The seeds for the Wesleyan Covenant Association have been growing for a long time. It’s important to trace the efforts which have led to its creation of a new Wesleyan denomination.
1966: One Against the Many
The WCA consistently uses narratives of institutional oppression, “one against the many” and rallying language of minority status. This is a throwback to its origins in the 1960s.
Rev. Charles Keysor was the originator of the Good News Magazine and eventual caucus group for conservative advocacy in The United Methodist Church. His first article (calling for the creation of Good News) was a 1966 article entitled “Methodism’s Silent Minority: A Voice For Orthodoxy”
Orthodoxy seems destined to remain as Methodism’s silent minority. Here lies the challenge: We who are orthodox must become the un-silent minority! Orthodoxy must shed its “poor cousin” inferiority complex and enter forthrightly into the current theological debate. We who are orthodox must boldly declare our understanding of Christian truth, as God has given these convictions to us. We must speak in love and with prophetic fearlessness, and must be prepared to suffer.
Keysor’s article was a rallying cry for who he perceived to be an ideological group that he could claim minority status. For straight white men, ideological minorities are the only form of a minority that they can often claim. In the days before the Internet made such connections easily, Keysor made it possible for folks of a particular ideology to gather arguments and become convicted by shared value literature. This became the Good News Magazine, published out of his basement and now housed out of a megachurch in Texas.
In order to galvanize his minority group, they needed to target and antagonize other minority groups. In 1974, in an editorial in Good News Magazine titled “Confronting the Cults,” Keysor lays out his opposition to minority groups doing theology informed by their identity:
“One of the most common forms of humanism is minority mania–the preoccupation by the church with minorities which represent only a small fraction of the whole membership…this variety of humanism replaces God as the primary object of love and concern with “sexist” obsession and “racist” obsession over being white, black, yellow, red, or brown-skinned.
The opposition to “minority mania” continues from 1974 to today as the Renewal and Reform Coalition members regularly criticize feminist, womanist, latino and black liberation, queer, and other theologies that speak about God out of their ethnicity, gender, and identity instead of in spite of them. While clearly there are significant numbers of ethnic minorities and women who are part of the Reform and Renewal Coalition today, that doesn’t negate the Coalition’s suspicion of those who do theology primarily from those identities.
In conclusion, the predecessors and current largest reform group supporting the WCA is an ideologically driven coalition of like-mindedness operating in The United Methodist Church. It began by bullying other minority groups in a “Lord of the Flies” attempt to create power in The UMC, much like the “minority” Traditionalists have repeatedly attacked LGBTQ inclusion advocates (a much smaller minority party in The UMC).
1970s: Withholding Denominational Support
Since The UMC began, this like-minded movement began to antagonize not just other minority groups but the institution of United Methodism itself, both by withholding church tithes and eventually creating a parallel denomination.
It became a regular tactic of those opposed to LGBT Inclusion in the UMC to withhold or threaten to withhold Apportionments. ( see previous post )
- In 1969, the United Methodist student magazine motive published an article on LGBT issues. Local churches withheld their apportionments in protest (or threatened to withhold) and eventually motive magazine was removed from the GBHEM and made into an independent entity. It lasted two more issues and then folded.
- In 1979, five Nashville-area churches withheld their apportionments in protest of the GBOD’s “Sexuality Forums” which included videos on LGBT issues. The forums were then dissolved at the 1980 General Conference.
- In 1990, Bethany UMC in Eastern PA conference withheld its apportionments in protest of a abortion-related issue , donating that money instead to a pregnancy crisis center for one or two years.
- In 1998, First UMC in Marietta, Georgia, at the insistence of the IRD’s UMAction rightwing advocacy, decided to withhold its apportionments to the general church agencies (ie. General Administration, World Service Fund, MEF, etc) in response to the Jimmy Creech trial and its own “special task force” in its church that researched and cataloged all the doctrinal breaches of the meta-church leadership
- They resumed their apportionments that same year after further review of the finances of the General Agencies and the news report includes a comment that “UMAction had their facts incorrect.” Now THAT’s a news flash! Ha!
- In 2004, St. Peters UMC in the North Carolina conference sent a letter to their new bishop threatening to withhold apportionments due to sexuality disagreements.
- In 2011, as a response to the clergy who pledged to offer same-sex marriages, the authors of the FaithfulUMC petition repeatedly threatened that if the Bishops did not condemn those clergy that the denominations’ largest churches will begin withholding apportionments.
- In 2014, among other churches, Mt. Bethel UMC in Georgia withheld over $200,000 of its apportionments and pledged to withhold the entirety of its 2015 apportionment in response to what they believed to be “wholly unsatisfactory” inaction on the part of the Council of Bishops to recent controversies within the denomination.
