
To Take a Stand: Body, Gesture, and Protest in the Divided United Methodist Church
featuring Sarah Dove, The Ohio State University
Sarah is a PhD candidate and Graduate Teaching Associate in the Department of Comparative Studies at the Ohio State University. As a part of her research, she uses dance and performance theory as a lens through which to view cultural phenomena. As an emerging artist, teacher, and scholar, her primary research initiatives advocate for the fusion of theory and practice for the purpose of creating culturally and socially informed modes of investigation and creative output.
Page Abstract: On February 26, 2019, at a special session of the General Conference for the United Methodist Church convened in order to discuss language regarding human sexuality included in The Book of Discipline, a majority decision to uphold traditionalist views that mark homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching” (The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016; 161) was passed. This decision sent shockwaves through the Methodist global community as it was forced to grapple with the precarity of openly LGBTQIA clergy who might now be facing ostracization from communities in which they had invested their lives. As an organization that positions inclusiveness as a recognition that “openness, acceptance, and support…denies every semblance of discrimination,” (140) for many, this decision represented a clear dissonance. This research aims to investigate a local response to this decision where an individual put their body on the line as an intervention meant to reinforce remaking the UMC for individuals and communities in the name of social justice.
If you would like to receive a copy of Sarah's page or the Zoom invitation for this event, please contact dove.76@osu.edu.
All events sponsored by the Center for the Study of Religion are free and open to the public.
The CSR No More Than A Page series gives an opportunity for faculty and advanced graduate students to receive feedback on their research in process. Presenters provide attendees with a one-page summary of their current research and attendees engage in a lively discussion.