Survey Tool

Recently I came across an appeal letter from Mark Tooley and the IRD (Institute on Religion and Democracy). In the email, Rob Renfroe is quoted as stating that all the staff at GBCS are "liberal to very liberal." I apparently was out of the office the day Rob Renfroe asked the staff to take his "Liberal to Very Liberal" survey. This made me think...

I must admit, I am very liberal... with buttering my toast. And to my shock, my communications counterpart, Wayne, is ultra conservative on this very issue!

I am now forced to evaluate our entire working relationship.

Maybe I should embrace the term, like John Wesley embraced the label Methodist. Maybe loving people unconditionally isn't such a bad thing. Maybe seeking peace throughout the world is what God wants. Maybe opening our hearts to be in relationship with one another is a glimpse of heaven.

Maybe labels are distracting us from our higher calling in faith.

Unfortunately, Mark Tooley, Renfroe and the IRD want to throw labels at me and others I work with rather than see us as sisters and brothers on the same journey. On the surface, it may seem one way, but I struggle with the positions of The United Methodist Church just like others. However, I'm proud to work for an organization that brings people of different backgrounds, cultures, religions and philosophies together to learn from one another and advance the Kingdom of God.

Jesus didn't work to preserve the status quo. So if challenging systems of oppression and working to transform the world is liberal, put a check next to my name!

But wait a second. Aren't we limiting the realm of God's work to a narrow, short-sighted worldview with labels like liberal and conservative? Didn't God make a diverse world? Aren't we called to transform this world not conform to it?

If we truly believe we are created in God's image, than we must recognize that God comes in many shapes, sizes, colors, sensibilities, capabilities and even varying ideologies. Maybe it is time folks stop limiting God to their worldview and making God into their own image.

I am a child of God who continues to grow into what God calls me to be in my life. I can look back at the person I was 5, 10 and 15 years ago and I know my views of others and on issues have been transformed by the experiences and persons God has brought into my life. I cannot and I will not let Tooley (or any person) try to limit who I am and who God wants me to be because of their limited view of the world.

If we (as people if faith) took the language of the world out of our vocabulary, we would probably find out we are one body, with blessed diversity. Then, not only the world but our hearts would be transformed.