As someone on my way out of the Church of the Nazarene, having already accepted two small pastoral assignments with the United Methodist Church, I still could not resist taking one more look for one last time at proposal for the 2023 General Assembly coming up this summer.
This has been a habit of mine since early in my pastoral ministry, which began in the Church of the Nazarene in the early 1990s. So, thirty years of taking a look at what I consider healthy and not-so-healthy proposals is a hard habit to break. However, this is likely my last time to do this, and so I want to focus in on only two of the many areas of these proposals. First area is Judicial Action (JUD section of the proposals), and the second is Christian Action (CA section). All of the General Assembly categories can be found at the General Assembly 2023 website: https://gadocs.nazarene.org/index.php/s/Resolutions-EN
First, the Judicial section (JUD). The selected items are numbered, and for the sake of space, I will choose just a few in each.
JUD 800 and 801 are actually positive contributions to doctrinal statements. The most positive aspect of each is that they are written more clearly than the previous versions. The Atonement article (JUD 800) seems to allow for plenty of room for multi-faceted aspects of the atoning work of Christ to shine through, and this can be a positive thing, given that there are biblical and historical approaches that remind us of the wonderful and mysterious complexity of the atonement.
Second, JUD 801 addresses entire sanctification. Many have argued that the official statements on sanctification have been among the more confusing statements in the Manual. This is ironic, mainly because it is the "cornerstone doctrine" of the Church of the Nazarene, according to many. This is basically a rewriting of Article X., the official statement of the Manual on this doctrine. The attempt here basically starts from scratch and cleans up the language with a clearer "line" theologically, linking the atonement of Christ, the transformation into Christlikeness, the participation in the means of grace, and the growth in grace as part of God's overall sanctifying work. This is a helpful and clarifying reworking that will hopefully pass the required 2/3 of districts needed to make it the official Manual statement. It quite biblically links the "results" of entire sanctification with "wholehearted love of God and neighbor." The drawback here is that so many treat the original unclear statement as if God Himself reached down His finger and wrote into Article X! In other words, too many pastors and evangelists seem to enjoy the lack of clarity in the "old" version (current version) of Article X, because they get to sort of say what they want to say and emphasize what they want to emphasize about the doctrine. This statement is much more clear, concise, and biblical than the current statement, and for the sake of doctrinal clarity and for whatever future there is for the Church of the Nazarene, I hope it passes.
JUD 811 addresses discipline of the clergy. It seems healthy to have regional involvement, and it seems healthy to have the involvement of real life theologians when theological issues are involved. JUD 812, however, sounds more like a "witch hunt" article to me. Currently to remove clergy credentials, it takes a unanimous vote of the disciplinary committee. JUD 812 would change that to 2/3. The argument for 812 is that nearly every major change in the Manual comes with a 2/3 vote, and that is a valid argument. However, the history of casting clergy (and GMC employees) aside quickly and finally in the Church of the Nazarene has led to what I believe is a severe devaluing of clergy. An article like this doesn't inspire confidence that this devaluing will end. The career/life calling of a human being, one who has served the Church, is worth more than just a 2/3 vote. The death penalty in nearly every state requires a unanimous verdict. Shouldn't this removal of clergy orders -- which is a "death penalty" for the clergy person's career in most cases -- merit a unanimous vote, too?
JUD 809 does a wonderful job in articulating prevenient grace and its importance in the Christian life. It's easy for all of us to mistake an altar call as nothing more than a "personal decision." However, good theology tells us that God is always at work, wooing and calling. This article makes that clear, and that is good. The ritual for Infant Baptism, JUD 818, has been updated to include this strong emphasis upon prevenient grace. Sadly, too many (most?) pastors and DSs, and likely not a few GSs, don't know enough about or outright reject infant baptism (maybe they should be disciplined??) altogether, refusing to see that Wesleyans, like almost ALL of the Church throughout history, has practiced BOTH infant and believers' baptism. To ignore this is not only to ignore the Manual, but also to ignore Christian history.
In regard to Christian Action (CA) resolutions. I note a positive change of tone in CA 700, which is a partial reworking of the Covenant of Christian Conduct. This version contains a less legalistic flavor, although it still contains certain specific items. A notable addition is 29.7, which prohibits all forms of idolatry, including nationalistic approaches and other loyalties that seek to displace the lordship of Christ. This is particularly useful among Nazarenes today, if recent polls are to be believed. Again, the overall "flavor" is more covenantal and less legalistic, and this is a step in the right direction, it seems.
Southwest Indiana District's proposal of requiring baptism for those who become church members is a positive addition (CA 701), although versions of this proposal have not passed in other Assemblies. Equally refreshing is the addition of two proposals to oppose the death penalty officially (CA 702 and 703). In a day where both conservatives and liberals are voicing suspicion and outright opposition regarding the way the death penalty is administered and are seeking a more holistic "pro life" approach, it is hopeful that one version of these proposals will be embraced.
CA 704 and 705 are additions to and/or subtractions from the current statement on human sexuality in the Church of the Nazarene. CA 704 simply adds a phrase about maintaining the priority of one's identity as "Christian" throughout all phases of life, CA 705 attempts considerably more editing. For instance, it adds the phrase "it is therefore sin" to the paragraph involving same-sex sexual intimacy. It does not include this specific phrase in the paragraphs about divorce, extra-marital sex, bestiality, or polyandry/polygamy. Of course, this does not imply that this group or individual from the Kentucky district does not consider these to be sins, as well. However, it is interesting that only that paragraph contains that phrase, and it smacks of political overtones to an already overly politicized subject. Furthermore, CA 705 seeks to eliminate an entire paragraph concerning the complicated origins of sexual attraction -- a grace-filled paragraph that takes seriously ethical and medical considerations. It adds yet another phrase about the dangers of non-heterosexual sex outside the context of heterosexual marriage.
The South Arkansas District has submitted a shortening of the Nazarene Manual statement on creation (CA 706). It eliminates the following phrase, deeming it (in the commentary) "unnecessary": "We are open to scientific explanations on the nature of creation while opposing any interpretation of the origins of the universe and of humankind that rejects God as Creator." I completely disagree that this paragraph is "unnecessary." Modern Christian history demonstrates just the opposite. In fact, even Medieval Christian history shows this to be a necessary addition, if we are to take seriously the roles of BOTH science AND the Bible.
I'll end this analysis by saying I hope that CA 708 -- the vote to utilize gender inclusive language -- will indeed pass. Hopefully those who say they are inclusive of women alongside men -- something we have said from the beginning but have not always consistently practiced -- will do the right thing in regard to this paragraph.