- In 2019, the Wesleyan Covenant Association created the Central Conference Fund, a container for churches to withhold their apportionments and funnel that money to the WCA directly.
For decades, those affiliated with the Renewal and Reform coalition (Good News and other conservative organizations) have withheld denominational money in attempts to prosecute and antagonize other minorities (mostly LGBTQ inclusion advocates). And now in 2020, they want to take the money from these denominational structures to form their own anew.
1980s: Shadow Denomination Structures
The 1980s were an explosion of traditionalist efforts to operate parallel denominational resources without oversight or accountability.
Through the Mission Society ( 1984 parallel to the General Board of Global Missions), Bristol House Books ( 1987 parallel to Abingdon), and the RENEW network ( 1989 tiny supplemental parallel to UM Women), traditionalists created a parallel structure that provided books, women’s fellowship, and missionaries for congregations to support outside of United Methodist oversight, accountability, or connectional leadership. The parallel entities in the 1980s gave the narrative that they were to support the persecuted, downtrodden conservative minority.
After being quiet for two decades, during the past seven years, the ratcheting up of conservative alternative entities has intensified. The Methodist Crossroads ( 2014 ), Seedbed ( 2012 – which later took the ashes of Bristol Books under its wings), New Room Conference ( 2014 – to sell Seedbed books & promote their speakers), and now the Wesleyan Covenant Association ( March 2016 ) all came about during this same period. The past seven years have consolidated the gains and efforts of the 1980s into a parallel network of missionaries, books, revival meetings, and seminaries, with the WCA to rule them all …and in the darkness, bind them.
For decades, those affiliated with the Renewal and Reform coalition (Good News and other conservative organizations) have created a parallel infrastructure to The United Methodist Church, siphoning donations, talent, pastors and laity away from UMC causes and authority and to their own. And now in 2020, they want to take the money from these denominational structures to form their own anew.
Interlude: The IRD’s attack on social witness
I don’t have nearly enough pixels to write about the Institute on Religion and Democracy’s decades-long attack on The UMC, which began in 1981.
Basically, a group including prominent neo-conservative Catholics started an organization to target three protestant denominations and undermine their social witness. As the video of their history tells us, if they could destroy the organized social witness of the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and United Methodists, they could strike a blow to all the social justice struggles in America.
I cannot spend time here today, but this stream is an important one to understand the raw amount of money and antagonism that has gone into undermining United Methodism in ways far more substantial than LGBTQ inclusion advocates ever have.
Watch the video. Get informed.
2004: the WCA as a means to an end
A 2004 strategy document (that we previously discussed here) names a variety of ways how Good News (remember them from 1966?) could transform The United Methodist Church to their liking.
One of their five pathways was Voluntary Departure–which became 12 years later the Wesleyan Covenant Association–which had like-minded churches leave The UMC as “a new formal network” for a new denomination.
However, this pathway was undesirable because:
“It may require some congregations to leave their property behind (although one hopes a large enough critical mass of those departing could work around this problem). It also leaves the United Methodist denomination somewhat intact, with the accumulation of resources to potentially continue for decades on a progressively revisionist track.”
The UMC is so offensive to this group that leaving is not enough, it must be destroyed. So this tactic had to be changed to allow the exiting group to take as much money as possible from the UMC.
Hence the WCA’s support of the Indianapolis Plan, especially the amendments on asset division: they need to take as much money, people, and property from The UMC so that the leftovers are less able to advocate for social justice for other minorities.
2016: the seeds of a new denomination
Finally, the founding documents of The WCA, which were filed before the 2016 General Conference, leave out any mention of United Methodism in their legal documents, even though they added that in the public framing of their organization. Read more here.
In 2019, the WCA has created its own Book of Discipline, its own fund for Central Conferences, and many of the seeds to be able to receive the millions of dollars in siphoned funds if the Indianapolis Plan is passed.
Conclusion
The narrative of by the Wesleyan Covenant Association is they are the triumphant majority within United Methodism that wants to separate themselves from the wayward minority. We should just be at peace and go our separate ways.
But tracing the published history of this perspective in The UMC yields a different one: one of a minority group which laid siege to United Methodism, withheld money, people, property, and participation in connectionalism, biding their time and raising the temperature in the church until it boiled over in 2019, and now they are the best placed to seize the super-majority of a denomination’s resources in a crisis they created, leaving the burned-out husk aside.
It is important to frame this history accurately and outline the myriad efforts over the years to lead us to this moment. And to ask both supporters and wallflowers alike if the ends justify the means. These questions must be asked now, because to the victor goes the spoils in 2020, and then any questions of ethics of how the money got to their coffers will be silenced.
