Breakfast at Tiffany's

I’ve been asking what we Methodist have in common. And it isn’t a movie, not even a classic. What we have in common is ironically one cause of our division: a realized eschatology. The one circumstance under which Christians cannot live in fellowship with one another is when that fellowship must fully embody the reign of God.

The most unhappy and unscriptural teaching of John Wesley was that humans can go on to perfection in this life. Never mind that he is often misinterpreted. As soon as you promise that you will aim at perfection in this life you are going to want to be part of a church that is going on to perfection in this life as well. As a clergy you may tolerate some lay imperfection, after all they never made that promise, but you won’t be able to abide it in your colleagues. Perfectionism becomes inevitable and purity always becomes the goal. Sectarianism follows close behind.

(For those interested in comparative theology it is useful to consider Islamic rationalizations for the need for an Islamic state, or Orthodox Jewish arguments for a purified Israel.)

One can approach this perfectionism from different angles. Some want a church that is perfect in love, although they may disagree on what love really means. Others will want to know what love’s got to do with it, and seek a church perfect in its doctrine; a new “confessing church” standing firm by what it is imagined the church always and everywhere has taught. Some will want a church that is perfectly biblical in the legal sense; abiding by all its rules. And some will want the church to be a perfect reiteration of God’s eternal order or humanity. Others a church that is perfectly just, or perfectly righteous - with definitions but not the goal in dispute.

It really doesn’t matter. Perfection is always exclusionary. Even perfect inclusion cannot bare the presence of exclusivism. 

We United Methodists may give a nod to the idea that whatever the perfection we seek, there is room for sinners. But even sinners (defined in relation to a particular form of perfection) will need to demonstrate perfect remorse, contrition, and repentance. Sin has its own perfect form in a perfect church. 

The recent and ongoing United Methodist crisis was largely driven by a failure of our structure. It was exacerbated by a failure of our leaders to understand their own and other’s cultural location. But we cannot overlook that there is a deep failure in our theology as well. We need to recognize that in the matter of perfection John Wesley (or at least our interpretation) was simply wrong. What drove his missionary movement forward has now driven it into pieces. Only when we have the courage to say that we will never be perfect can we begin to live up to the things Wesley got so right.