The Words of Silence

Amy Forbus wrote an outstanding piece this morning for the United Methodist Reporter blog.

She was commenting on a couple of posts about doctrine and practice in the church, wondering aloud about the connection to one another that it may represent.

It caught my attention, and so I commented on her blog, but I reprint here for your viewing my thoughts. And for the first time since General Conference was announced and the myriad issues before the church really began to spin out, I found a point of hope. I pray connection remains deeper, and effective.

Amy,
I think we are not necessarily scared (though that might be another person's word for the same thing I am going to say), but feel a sense of inadequacy.
Additionally, I think it points to something far more powerful and possibly even exciting...a sense of "closer-than-you-think". By that I mean, we get so caught up in the "opinion pieces" of the church, that we forget how close we are on the actual "doctrine pieces" of the church. We have done so much bludgeoning of each other with the opinions leaving us empty to really engage in the doctrine. We believe the same things, but tend to feel that they need to be acted out in different ways, and that the way another person acts out the same belief is invalid, because it is not my way. I think the silence tends to show a "closer-than-you-think" mentality that should encourage us to see each other in better light and could be the quiet assent to unity with one another. Maybe this is a great focus point ahead.

Peace,
David