Editor’s note: This was originally written for a United Methodist Church newsletter in May prior to Caitlyn Jenner making her transition. Larry Gourley is the father of staff writer Rebecca Gourley.

I don’t know how many of you have ever watched any episodes of the American reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I’ve never seen even a minute of any of the episodes. I confess to a distinct lack of interest in watching people who are “famous for being famous”. Now that “famous for being famous” bit doesn’t apply to one of the cast members: Bruce Jenner, who is famous for winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal. And now the world is abuzz because last Friday (April 24) when ABC’s Diane Sawyer asked Jenner in an interview, “Are you a woman?” Jenner’s reply was, “Yes, for all intents and purposes, I am a woman … That female side is part of me …”

Ministry Matters is a Christian website that featured an article three days after this interview titled “Are Transgender Christians Welcome at Church?” The article’s writer, David Person said, “Jenner has made a complicated conversation even more so because he refused to make it easy for conservative church folks. Like it or not, Jenner said he is a conservative and a Christian, and he appears to believe that neither conflicts with his being transgender. The fact that many in the church don’t and won’t agree is beside the point.  Perhaps unintentionally, Jenner has issued a challenge to people of faith across the nation: I may not fit your image of a believer, but I am one. So what are you going to do with me?”

So what are we going to do with Bruce? First, I find it fascinating that Bruce Jenner made it perfectly clear in the interview that he is a conservative Republican who would like to talk to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about advancing the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) agenda.  Hmm, all that I can say is, “Good luck with that one, Bruce.”

And what do Christians do about this? Again, Mr. Jenner, (and he states that he prefers at least at this point to be identified as a male) says that he is a believer, a Christian. We know that several Christian denominations have essentially embraced LGBT people, and these include the United Church of Christ, as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Most other Christian denominations are not so welcoming of LGBT people.

Our own denomination, the United Methodist Church, finds itself deeply divided.  The Greater Northwest Episcopal Area, which includes our own Oregon-Idaho Conference, is rather “liberal” in this regard, while other areas, especially United Methodist conferences in the South-Eastern part of the United States are more conservative.  World-wide, the United Methodist Church in those emerging areas in Africa and elsewhere that are growing at a rapid rate are more conservative also, because of their more traditional cultural attachments.

This is all quite probably going to come to a major showdown at the UMC General Conference, scheduled for next year and in Portland, Ore. There is even talk of a schism within United Methodism; the church breaking apart. So what do sincere and caring United Methodists do? Twenty, even ten years ago, I don’t believe that anyone could have predicted the major shift in attitude that has occurred in the United States. Well over 30 states now allow gay marriage, and young people in particular, seem to have the attitude, “What’s the big deal?” But I understand how difficult this issue is for the older generation.

So should people like Bruce Jenner be welcomed in the Christian fellowship? David Person, the Ministry Matters author answers, “(I) believe he should be. For most of my life, this has been a very conditional proposition: You are welcome to join us as long as you believe and live as we do. What I now wonder is how we expect people to do that if we don’t welcome them unconditionally with open arms. I’m not talking about people who represent a physical danger to a church member, but those like Jenner whose identity or lifestyle doesn’t mesh with traditional Christian practices.  Agree or not, Bruce Jenner knows who he is. As Christians, do we know who we are as it relates to Jenner and other transgender Christians? And, is who we are who we should be?”

So you’re probably wondering what I think. I ask myself that somewhat overused and even trite question, “What would Jesus do?” The whole issue of LGBT people wasn’t around 2000 years ago, but knowing that Jesus embraced every minority and every disadvantaged group that existed at that time, I think the answer is obvious. And I think that it hinges on God’s unconditional love: It is time to let people be who they wish to be. We may or may not be able to identify with LGBT people, but they are no less children of God than straight people, like myself.

Blessings,
Pastor Larry Gourley