Something else that is now public:
By a sheer act of unmitigated power, aimed at making people afraid, the Board of General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene has in the last few days declared that the Manual's "Covenant of Christian Conduct" is to be considered "essential statements of doctrine of the Church of the Nazarene."
Just to be clear, the "Covenant of Christian Conduct," which contains many helpful admonitions, is quite culturally specific. To maintain that it is to be considered doctrinally "essential" makes each of its declarations comparable, if not equal, in importance, say, to the doctrine of the Trinity. Among the items in its list of things to be avoided are these:
"All types of entertainment ventures and media productions that produce, promote, or feature the violent, the sensual, the pornographic, the profane, or the occultic, or which feature or glamorize the world’s philosophy of secularism, sensualism, and materialism and undermine God’s standard of holiness of heart and life."
"Lotteries and other forms of gambling, whether legal or illegal."
"Membership in oath-bound secret orders or societies including but not limited to those such as Freemasonry."
"All forms of dancing that detract from spiritual growth and break down proper moral inhibitions and reserve."
"The use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, or trafficking therein; giving influence to, or voting for, the licensing of places for the sale of the same; using illicit drugs or trafficking therein; using of tobacco in any of its forms, or trafficking therein."
And in case the cultural specificity of this prohibition seemed ambiguous, this little parenthetical prohibition is added:
"(Only unfermented wine should be used in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.)"
Continuing:
"The use of stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens and other intoxicants outside proper medical care and guidance."
"Induced Abortion. . . . Realizing that there are rare, but real medical conditions wherein the mother or the unborn child, or both, could not survive the pregnancy, termination of the pregnancy should only be made after sound medical and Christian counseling."
"We oppose initiation of DNA studies whose results might encourage or support human abortion as an alternative to term live birth."
"Our stand on human embryonic stem cell research flows from our affirmation that the human embryo is a person made in the image of God. Therefore, we oppose the use of stem cells produced from human embryos for research, therapeutic interventions, or any other purpose."
“As future scientific advances make new technologies available . . . we oppose the destruction of human embryos for any purpose and any type of research that takes the life of a human after conception. Consistent with this view, we oppose the use, for any purpose, of tissue derived from aborted human fetuses."
" We oppose the cloning of an individual human being."
"We believe that euthanasia (intentionally ending the life of a terminally ill person, or one who has a debilitating and incurable disease that is not immediately life-threatening, for the purpose of ending suffering) is incompatible with the Christian faith."
"We believe that when death is imminent, nothing in the Christian faith requires that the process of dying be artificially postponed."
Then comes a series of paragraphs of theological arguments that struggle to provide a positive context for the prohibitions of certain sexual acts. (These are respectable, if weak, theological arguments. It is unqualified Orthodox and Wesleyan, and “Holiness,” however, to reject these arguments even before they are applied to overtly sexual and other matters. I find, for example, arguments from “the social Trinity” to what is required of human sociality to be indefensible.) The cultural specificity of these paragraphs strikes me as obvious. Happily, "singleness" is affirmed, but that it is mentioned here in this way is due to a specific cultural context.
"The Christ-centered home ought to serve as a primary location for spiritual formation."
We "believe members of the body of Christ, enabled by the Spirit, can and should refrain from:
"Unmarried sexual intercourse and other forms of inappropriate sexual bonding."
Then this is added (and, since this is in this section of the Manual it stands as equal in importance to the doctrine of the Trinity): "we believe that it is God’s intention for our sexuality to be lived out in the covenantal union between one woman and one man."
Back to the prohibitions:
"Sexual activity between people of the same sex."
"Extra-marital sexual relations."
"Divorce."
"Practices such as polygamy or polyandry."
"Pornography."
"Sexual violence in any form, including rape, sexual assault, sexual bullying, hateful speech, marital abuse, incest, sex trafficking, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, beastiality, sexual harassment, and the abuse of minors and other vulnerable populations."
And then to make beyond all doubt how abundantly this document is culturally specific, this assertion is made: "A minor is defined as any human being under the age of 18, unless the age of majority is attained later under a state’s or country’s own domestic legislation."
"All who are a part of the Church of the Nazarene are urged to contribute faithfully one-tenth of all their increase as a minimum financial obligation to the Lord and freewill offerings in addition as God has prospered them for the support of the whole church, local, district, educational, and general."
Then come several paragraphs with details on the way money is to be spent by churches and their members, including "deferred giving."
Then this is also to be considered of comparable importance to the doctrine of the Trinity:
The "meetings and proceedings of the members of the Church of the Nazarene . . . shall be regulated and controlled according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (latest edition) for parliamentary procedure."
Finally:
"The provisions of the Covenant of Christian Conduct may be repealed or amended when concurred in by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting of a given General Assembly."