THE "UNITED METHODIST" SHIFT

A few years back, i was talking with our minister of music (ordained by the UMC after getting additional degre and going through the ordaining process.) He was on the committee to interview candidates seeking to become a part of the UMC ministries. (becoming a UMC pastor was one goal.) From him and from other subsequent sources, i learned that candidates must vow that they hold (and will defend?) certain beliefs that have been part of the UMC historically. It seems to me that during this time of "change", candidates have entered into the ministry by vowing that they have one set of beliefs while in truth their hearts were elsewhere. is that possible? I'm sure that many of those who have become more and more "liberal" over the decades have done so as a result of influence and reflection subsequent to their entry into the ministry heirarchy. However, surely there are some who misrepresented themselves when they initially signed on. would be possible to invalidate the individual's ordination because they lied about their convictions during the ordination process? i think that what is in the heart of each one must be judged by Our Most High God. So the end of the "unity" of the UMC cannot be untangled (truly) by mere men and women. However, other denominations may learn the lesson that people can appear to have one set of beliefs, unconcerned that what is in their heart is not what they are representing to others. How might a denomination guard against that? The prompt for my writing this post now was our Sunday school consideration on the passage in ACTS where Ananias and Saphira lied to the Holy Spirit (God Most High) by slightly misrepresenting themselves to their church community.