Indiana YM moves towards separation
Indiana Friends face a significant shift
Quakerism in Indiana is on the verge of a significant shift after an anxious and challenging period. In the past few years there has been growing division among some Meetings in Indiana Yearly Meeting (IYM). The differences of opinion mainly concerned the ‘subject of homosexuality and religious authority’ over which there has been ‘confusion, lack of clarity and discomfort’.
In 2008 West Richmond Meeting, after much discernment, approved a minute that asserted a ‘welcoming and affirming’ policy towards gays and lesbians.
The minute stated: ‘Neither the state of Indiana nor the Faith & Practice of Indiana Yearly Meeting makes provision for the marriage or civil union of same sex couples. In the absence of such legal or denominational provisions, we regard same sex couples who are in committed relationships as families.’
The minute acknowledged that it did ‘not reflect the beliefs and practices of all Friends in Indiana Yearly Meeting’, but it was to prompt much discussion within Friends and, eventually, deep divisions.
Friends in Indiana have been challenged and upset at the resulting divisions within the Quaker community. These have centred on issues such as the interpretation of the Bible, the authority of Yearly Meeting over local Meetings, the authority of scripture, and the wording of Faith & Practice. Many Friends have urged compromise and reconciliation. Once unity was found to not be possible, however, a split seemed inevitable.
A specially appointed task force was set up to consider a ‘reconfiguration’ of Indiana Yearly Meeting and to make recommendations. They concluded that the simplest and least costly way to move forward was for Indiana Yearly Meeting to ‘set off’ (release) Meetings unable to affirm their commitment to IYM. These Meetings would then be free to create a new Yearly Meeting or association or affiliate with existing Yearly Meetings/associations.
The Reconfiguration Task Force presented several proposals for approval at a Meeting of the Representative Council on 29 September. Indiana Yearly Meeting, however, was unable to come to unity to approve the recommendation of the task force on how to accomplish reconfiguration. The matter will be taken up again in November.
Doug Shoemaker, superintendent of Indiana Yearly Meeting, told the Friend this week: ‘It seems evident to many of us that Indiana Yearly Meeting will reconfigure; the question is will we do so deliberately or chaotically. One Friend characterised our proposed deliberative reconfiguration process as not a divorce, but the separation of conjoined Friends, a necessary process so that both may live’.
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