The Church, Scouts, and Homosexuality

We have a Scout Shop across the street from our church and last week I dropped in to say hello.  I started the conversation with, "so, you guys have been in the news a bit this past week." For those that might not have followed the news, the Boy Scouts of America recently decided to allow homosexual scouts under 18 to participate in its scouting activities. This decision has been met with mixed reaction.  So you can imagine their concern when a pastor from the community shows up on their doorstep. Their response was a mixed look of hope and horror.  They smiled when I told them I I stopped in to offer encouragement and support.

That was welcome news considering that at their recent national convention, the Southern Baptist Church expressed disappointment in the BSA’s decision, asking that those in executive leadership roles within the organization be removed and vowed to support families and churches that choose to cut ties with the BSA. This is where the Scouting Ministry of The United Methodist Church stepped in. An invitation from the Scouting Ministry has been extended to any of the 3,981 Scout units chartered by a Southern Baptist Church that loses its home, saying those troops will be “warmly welcomed by neighboring United Methodist congregations.”

Bishop Mike Coyner of the Indiana Annual Conference issued a statement that in part read: “The decision by the Boys Scouts of America to welcome all boys as Scouts without regard to their own perceived sexual orientation brings the BSA into alignment with the Social Principles of our United Methodist Church where we encourage all of our churches to be in ministry to and with all persons."

You might ask how can a church and the issue of homosexuality be aligned?

As it relates to Scouting the United Methodist Scouting Ministry states the mission of the church is to reach out to those within the community, receive them as they are, relate them to God, nurture and equip them, and send them back into the community in order to make the community a more loving and just place in which to live.

Since 1972, the United Methodist Book of Discipline has identified the practice of homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” It also affirms that all people are “individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God,” and proclaims a commitment to be in ministry for and with all people. Church law prohibits “self-avowed practicing” gays and lesbians from serving as clergy, but the book is silent about whether they can serve as lay leaders in other church roles. The Book of Discipline additionally supports “the rights and liberties for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation.”

The United Methodist Church’s Book of Resolutions, which contains the denomination’s policy statements on social issues, also calls on the denomination to “dedicate itself to a ministry of Christ-like hospitality and compassion to persons of all sexual orientations …welcoming sexual minorities, their friends, and families into our churches.”

Simply put (for me), while I may not agree with the choices another person makes in how they live their life it does not give me permission to love them any less (remember the story about the Samaritan?).

The problem we have is that theology and politics were never intended to be so entwined - Jesus said something like, "Give Caesar what is his and give God what belongs to God." So we open our doors, as we always have, to all who will enter to discover God's grace.   

I like how a colleague put it: I recognize this might be impossible but I’m wondering if we might see this invitation not so much as a political statement but instead what it looks like to be the Church. May it be a statement about creating a safe place for youth as they wrestle with identity, gay or straight, while loving them with the love of Christ. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm up for loving people with the love of Christ. How about you?