NOSTALGIA

This takes me back.  An African Methodist decides that he'll stick with the Gospel the West proclaimed the first time around rather than the heretical crap white Westerners preach now.

As part of the lead-up to the United Methodist Church's special session, the Reform and Renewal Coalition Breakfast was held on February 23 in St. Louis. One of the breakfast's keynote speakers was Dr. Jerry P. Kulah, Dean of Gbarnga School of Theology at United Methodist University in Liberia. In his thoughtful, nuanced speech, Dr. Kulah held the progressive American Bishops' feet to the fire over their patronizing racism.

 

"And then please hear me when I say as graciously as I can: we Africans are not children in need of western enlightenment when it comes to the church’s sexual ethics. We do not need to hear a progressive U.S. bishop lecture us about our need to “grow up.”

Let me assure you, we Africans, whether we have liked it or not, have had to engage in this debate for many years now. We stand with the global church, not a culturally liberal, church elite, in the U.S.

 

We are grounded in God’s word and the gracious and clear teachings of our church. On that we will not yield! We will not take a road that leads us from the truth! We will take the road that leads to the making of disciples of Jesus Christ for transformation of the world!"

 

Inspiring words.  One only hopes that Dr. Kulah realizes something.  Fidelity to the Gospel may require him to do something that he may not wish to do.  If the UMC follows the Episcopalians into heresy and anti-Gospel hostility, he and other African Methodists must be willing to cut loose from the Americans and go it alone, with whatever support Western parishes are able to provide.

If you call upon the name of the LORD, you can't share a church with those people.