Ecumenical Methodism?

I am reading Thomas Oden's Doctrinal Standards in the Wesleyan Tradition. In one section, Oden notes that for all the ecumenical talk between the United Methodist Church and the various mainline denominations, there is almost no dialogue between the UMC and those who are nearer theological "family." This is despite the fact that the UMC and the other denominations within the Wesleyan/Holiness theological tradition actually have nearly-identical doctrinal standards.

I am not sure what it says about those ecumenical leaders--or some of our laity--that similar socio-political views are viewed as more important to the cause of unity than similar doctrines. The UMC's ecumenical leaders look to the ELCA, the United Church of Christ, and the Protestant Episcopal Church with their similarly-declining memberships and liberal social activism with higher regard than they do the Free Methodists, The Wesleyan Church or the Church of the Nazarene.

Are similar behavior, social standing and social views really more important than shared doctrine? I understand that some more conservative Wesleyan denominations have socially conservative rules like 'no dancing' or forbid the wearing of gold, but do they value these rules more than they value sound Wesleyan doctrine? And do we value our liberty to dance and wear gold more than shared communion with them? What would be the harm of engaging them in dialogue, as we do our brethren among America's "Seven Sisters"?

Disciple minus the discipline

I recently finished reading a book called Mainline Or Methodist?, by Dr Scott Kisker.

The title of my journal has to do with my own trials in attempting to live the life of a Methodist, of a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. I had thought that my travails were my own, and that there were other Methodists (be they Free, United or any other stripe) who did follow that 'method', but this book had me thinking. The discipline of the United Methodist Church has certainly become lax in the days since it was the Methodist Episcopal Church of Francis Asbury, Peter Cartwright or Lorenzo Dow, and this book illustrates that perhaps there are far more 'methodless' Methodists out there than simply me.

With this in mind, I find myself wondering how much discipline I can bear--and how much is required. It is a matter of counting the cost all over again, of choosing again to go beyond what it comfortable in seeking the Lord's face. I don't know which decision I will make at any given moment, and it is a moment-by-moment discipleship, but I pray that it is toward the Lord and not away.

I also wonder how we can restore Methodism to its halcyon days, when it was first charged with (as Wesley put it) its "grand depositum," to "reform the continent and spread scriptural holiness across the lands." I think discipline must be restored, and accountability. Dr Kisker thinks that it would require the restoration of the class/band concept, small accountability groups where everyone was expected to live by the rather-strict General Rules and to be open to confess their own sins while responding in love, grace and forgiveness to the sins of others.

I know my church has Renovare Spiritual Formation groups that meet every week, and I wonder whether this would not serve the same function. I wonder, and I wish they didn't meet so early in the morning (6:45 AM). I may drag myself out of bed early one morning and go. I--the true me that has been redeemed by the Lord--want to follow where my Lord bids me. As the old hymn puts it, "Nearer, my God, to thee / E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me."

Faith Is The Evidence of Things Not Seen

I was reading chapter 7 of A.W. Tozer's classic The Pursuit of God, "The Gaze of the Soul." In it, Tozer says that "In the Scriptures there is practically no effort made to define faith," and then goes on to state that where faith is discussed, it is faith in operation rather than faith in essence. The story of Israel's unbelief and God commanding Moses to make a brass serpent in Numbers is brought up, and Christ's connection to it when he says "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). Faith, Tozer says, is the gaze of the soul upon its Savior. No theoretical definition is offered; only the practical definition.

I think that it actually satisfies the theoretical definition of saving faith, too. Faith is trust in Jesus Christ's power and desire to save not just anyone, but specifically me. John Wesley's Aldersgate experience, from which he marked his life as a born-again child of God, saw his heart "strangely warmed, and I felt that Christ died for my sins, even mine."

Faith is not just the abstract "Jesus saves," but specifically, "Jesus saved me."