Holiness and the Catholic Spirit Holiness at the

Holiness and the Catholic Spirit

Holiness at the Center • Vision Statement: Uniting Methodists is a movement of Christcentered, hope-filled, holiness-seeking United Methodists • Spreading scriptural holiness over the land • Holiness at the core of his theology • A recovery of holiness as core to Methodist identity is crucial to our future vitality. • Wesley’s wrestling with issues of theological conflict is in the context of holiness.

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? • The Core of Holiness is love Ø Loving God v. Giving God the primary loyalty in all areas of our lives v. Making God’s agenda our agenda v. Obeying God’s commandments v. Living in constant fellowship with God v. Sharing your lives in all their complexity with God

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? • Love for our Neighbors ØCommitment to the comprehensive well-being of others ØTo all people – friends, strangers, enemies, undeserving, enemies of God ØTo pervade all dimensions of our lives ØParticular concern for those who suffering, rejected, despised

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? • Holiness of heart and life ØHeart v. Fundamental orientation v. Inner motivations v. Characteristic attitude and responses v. Emotional responses

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? ØLife (Conversation) v. Inter-personal relationships v. Words v. Profession, politics, recreation v. Our whole bodily existence - sexuality

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? • Transformational Holiness is personal and responsive ØHoliness does not begin with our effort ØHoliness arises out of the amazing grace of God ØA personal transformative relationship ØGod wants to permeate your life with love ØPersonal means it is responsive ØMeans of Grace ØSmall groups

What on Earth do we mean by Holiness? • Holiness is relational and dynamically new Ø“The is no holiness but social holiness” Ø “Faith working through love” ØActive interacting with and relating to other people ØFeedback loop Ø “Holiness” that is not embodied in relationships of love is not holiness ØHoliness is always developing in new and unexpected ways

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Catholic Spirit ØMutual recognition of the transforming work of God in each other’s lives ØMutual recognition of God’s work through each other ØMutual respect for the sincerity of each other’s convictions ØMutual respect for each other’s freedom of conscience before God ØMutual seeking of as much cooperation and visible unity as possible

Holiness and the Unity of the Church ØMutual support for each other’s ministry ØMutual commitment to the holistic well-being of each other ØMutual viewing of the other in the best possible light ØA conviction of the truth and correctness of one’s own theological and ethical ideas and practices ØA commitment to the importance of the issues on which one disagrees

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Human fallibility ØAll human beings are finite and fallible creatures ØAll our knowledge is subject to limitations, ignorance, errors and confusion. ØEthical judgments are subject to a triple problem v. Fallible interpretation of God’s will, v. Fallible interpretation of the ethical problem v. Fallible relating of God’s will to the problem ØMistakes in theological ideas lead to mistakes in practice ØRegeneration and sanctification do not change this situation

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Sin and Responsibility before God ØSin properly so-called, is a willful violation of the known will of God ØSin not properly so-called – actions which we are convinced are the will of God but from God’s perspective are wrong ØGod is just and does not require the impossible from us ØGod requires that we act in on what we believe to be God’s will Ø Sin not properly so-called is forgiven in Christ ØMistaken actions can have serious consequences

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • The law of love ØGod does not require mistakeless obedience to moral law ØGod requires that we act out of genuine love even if we are mistaken Ø This does not mean we can do what we like v Motivated by cruciform love v. Guided by scripture v. Measured by their consequences

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Freedom of Conscience before God ØWe are all responsible before God for how we live ØNo one ought to compel another to act against their conscience ØA person’s conscience is influenced by numerous factors ØAll have “liberty to choose our own religion, to worship God according to our own conscience according to the best light we have” ØLoving reasoned arguments and not compulsion is to be used to persuade others

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Theological ideas have major significance ØNo Latitudinarianism Ø The significance of theological ideas ØSeek true ideas ØWe must hold our ideas with conviction ØArgue for the truth of our convictions in love

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • The church is to be a community of love ØThe distinguishing mark of the church is love ØTo embody love as much visible unity as possible yet respecting freedom of conscience ØTheological conflict and the abuse that often goes with it is: v Contradictory to love v A denial of the identity of the church v. Destructive of the mission of the church

Holiness and the Unity of the Church • Theological diversity as a means of grace ØTheological diversity can be a context for growth and mutual correction ØLearning to embody love for those we disagree with can be a way of growing in love ØDemonstrating love in the midst of disagreement is a witness to the world

“To separate ourselves from a body of living Christian, with whom we were before united, is a grievous breach of the law of love. It is the nature of love to unite us together; and the greater the love, the stricter the union. And while this continues in its strength, nothing can divide those whom love has united. It is only when our love grows cold, that we can think of separating from our brethren. And this is certainly the case with any who willingly separate from their Christian brethren. The pretences for separation may be innumerable, but want of love is always the real cause; otherwise they would still hold the unity of the Spirit in the bound of peace. ” John Wesley “On Schism”