Our Glorious Gospel

Answers For Today ^ | Chuck Smith

[CCWoody]

***Do you have even a clue who those people are?***

Yep! So far, you have demonstrated yourself to belong to Pelagius. If we discussed the Atonement, you would probably belong to Grotius. And, most of the rest of the non-Reformed Methodists to whom I've taked on this forum belong to Boyd. xzins even flirted with it himself for a while.

Woody.

[CCWoody]

***So what if vern is in error - do we smack him - or do we treat him in a manner that will garner a positive response?***

I know the favorite method among the luv bunch is to simply luv 'em. Perhaps you should continue to wink at his errors. I'm sure that will bring him around.

Woody.

[CARepubGal]

LOL! The jars o' venom would get a bit scary paired with banjos. :-) What I found interesting was that the snake handlers simply went by the title Holiness. So they sort of picked up some of the Methodist (including all offshoots) teachings but liked the snakes too much to give them up.

[Corin Stormhands]

Besides - they freak when we yank out the rattlers and king snakes

Hey! That's my line!

[CARepubGal]

Sounds like something out of Sci Fi.

[Revelation 911]

You're arguing that a good smack never garners a positive response?

did your father start with kind words and gentle correction or did he break out the wooden spoon immediately?

Alex - It's generally not a good starting point though

I dont rule it out - shouldnt be a first course of action though

now a spanking is something else entirely ;-P- grrrr baby

[Revelation 911]

I know the favorite method among the luv bunch is to simply luv 'em. Perhaps you should continue to wink at his errors. I'm sure that will bring him around.

always the sassy one -

hey - If I whack him - would he be "method-dissed"?

[Revelation 911]

Hey! That's my line!

props to corin in the 'hood

[Vernon]

Well Woody, since you seem to know so much about us, I would refer you to the Book of Discipline, Part II. Our Doctrinal Standards and Theological Task Par. 14, Section 4, "Our Ecumenical Commitment," to wit:

Ecumenical Commitment

Christian unity is founded on the theological understanding that through faith in Jesus Christ we are made members-in-common of the one body of Christ. Christian unity is not an option; it is a gift to be received and expressed.

United Methodists respond to the theological, biblical, and practical mandates for Christian unity by firmly committing ourselves to the cause of Christian unity at local, national, and world levels. We invest ourselves in many ways by which mutual recognition of churches, of members, and of ministries may lead us to sharing in Holy Communion with all of God’s people.

Knowing that denominational loyalty is always subsumed in our life in the church of Jesus Christ, we welcome and celebrate the rich experience of United Methodist leadership in church councils and consultations, in multilateral and bilateral dialogues, as well as in other forms of ecumenical convergence that have led to the healing of churches and nations.

We see the Holy Spirit at work in making the unity among us more visible.

Concurrently, we have entered into serious interfaith encounters and explorations between Christians and adherents of other living faiths of the world. Scripture calls us to be both neighbors and witnesses to all peoples. Such encounters require us to reflect anew on our faith and to seek guidance for our witness among neighbors of other faiths. We then rediscover that the God who has acted in Jesus Christ for the salvation of the whole world is also the Creator of all humankind, the One who is "above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:6).

As people bound together on one planet, we see the need for a self-critical view of our own tradition and accurate appreciation of other traditions. In these encounters, our aim is not to reduce doctrinal differences to some lowest common denominator of religious agreement, but to raise all such relationships to the highest possible level of human fellowship and understanding.

We labor together with the help of God toward the salvation, health, and peace of all people. In respectful conversations and in practical cooperation, we confess our Christian faith and strive to display the manner in which Jesus Christ is the life and hope of the world.

Conclusion

Doctrine arises out of the life of the Church—its faith, its worship, its discipline, its conflicts, its challenges from the world it would serve.

Evangelism, nurture, and mission require a constant effort to integrate authentic experience, rational thought, and purposeful action with theological integrity.

A convincing witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can contribute to the renewal of our faith, bring persons to that faith, and strengthen the Church as an agent of healing and reconciliation.

This witness, however, cannot fully describe or encompass the mystery of God. Though we experience the wonder of God’s grace at work with us and among us, and though we know the joy of the present signs of God’s kingdom, each new step makes us more aware of the ultimate mystery of God, from which arises a heart of wonder and an attitude of humility. Yet we trust that we can know more fully what is essential for our participation in God’s saving work in the world, and we are confident in the ultimate unfolding of God’s justice and mercy.

In this spirit we take up our theological task. We endeavor through the power of the Holy Spirit to understand the love of God given in Jesus Christ. We seek to spread this love abroad. As we see more clearly who we have been, as we understand more fully the needs of the world, as we draw more effectively upon our theological heritage, we will become better equipped to fulfill our calling as the people of God.

Now to God who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. —Ephesians 3:20-21 (based on RSV)

[Vernon]

Go ahead, try it. What ever you think will make you "right."

[Wrigley]

Would you let a Bhuddist or a mormon or a JW lead a public prayer in one of your ecumenical meetings?

[CARepubGal]

I see a bit of the Great Commission there but not a word about fellowshipping. On a more mundane level, If you do fellowship with Mormons (JW's won't get involved at all), then why not add Wiccan priestesses, Satanists, Vodoun practicioners and all manner of different beliefs in the name of diversity to the acceptable list? You could very easily twist the BoD's admonitions and make that work if you were so inclined. That is a bad road to go down and is what the Confessing Churches seem to be trying to stop. Xzins? Am I correct?

[Revelation 911]

if you were so inclined.

youre quibbling over degrees of separation

are they both lost....yes

Is the mormon roughly hardwired for the program.....yes

Is the wiccan.......no

The big giggle in free methodism is that RC make fine converts, as they are already wired

all it takes is that epiphany / rebirth

I say that with no derision of course

[Vernon]

On a more mundane level, If you do fellowship with Mormons (JW's won't get involved at all), then why not add Wiccan priestesses, Satanists, Vodoun practicioners and all manner of different beliefs in the name of diversity to the acceptable list? You could very easily twist the BoD's admonitions and make that work if you were so inclined. That is a bad road to go down and is what the Confessing Churches seem to be trying to stop.

Sorry, but that does not deserve an answer. This has long ago reached the point of pure absurdity in an effort to put somebody down, and I will not be part of it.

[Revelation 911]

that said - I wouldnt be comfortable in "fellowship" with either

[CARepubGal]

How is that an insult? I think you are personalizing a question and twisting it to become more than it is. Do you consider Wiccans appropriate candidates for fellowshipping? Mormon belief and Wiccan belief are really similar.

[snerkel]

Uhhh...What are you trying to say?

The UMC does not view Mormon belief as being Christian. Plain enough for ya?

[CARepubGal]

Agreed.

[Corin Stormhands]

The UMC does not view Mormon belief as being Christian. Plain enough for ya?

Without my going all the way back thru the thread again, did Vern ever say they did? I saw him saying that he would not turn them away from a community worship service.

I didn't see him asking them to sing in the choir or serve as deacons. In fact I think he was pretty clear about that.

[CCWoody]

***The UMC does not view Mormon belief as being Christian. Plain enough for ya?***

You need to put it in a song and get it into his Sola Hymnala.

Woody.