I am out of synch as lots of things to blog on - but this one is fresh.
Today I was taken for a visit to Indian country by a church member and her sister and brother in law - who is a retired Methodist minister here in North Carolina. The Indian stuff can come later, but we had some chats about Methodist ways and jurisdiction here in America. I have also been reflecting on the Bible studies I have been leading here each Wed - on key topics rather than specific passages, including how we view the Bible and last night on marriage across the Bible, and since.
In the UK I can in theory be stationed anywhere in the country, I trained with people from a range of backgrounds and theological positions, in Methodism and other denominations. Here I would be based in a Conference that may cover only a state, or in NC only half a state, and yes the geography in the US is vast so that still is a significant area. But it seems that crossovers between different Conferences of the United Methodist Church whilst possible are very rare.
This means that the Bible belt is served by those who grew up in it; and the liberal New Yorkers only meet their own type too. When you read of a denomination tearing itself apart over issues I am left wondering if being too vast to have a mix between different views of scripture and the world leaves a weakened church less able to work out the tensions of living with its differences.
As we in the UK wrestle with similar matters, I think we have a strength in that we mix and mingle enough to be exposed to a range of theological positions, so do we stand a better chance of living with and working out our differences?
It will still be a challenge, but when we have to meet and live with one another, we stand a better chance.
