The Courage to Faithfully Dissent

by Marta Castillo

Have you ever had a phrase or word leap out at you—from Scripture, a sermon, a conversation, or a song—and the Holy Spirit keeps you stuck on it, pondering its meaning? 

One such moment came for me when I heard the phrase “faithful dissent.” I remember exactly where I was: in a hard, brave, and sacred space as the Giving and Receiving Counsel listening committee heard Beth Yoder share her 30+ year journey of how God had worked in her life leading her to what she described as an act of “faithful dissent” from the conference’s understanding that pastors should not officiate same-sex weddings. 

As part of my role in Mosaic Mennonite Conference, I participate in Giving and Receiving Counsel, a process of discernment for credentialed leaders alleged to be acting at variance with the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.  

The power of this process lies in the discernment and conversations—between the Leadership Member and credentialed leader and with the Review Committee (made of selected members from our credentialing and ministerial committees). The recommendation on how to proceed with the leader’s credentials should come from a careful time of listening, conferring, and prayer. 

We went through the whole process with Beth. We listened to her story of growth as a pastor and a parent. We heard about the young man in her congregation who asked her to officiate his wedding to his partner, and how Beth did not make that decision lightly. She entered into careful discernment with trusted friends, colleagues, and family. She counted the cost: the risk of losing her credentials, the opinions others would form, the pain and alienation she would feel in the presence of the conference community. Still, her faith called her to dissent.  

Faithful dissent is the act of remaining loyal and steadfast even when your convictions are at variance from those that are commonly, officially, or historically held. 

It is not new. An example of faithful dissent is found in Acts 10, Peter receives a vision from God and chooses to visit Cornelius, a Gentile, despite Jewish law. When Peter sees how the Holy Spirit falls on the whole household, he proclaims that God does not have favorites. When he is criticized for his actions in Jerusalem, he tells his story. When the believers hear it, they have no further objections and praise God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18) 

I am not asking you to agree or disagree with my sister Beth’s act of what she’s named as “faithful dissent.” I know that may be your first instinct upon reading this article.

I am asking you to look at a Jesus who faithfully dissented by healing people on the Sabbath, eating with sinners, teaching and talking with women, scolding the religious leaders, and laying down his life rather than claiming earthly power.   

Writing this article has made me ask myself, where do I need to faithfully dissent? Where do I need to choose faithfulness to God over faithfulness to church or religious institutions? As polarization deepens in the church and world, faithful dissent will become a necessary act of obedience to live like Jesus.  

So, I leave you with this: 

Where do we need to choose a different path than one that was previously, commonly, or officially held, even if it may cost us something?

How can our communities help us discern what is faithful versus what may be rebellion or reaction? May God’s Spirit teach us, help us, and guide us!