PlainSpoken

This segment deals with five of God's qualities that are to be found throughout Christian scripture. Susanna and I walk through the suggested readings in the catechism and identify what we can see in each, connecting these themes in the end to Article I of the Confession of Faith. This is honestly a great exercise for anyone to meditate upon God's nature. I know Susanna is a little out of focus. Very frustrating, as I'm sure she is easier on the eyes than my haggard face. Forgive me! If you would like to purchase your own copy of the Catechism, go here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/a-catechism-of-christian-faith-and-doctrine-for-the-global-methodist-church/ If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

I have recently been covering the formation of the Revised Social Principles in The United Methodist Church. I have also done a segment covering the Social Witness of the Global Methodist Church. Both documents were crafted in part by Chappell Temple. C. Chappell Temple is a husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and teacher, who has been appointed to serve as the lead pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Sugar Land, Texas, a southwestern suburb of Houston. He  holds degrees from SMU, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Rice University, and is an adjunct faculty member in the Houston program of Perkins School of Theology, teaching United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity. He has started teaching for Baylor at Truett in the last couple of years, teaching Methodist topics and Pastoral Care. He is now a Presiding Elder in the Trinity Conference of the GMC. He is a great fan of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, G.K. Chesterton, C.K. Barrett, J.I. Packer, N.T. Wright, and other British thinkers who, like him, don’t believe in using their actual first names. He blogs at chappelltemple.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This section deals almost exclusively with the Transitional Leadership Committee. This is the group that currently oversees the daily needs of the denomination, overseeing a number of other groups, some of which are stipulated in this section. This section spells out, commission, and limits the authority of this board, doing the same for Keith Boyette's position. It is illuminating in that it better explains all the developments of these last few months. It has been a wild ride, but the TLC has had a firm had on the wheel. We also try to speak to what the odds are that any group like this will exist after the Convening Conference this September. Link to Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline - https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Transitional-Discipline.20231130.pdf If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Regionalization is perhaps the biggest push this year's General Conference is receiving from institutional bodies. As this episode demonstrates, it is the latest iteration of a legislative effort that has failed at the last couple General Conferences. The basic idea is to create a new level of administration for the denomination that will allow for continental regions to become more isolated from the influence of other continental regions, simultaneously gaining rights to further adjust their norms to suit their context. It will require a very invasive amendment to the denomination's constitution, which will require, not just a 2/3 majority vote at General Conference, but also a 2/3 vote of all annual conference delegates the following year. There is a lot on the line with this issue. This is only the first episode in which we will talk about it, with two more to follow. This episode covers a good deal of the history and the framework out of which this push has come. The topic isn't boring. It is rather necessary to understanding the precipice upon which the UMC currently sits. To download your own copy of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate, go to https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/general-conference-2020-advance-daily-christian-advocate. To download a copy of Lonnie's Matrix of Petitions, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KTnzUbOO6NORahwa_nrdxKV1ftNxUQpQ/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117124792218903575974&rtpof=true&sd=true Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Listening to Kenneth Feinberg reflect on the disavowal of his mediation efforts caused me to really question if I had seen things wrongly all along. Mr. Feinberg seems at peace about it all. Maybe I should be. For reasons I explain in this segment, it still seems blatantly wrong, especially when the consequences are so huge. Spend a few minutes with me as I explain some basic Christian ethics that many can't see because they are too close. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This episode deals explicitly with the biblical doctrinal understanding of the Trinity. We read each of the New Testament segments that mention all three of the persons of God together, and we actually get into some pretty decent trinitarian systematic theology around soteriology (how it is that God saves us). Very decent conversation here about what it means to be saved by one God in three persons. All true believers, not just Methodists, should be interested in this conversation. If you would like to purchase your own copy of the Catechism, go here: https://my.seedbed.com/product/a-catechism-of-christian-faith-and-doctrine-for-the-global-methodist-church/ If you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Kenneth R. Feinberg is one of the nation’s leading experts in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. He has been appointed to administer numerous high-profile compensation programs, having served as special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (appointed by the administration of President George Bush), TARP Executive Compensation, and the Agent Orange Victim Compensation Program. Feinberg was appointed by the administration of President Barack Obama to serve as administrator of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility to compensate victims of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. He also served as administrator of the Aurora Victim Relief Fund following the Aurora, Colorado, shootings in 2012 as well as administrator of the Virginia Tech Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund in 2007. Feinberg served as administrator of the One Fund Boston Victim Relief Fund, established to benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks of April 15, 2013 and is currently working with the “RoundUp” weedkiller cancer case and the Boeing MaxAir 737 settlements. He served as assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1972 to 1975; special counsel for U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 1975 to 1980; chief of staff to Senator Edward M. Kennedy from 1978 to 1980; founding partner of the Washington office of Kaye Scholar in 1980; and founder of The Feinberg Group in 1993. He has served as adjunct professor of law at Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, New York University School of Law, the University of Virginia School of Law, and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Stanley H. Fuld, New York State Court of Appeals from 1970 to 1972. Feinberg received his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1970, where he was articles editor of the Law Review, and his B.A. from the University of Massachusetts in 1967 Links: Protocol Website: https://www.gracethroughseparation.com/legislation Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

Rev. Dr. Brian J. Abasciano is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He received his Ph.D. in Divinity/New Testament from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He also is the President of the Society of Evangelical Arminians. In this segment, Brian helps me to see through the Arminian lens to contemplate the nature of God and the salvation he offers. Jacob's Arminius, the namesake of Arminianism, was far from a liberal or a semi-Pelagian. People rarely understand that it is much more robust than the majority of its supporters. Dr. Abasciano does well in making the case for this framework, answering a few of my criticisms and concerns affably and capably. Links: The Society of Evangelical Armenians - https://evangelicalarminians.org Abasciano's "The FACTS of Salvation: A Summary of Arminian Theology/the Biblical Doctrines of Grace" - https://evangelicalarminians.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Abasciano.-The-FACTS-of-Salvation1.pdf Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

This episode turned out being surprisingly interesting and well-balanced. It is equal parts recent history, General Conference petitions, ethics, and relationships. There are many petitions coming before the General Conference that deal with the question of what to do with local churches, and even annual conferences, that no longer want to be affiliated with The United Methodist Church. It is important that delegates know how to think through these things faithfully. We were able to cover a lot of good ground in this one. We hope you enjoy and benefit from spending time with us! To download your own copy of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate, go to https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/general-conference-2020-advance-daily-christian-advocate. To download a copy of Lonnie's Matrix of Petitions, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_mbHq9ABRo8D4BjDVGcjxjx6DOxSv2Gx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117124792218903575974&rtpof=true&sd=true Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe

We pick up halfway through Section 6, now detailing how annual conferences are supposed to be composed, how they should function, and even the different mandatory committees they require. The section ends with explicit directions as to how General Conference delegates are to be calculated. Amidst all this minutiae, we still manage to have a conversation on modern race theory, which builds on top of the foundation we have already laid. These provisions have huge implications for the state of global race relations. The Global Methodist Church has a decision to make. If it waffles, it could do a good deal of harm.Link to Transitional Book of Doctrines & Discipline - https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Transitional-Discipline.20231130.pdfIf you would like to make a gift directly to the church that sponsors this, here is the link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808If you would like to become a supporter on Locals, where we offer unique content and host exclusive live streams, go to plainspoken.locals.com. Get full access to PlainSpoken at plainspokenpod.substack.com/subscribe