THIS ONLINE DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED BY THE STUDY COMMISSION ON DOCTRINE – SCOD. In the life of the church there are three levels of authoritative documents. Within the Free Methodist Church we define the three levels in this way: First Level is the BOOK OF DISCIPLINE: Official documents approved by the delegates at the General Conference. Second Level is the STUDY COMMISSION ON DOCTRINE: Guidance provided to the church by those assigned the task. These are not personal opinions, but are vetted by scholars who have various expertise. Though not binding on the church, they are meant to be helpful scholarly works. Third Level is this FREE METHODIST CONVERSATIONS. This online discussion is where various individuals express their own opinions about a variety of issues. These are not authoritative, nor are they necessarily meant as guidance, but God may use them to do so. There are SCOD documents on this site and the members of the SCOD will be participants. We are inviting the entire church to join the discussion. Our intention is not to limit discussion but to elevate it by assuring that God’s love and respect is always expressed. We will therefore post those comments which further our mutual understanding and assure that every person is being treated with dignity even when disagreement is being voiced. Specifically: 1. The SCOD encourages respectful, intelligent and impassioned discussion and debate. 2. The SCOD encourages a Wesleyan method of looking at the topic from a Scriptural perspective as well as that of Reason, Tradition and Experience. We recognize the Revelation of God in Scripture is our primary source of truth, with Reason, Tradition and Experience serving as supportive resources. 3. Any personal attack will keep the entire comment from being posted. This includes not only attacking others within this SCOD conversation but anyone within the larger secular or Christian world. 4. Any libelous, defamatory, profane, vulgar, threatening, harassing abusive, hateful, racially or ethnically objectionable comments will not be posted. 5. Any invasion of another’s privacy or any post that emulates or pretends to be someone else will not be posted. 6. This online conversation is not to be used to solicit or advertise personal blogs. 12. The SCOD, in our sole discretion, retains the right to remove individual posts or to revoke the access privileges of anyone who we believe has violated any of these standards. For more informal conversations with Free Methodists: LIGHT AND LIFE CONVERSATIONS – Facebook page LIGHT AND LIFE MAGAZINE – Facebook page – Online Issues FM RADIO – Facebook page or iTune episodes If there are any questions contact our moderator, Dr. Denny Wayman: dwayman@fmcsb.org.
Let’s discuss what we should be saying as Free Methodists – comment below.
In a recent article in RELEVANT magazine, Samantha Field asks the question: Why aren’t more Christians Outraged by Sexual Harassment Scandals? Turning the question on its head she walks with us through her own experience of rape and harassment and points out that in the church the objectification of women,
Love L. Sechrest teaches at Fuller Seminary. In this article she writes on Race Relations in the Church.
In this article she makes this observation:
“Indeed more often these days I find that I want to challenge the whole category of “racial reconciliation,” since I am now profoundly troubled by the phrase.
An academic work has been produced by Dr. Meagan Tyler which looks at the “pornographication of culture or the mainstreaming of pornography”. Though she is writing from a specific perspective that provides solutions with which we may or may not agree,
In a fascinating article at MISSIO ALIANCE the author explores how a male pastor exhibits a clear misunderstanding of the purpose and focus of the biblical book of Ruth. It is written by Carolyn Custis James,
In a recent article at one of our FM schools’ newspaper a student stated ““My identity has never been addressed…” This student is described by the author of the article: “When [student] first came to [the FM university] they’d still been in the closet.
The Cross and the Lynching Tree – by James H. Cone is a significant call on the church from a deeply connected theological truth. Here is part of the Introduction to his work and an explanation of how Dr.
Due to our FMC value of treating men and women with equality, some of this generalized study of the pay gap may not apply. However, there is much that does. Here is the conclusion of the article:
“Finding church-wide solutionsIn that vein,
In 1860 our Free Methodist founder, Benjamin Titus Roberts, wrote in the April EARNEST CHRISTIAN that:
Open opposition to all wrong and injustice is another element of Scriptural righteousness.
Celebrating and Supporting the Lifestyle and Gifts of Celibacy and Singleness
By: Cameron Shepherd Beyenberg
Identity and Isolation
On June 26, 2015 the Supreme Court of the United States of America (SCOTUS) decided with a 5-4 split decision that same-sex couples can legally and civilly marry in each state throughout the nation.