Rev. Dr. Julie Todd, the John Wesley Senior Adjunct Lecturer in Justice and Peace Studies at the Iliff School of Theology and a Love Prevails member, was invited to write a paper for a colloquy on Missio Dei and The United States: Toward a Faithful United Methodist Witness. This colloquy on mission was related to the Commission on The Way Forward and its work regarding human sexuality and unity of the church. More than 30 papers from seminary professors and bishops were presented and discussed.

Julie presented her paper, Nothing About Us Without Us: LGBTQ Liberation and The United Methodist Church, in Group 2 that also included four other professors and Bishops Scott Jones and Hope Morgan Ward. When the time came for the groups to report to the whole colloquy, Julie’s paper was highlighted (see Group 2 Summary below).

Five additional members of Love Prevails were present as observers and had their own impact.

You can have a signed paperback version of Julie’s paper by donating generously to Love Prevails https://loveprevailsumc.com/donate/ (click “Comment” and add your address) or purchase your own regular copy at https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-About-Without-Liberation-Methodist/dp/0991100557/.

Group 2 – main points or questions:

1. Julie Todd’s paper, and the pain associated with it, served as a catalyst for a deeper authentic, and honest conversation.
2. Do our conversations regarding the transformative restructuring of this denomination, or the forces that are seeking to diminish our community of social justice, lead to an increased feeling of despair or death? So, is this denomination fundamentally afraid of death? If so, do we no longer believe in resurrection or new life? In our struggle for life, who are we willing to sacrifice? What are the signs of life in our midst and what does being alive look like?
3. How do we keep the value of the “connection” without a hierarchical structure.
4. What is the nature of the table? Who is present at the table? Who gets to determine who is at the table? Why have the voices of the LGBTQ community not been included in the framing of this colloquy, the work of the Commission, and the larger UMC community? Breaking the rules of the colloquy led to the kind of conversation that emerged in this group, an in-breaking of the kindom.
5. We have to recognize that the process of the colloquy and the Commission is a system of intentional disempowerment of the LGBTQ community and the conversation itself. How can we talk about or act upon about a UMC Missio Dei without first acting upon this unjust reality in our system?
6. A malformed theology leads us to exclusion, but a well-formed generous theology of abundant love can lead us to a just welcome.
7. We have not articulated what the transformation of the world really means, what does it look like? How do we distinguish between colonial, violent, exclusionary forms of transformation from life-giving, loving, grace and Spirit-filled transformation?