The Christian Post reports that The Methodist Church in Great Britain recently released an “Inclusive Language Guide” advising Methodists to avoid using gendered terms such as “husband” and “wife” because such allegedly assumes what is not “the reality for many people.” The guidance is supposed to be updated every six months.
The guidance offered as a general principle the idea that there is “infinite variety in the way that God’s creation is expressed in human life,” and offered “husband” and “wife” as examples of terminology that “may sound inoffensive but it makes assumptions about a family or personal life that is not the reality for many people.” The guidance offered the words “parent,” “partner,” “child,” and “carer” as suitable alternatives.
The Christian Post article may be read in full HERE.
My brothers and sisters, when one considers the ongoing disaffiliation of hundreds of United Methodist churches in the United States over gender issues, it’s no surprise to hear this about the church in the United Kingdom.
The actual Inclusive Language Guide may be read or saved as a PDF by clicking here: UK Methodist Church Inclusive Language Guide – Updated 12-2023. I can’t imagine visiting a church and being presented with a guidance document such as this…
God will not be mocked (see Galatians 6:7-8), but sadly, many believers choose to focus the church on non-biblical rabbit trails, human emotions, manmade rules (as opposed to the clear teaching of the bible), and matters of the heart which lead persons away from (not closer to) Christ – because without the guiding of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ, the human heart can be deceitful above all things (see Jeremiah 17:9-10).
The current tendency is to invoke more and more of the wisdom of the world into the church, as opposed to acknowledging and seeking the wisdom of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:18-19). This results in church policies and leadership which affirm sin (whether directly, or as in this case, indirectly) and lead those who might otherwise be saved to go astray. At the least, such teaching and guidance demonstrates out-of-balance priorities emphasizing man’s self will and emotions more than the truth found in the word of God. At the very least, such teaching and guidance does not represent God’s best for His children.
Here are the above-referenced scriptures:
Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NKJV)
“The heart is deceitful above all things, [a]nd desperately wicked; [w]ho can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, [e]ven to give every man according to his ways, [a]ccording to the fruit of his doings.”
1 Corinthians 3:18-19 (NKJV)
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness…’”.
Praise Jesus forevermore!