It is less a peaceful separation than a takeover and expulsion of progressive social witness from the world stage by ending a global denomination–a global denomination that progressives and conservatives created together that Traditionalists (and Liberationists) want to render asunder.
All is not without hope, and we’ll return to the hopeful efforts in another post (this one is far too long). But a clear analysis of how history is in conflict with the current narratives was needed today.
Your turn
Thoughts?
Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing on social media.
Sometimes I just want to weep. I have always been willing to share my pew with traditionalists; in hope that they will either see the light or simply return the favor. I simply don’t understand how they can say they believe in God’s love and grace and not affirm it in their actions. Truly if they have come to a parting of the way with the rest of us; why destroy what they want to leave? Nothing about that implies love or grace.
I am happy to read about this far right group that I was not aware of. I am happy to be in lightened so that I am for warned and not be taken in by these “lost ones”. I am also grateful that I am part of a UMC congregation that loves all unconditionally!
We have often referred to “growing pains” as size or a increase in numbers concept. But now we are dealing with significant idealogical growth of many members. This reflects society, demographics, and political changes. The challenge is to try to interpret scripture to new situations with integrity. It has taken a lifetime of learning and growth for me to think as I do now ( education, career, family, etc.) It takes TIME to evolve consensus. Let’s not push it.
The hatefulness resting at the foundation of the reasoning which sustains this segment of the Methodist church should be repugnant to every follower of Jesus. Just reading about it made me want to take a shower to be sure the negativeness of being reared in the Methodist church is not clinging to me. For sure that negativity and exclusiveness has helped spur me toward a progressive spirit.
One correction. The Indianapolis Plan may be endorsed by the WCA but it was written by a coalition of Traditionalists, Centrists and Progressives. Many progressive churches also are seeking a way to new expressions of Methodism that are fully inclusive. Your commentary is misleading giving the impression that it’s only Traditionalists who want out. Many progressives want an expression of Methodism where all churches support full inclusion of LGBTQ+ United Methodists without a vote that would allow UM churches to continue discrimination.
No, the Indianapolis Plan does not end the UMC but continues its witness and ministry among up to three loosely bound United Methodist Church. Centrists would be the continuing core of United Methodism and retain ties with the agencies of the church. The Indianapolis Plan is just not an escape route for Traditionalists. Read it fully.
“Jeremy” and “misleading” are frequent colleagues.
If you offered the WCA to retain their property (but required pension liabilities and outstanding loans), but excluded the general agency funding, you’d be laughed out of the room. They think they have a claim on those funds.
That money would allow them to hold Africa and the Filipino conferences close. They will burn the house down before they stop grasping at those funds.
Thank you for this very comprehensive history. I have watched for many years the growth of what is now the WCA but did not understand fully the deviousness in their ways. I fully understand that anti-LGBTQ is only their outward appearance, they really want to go back to a time long ago where white MEN were dominant. Interestingly, I commented such on a posting of theirs a year or so ago and the hate that was thrown at me was awful. I firmly believe that we need to love ALL and treat ALL the same. We need to move out into the world in love, not white hate. Thanks, and may God be with us all in May at GC. Blessings
Could you be specific about that post? What was the platform? I would like to read those comments.
I am a 87 year old United Methodist, having been a member of the same congregation since 1942..I have followed the troubling process ever since WCA can into existence (power) My UM Church is now a Reconciling Ministries Network Church..In fact a area meeting of WCA was at our Church..It was there that my wife asked the question: Is homosexuality biological or a learned lifestyle..The WCA representative said “we don’t discuss that question”.. I asked the same question on the WCA website and still a refusal to answer..WHY !!.. Can someone answer that question for me, or will it be avoided again..
I would suggest that the question is not germane. It is the endorsement of the practice, not the condition, of homosexuality that is the issue.
There is no doubt in my mind that the WCA is corrupt and of evil intent. The conservatives will destroy our denomination and our country.
I would disagree with this, even though I am opposed to the WCA.
I would suggest that the vast majority of the people who are aligned with the WCA are devout, good people.
I think there are a few who are in power and who use their influence to retain/increase power. They may be theologically traditionalist and wholly believe that they are doing the right thing, but those interests are also wholly aligned with their personal goals. They think they hear the whisper of God, but it’s much more likely to just be their own dark reflection doing the whispering.
And they use their influence with the ‘common folk’ to achieve their goals.
Your second paragraph, omitting the word “traditionalist”, fits the description of the COB to perfection.
That is the true cause of distrust in the institution known as the UMC.
Sorry, meant to say third paragraph
I can see how you would think so.
“If you offered the WCA to retain their property (but required pension liabilities and outstanding loans), but excluded the general agency funding, you’d be laughed out of the room.”
Money and power, David. Money and power.
