Two groups of United Methodist women met this week in an unusual public debate, seeking common ground in a long-running theological battle that has been tearing the fabric of their denomination.
The Women's Division, the national policymaking body for Methodist women, and the RENEW Network, the women's arm of the Good News organization founded in the 1960s to promote evangelicalism among Methodists, met Wednesday in the campus chapel of Wesley Theological Seminary in Northwest Washington.
Relations between the groups have been tense because of their widely different perceptions of their Christian mission. Given the bitterness of the years-long feud, the debate was seen by some Methodists as a potentially significant turning point.
It reflected not only the growing presence of conservative evangelicals within Methodism, but also a desire for some type of reconciliation between the two groups.
"A weariness of polarization" brought the two sides to the meeting, said Amy G. Oden, professor of church history at Wesley, who served as moderator for the event.
In a 2001 document, RENEW alleged that the Women's Division, which is part of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, supported "a politically left-leaning ideology," including a "pro-abortion position" and an "endorsement" of homosexual practice.
RENEW also criticized the Women's Division for "questionable theological teaching and social justice mission."
In an interview, RENEW President L. Fay Short said the Women's Division "does not hold a high view of Scripture" and considers "other religions as being equally valid to Christianity."
The event opened with a prayer and hymn, "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing." Jan Love, chief executive officer of the Women's Division, said that the groups had gathered "to address some family differences" and that her side had "come with open hearts and open minds."
Love asked RENEW representatives not to "draw caricatures of us" when criticizing her group.
In her opening remarks, Short thanked the other side for accepting an invitation to debate publicly. "We hope this meeting will engender widespread conversation" within the church, she said.
There were six panelists on each side. The format, which Love said was suggested by RENEW and only reluctantly accepted by the Women's Division, involved four questions posed by each side to the other -- eight questions in all.
