Freedom for the American Church?
Methodists have their “Five Essential Freedoms” they consider definitional for who they are. They are “Freedoms of (or for) . . .” These freedoms are: Freedom of all races to worship together. Freedom of women to be treated as equal in the church and at home. Freedom of the poor to have dignity in church and in the world. Freedom of the laity to have authority. Freedom of the Holy Spirit to move in worship. In my opinion, these are all laudatory “freedoms.” Christians ought to be free to exercise or experience each one in their churches or Christian gatherings. They ought also, gain in my opinion, be free to advocate for and support such ways of living in the larger world to whatever degree possible. But simple “ought to’s” won’t get us there. If anything is clear in our time is that neither knowledge or moral suasion are much help as primary movers of change. We’ve tried them both for more than two centuries now as chief assumptions...