Open Minds
Open Minds: UMC Slogan Part 3: Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God- what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Open minds; may seem like a foreign concept now a days. Did it sound so out of place in 2001 when the UMC rolled out the slogan? It probably would have sounded odd back in turbulent 1968 when the United Methodist Church was formed at SMU in Dallas. And it would have seemed completely out of place in the mid-1700s England, when the Wesley brothers’ movement started within the rigid Anglican Church.
Of course, any Christian church is called to be countercultural according to the apostle Paul. And Paul counsels the church to be open minded to the Spirit’s teachings in contrast to the ways of the world. Paul also warns against being too open-minded, as to be swayed by false prophets who often perverted scripture and divided the church over cultural matters.
United Methodists have been criticized for having too open minds, that is the false notion that the UMC will believe anything, or that we are so open that we do not stand for anything. (Explore what United Methodists believe: www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/what-we-believe ) Or furthermore, that the UMC will welcome just anybody, ok well that one is true!
Although the UMC slogan did not include ‘open minds’ in the early 1980s, that doctrinal concept was why my parents started attending Colonial Hills UMC when I was a young boy. After both being raised in a church where asking tough questions was liable to get your hand slapped with a ruler, they longed for a church where their boys could grow up being inquisitive. I’m positive both of our Sunday School teachers secretly sometimes wished our folks had made a different choice. I distinctly remember my dedicated mild-mannered Confirmation teacher getting visibly upset when one morning I kept asking questions whose answers could not be found in the thin teacher’s manual. Apparently, the curriculum writer did not factor in a 5th grader asking about how our understanding our salvation is different from the bhakti yoga path of Hinduism. Or would wonder why scripture has no recollection of Jesus from his pre-teen years till about 30. (I’m still very curious about that one!) Turns out I was only the warm-up round for that same beloved Confirmation teacher to have my brother in his class four years later! 5th grade Travis Dierolf would not only ask questions that could not be answered; he’d win debates with the teacher.
Asking questions, having profound doubts and embracing discerning difficult concepts are vital spiritual exercises to coming to one’s own understanding of faith. Growing in knowledge and experience matures our beliefs. Intellectual curiosity has been a bedrock of the UMC back to the time of John and Charles being taught on Susanne Wesley’s knee. John became an avid reader from a young age; his studious nature was fueled further by childhood illness which required lots of rest that meant plenty of time to read. The gifted way John Wesley’s brain worked produced the then unique approach to doing theology, later dubbed by Albert Outler, the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Using Scripture as the primary foremost source, then one incorporates the matrix of church Tradition, Reason and Experience to come to a theological stance. This way of thinking theologically has proven to be so fruitful that many more than Methodists utilize this Wesleyan tool.
Do you have questions about faith, the Bible, the UMC, other beliefs…? Are you not even sure what you believe? Or you are wondering if God actually does exist? I do not claim to have all the answers, in fact I prefer strong questions to weak answers, however discerning together with folks over a cup of coffee (or smoothie or tea or whatever) is one of my most favorite things about being in ministry! So if you have an open mind and want to ask questions together, get in touch and let’s set up a chat.
One of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, poses perhaps the most important question: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Pastor Brian, dierolfbrian@gmail.com