between theological and sociological lenses.\u00a0 Having recently read and reviewed Contemporary Social Theory<\/em> by Elliott, I appreciate Harris\u2019 open-mindedness to trying to understand sociological influences in today\u2019s world.\u00a0 Harris also references Stanley Grenz\u2019s model for theological construction as \u201crepresentative of the move\u201d to a marked shift in the attitude of evangelicals of the Bible.[9]<\/a> \u00a0Harris eventually concludes that Evangelicalism is indeed a success \u2013 it is the \u201cthe largest and most actively committed form of Christianity in the West.\u201d[10]<\/a> However, he still challenges the reader to consider a \u201creimagination\u201d of evangelicalism in which \u201cdiverse constituencies capture a vision of what it might mean to be missional communities of invitation, welcome, and embrace.\u201d[11]<\/a> In essence, applying Bebbington\u2019s principals to constructively move beyond them.<\/p>\n

In his 1767 sermon “The Witness of the Spirit” Wesley preached that Methodists \u2014 by God\u2019s blessing \u2014 had recovered \u201cthis great evangelical truth.\u201d Wesley explained the truth is \u201cthat we are the children of God.\u201d The proper response to this truth, he said, \u201cis the fruit of the Spirit: namely, \u2018love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness.\u2019 \u201d[12]<\/a> And this teaching and preaching of John Wesley is why I am committed to my personal belief system and United Methodist denomination.\u00a0 Are we battling spiritual warfare in this LGBTQ conflict?\u00a0 Absolutely!\u00a0 But it is requiring believers to return to their Bible, engage in deep spiritual and theological discussions and prayerfully discern a future for the denomination.\u00a0 As we know so well \u2013 and value – iron sharpens iron!<\/p>\n

The Body of Christ \u2013 believers \u2013 should be encouraging and edifying one another. When they do, they are like iron sharpening iron. Each believer becomes more effective in his calling. He comes to know God more and to more effectively carry out the good works for which he has been made. Ephesians 2:10\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0David Bebbington, Evangelicalism In Modern Britain<\/em>. (London: Routledge. 1993).<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/politics\/archive\/2016\/05\/divided-methodist-church-lgbt\/483396\/<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> http:\/\/www.umc.org\/what-we-believe\/is-the-concept-saved-born-again-unique-to-evangelicals-or-baptists<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> http:\/\/www.umc.org\/what-we-believe\/is-the-concept-saved-born-again-unique-to-evangelicals-or-baptists<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Bebbington, Evangelicalism<\/em>. pg272<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Bebbington, Evangelicalism<\/em>. pg272<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Bebbington, Evangelicalism<\/em>. pg274<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Brian Harris. Beyond Bebbington:\u00a0 The Quest for Evangelical Identify.<\/em> Churchman 122, no.3(2008): 201-219<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Harris, Beyond Bebbington<\/em> pg207<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> Harris, Beyond Bebbington<\/em> pg212<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> Harris, Beyond Bebbington<\/em> pg212<\/p>\n

[12]<\/a> http:\/\/www.umc.org\/news-and-media\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-evangelical<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bebbington\u2019s renowned efforts to define Evangelicalism – including tenets of conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism \u2013 (interestingly terms not even recognized by spellcheck) and pay homage to a \u201cneglected\u201d British sect are comprehensive and enlightening.[1] I would be remiss, however, if I didn\u2019t admit that England\u2019s very own John Wesley – and his creation of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99,"featured_media":15848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12],"class_list":["post-15847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bebbington","cohort-lgp8"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15847","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/99"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15847"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15847\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15865,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15847\/revisions\/15865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}