Here’s your paragraph rewritten as I commented (perhaps you didn’t understand my reply):
I think there are a few who are in power and who use their influence to retain/increase power. The CoB may be theological and wholly believe that they are doing the right thing, but those interests are also wholly aligned with their personal goals. They think they hear the whisper of God, but it’s much more likely to just be their own dark reflection doing the whispering.
Money and power, JR. Money and power.
I think we agree that is the root of all evil and it infects every facet of the UMC,
No Dave, I got it.
From my perspective, I’m much more accepting of the CoB as they stand – while there certainly have been some bad actors or instances, overall I haven’t seen the troubles that you imply. There’s an institutionalist factor in the UMC/CoB that is common to any large organization – that does oppose some reforms that would be beneficial.
But the answer isn’t to burn it down or carve it up. I do see that impulse quite clearly in everything I’ve seen from the WCA side of the house. There’s a dark streak there, tapping into negative emotions that would make Jesus weep.
Perhaps that’s my personal bias, perhaps not. But I read a lot of the publicized points and commentary, from as many perspectives as I can get.
The IRD, that hive of scum and villainy, has performed steeplejacking once again.
As a 2010 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary who is anti-WCA and theologically “centrist” I challenge the idea that New Room (Seedbed) is covered in darkness and only promoting their own writers/speakers. I’ve been to 5 out of the 6 conferences and this is a profound misrepresentation of their goal. I invite you to join us next September. You will be blessed by it.
Illuminati… I mean the WCA confirmed…
Oh please! As a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church who has been monitoring the development of this situation since GC2012, I would call the UMC many things, but healthy is nowhere close to being on the list! Cats with your tails tied together who could not agree on the best way to get out of a paper bag is what comes to my mind. I don’t trust any of you because you are all part of the system that you have either been fighting for or against for way too long. A church that has degenerated into theological factions squabbling for position and control is not only an extremely unhealthy church, it comes nowhere close to being an authentic expression of Christianity of the Wesleyan/Methodist persuasion. It is an unholy mess and nothing more. No wonder the American UMC is experiencing 50+ years of numerical decline that has the capability to make it disappear in spite of everybody’s best efforts to save it. And by the way, the last I heard, the Western Jurisdiction is setting the pace for numerical decline.
For all that the WCA rails about progressive pastors violating the discipline, I cannot understand how they convene a Global Legislative Assembly and pass resolutions – as they are not one of the UMC units permitted to legislate. They aren’t an annual conference, or a jurisdiction, etc.
https://wesleyancovenant.org/2019/11/10/adopted-resolutions-the-wesleyan-covenant-association-second-global-legislative-assembly/
I think this is considered ‘apostasy’.
Who said they are wanting to legislate for the UMC? This is posturing with the presumption that they will be rebuffed by the UMC, giving them the pretext to say “see, the UMC is apostate. We’re outta here.”
Shouldn’t they officially split before doing any legislation? I mean, they did pledge an allegiance to the UMC at some point.
Parallel situation: “I’m going to file for divorce, but I’ll start dating other people now so I can decide who I want to marry next. Once I file for divorce, I’ll be prepared to move forward.”
This is more akin to ” My spouse has committed adultery and has told me he/she is no longer bound by the vows we made to each other and before God. I need to make a plan for my future.”
2 wrongs don’t make a right.
If your spouse commits adultery, you get a divorce. That’s your first step, and it’s supported by the words of Jesus.
Same thing would apply here.
Hey JR, ponder this parallel situation…..
I am a bishop in the UMC. My denomination requires me to accept and review complaints against practicing Homosexuals, however I just released a statement indicating that I will not accept or review such complaints. What I am doing is deciding to violate the vows I made to the UMC with God as my witness (essentially the same as illegitimate legislative action or violating my wedding vows).
Thank you for this history lesson. I knew some/most of this but you put it together like I have not seen it before.
As someone who has yearned with my deepest heart for a church that articulates its faith as the “liberationists” are currently doing I was stunned to see “liberationists” and “traditionalists” painted with the same brush in your next to last paragraph Jeremy. Ouch. Seriously ouch.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [b]homosexuals, nor [c]sodomites, 10nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. PLAIN AS DAY
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.THERE NEED S TO BE A SPLIT ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.THERE NEED S TO BE A SPLIT ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.THERE NEEDS TO BE A SPLIT
Hi Sam,
I appreciate a multiple cut & paste job as much as the next guy, but there’s a flaw in your argument.
The WCA and other traditionlist vectors all say that they disagree with gay marriage and ordination of homosexuals (though there’s a caveat for celibate ones).
But they don’t say that they should shun them from the church. At least the public statements have been about being welcoming.
So you can support a split, but if that verse you are quoting is your personal north star, then you need to split from the WCA as well.
Be well.