UMC Current Situation Board Presentation.

Jesus is the son of God

UMC Polity and Current Situation Report

Compass Board. March 2022.

About our Polity

• Polity – system of government

• Book of Discipline

• Executive

• Legislative

• Judicial

Book of Discipline

The Book of Discipline is the fundamental book outlining the law, doctrine, administration, organizational work and procedures of The United Methodist Church. It’s wording can only be changed quadrennially by the vote of the General Conference.

Book of Resolutions

The current volume containing the text of all resolutions or pronouncements on issues approved by the General Conference and currently valid. The Book of Resolutions contains not only the resolutions and policy statements passed by the most recent General Conference, but also all such statements still considered to represent the position of The United Methodist Church. The text of any resolution is considered the official position of the denomination on that subject.

Social Principles contained in the BOR

The Social Principles, while not to be considered church law, are a prayerful and thoughtful effort on the part of the General Conference to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation as historically demonstrated in United Methodist traditions. They are a call to faithfulness and are intended to be instructive and persuasive in the best of the prophetic spirit. The Social Principles are a call to all members of The United Methodist Church to a prayerful, studied dialogue of faith and practice. (See ¶ 509.)

Executive Branch

Council of Bishops

• all active and retired bishops

• preside but have no vote at conferences

Legislative Branch

Conferences

• General

• Jurisdictional (U.S.)/Central (Outside U.S.)

• Annual

• District

• Charge/Church

Legislative - General Conference

• GC is only body that can set official policy and speak for the denomination

• Every 4 years (quadrennium)

• 2020 General Conference has been postponed twice due to COVID

• Delegates elected by Annual Conferences

Legislative - General Conference

The 2020 General Conference (postponed/canceled) 862 delegates overall, equally split between clergy and laity.

55.9% from U.S.,

32% from Africa,

6% from the Philippines,

4.6% from Europe and other areas.

Legislative - Jurisdictional Conference

• 5 Jurisdictions in the USA

• Indiana is in the North Central

• 7 Central Conferences outside USA

• Africa – Philippines – Europe/Eurasia

• Every 4 years (quadrennium)

• Elect new bishops among other tasks

Legislative – Annual Conference

• Organizational Body – operates the business aspects within a geographic area

• Annual session – make decisions about how the Annual Conference is to operate

• Elect delegates for General and Jurisdictional Conferences

• Indiana has 8 lay and 8 clergy

delegates to General Conference

Legislative – Charge/Church Conference

• Charge – 1 or more churches lead by the same pastor

• Makes decisions about how to carry out ministry in the local church

• “Local churches … provide the most significant arenas through which disciple-making occurs.” ¶120 2016 BOD

Legislative – Charge/Church Conference

• Charge Conference voters

• Members of the church’s Council (or equivalent body)

• Any retired clergy affiliated with the church.

• Church Conference voters

• Professing Members

Judicial Branch – Judicial Council

• determines constitutionality

• hears appeals from conference decisions

UMC on Homosexual Practice

ALL OF THIS HAPPENS AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE LEVEL:

“No person, no paper, no organization has the authority to speak officially for the United Methodist Church, this right having been reserved exclusively to the General Conference under the Constitution.”

¶509 2016 BOD

General Conference 1972 - Atlanta

• First public debate about homosexuality

• Three main statements:

General Conference 1972 - Atlanta

• Three main statements:

• “Persons of homosexual orientation are persons of sacred worth”

• “We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider it incompatible with Christian teaching”

• “We do not recommend marriage between two persons of the same sex”

General Conference 1976 - Portland

• Efforts to rescind condemnation of homosexual practice failed

• Three statements were added banning the use of church funds to promote homosexual practice

• Revised the marriage statement:

General Conference 1976 - Portland

• Revised the marriage statement:

• “We do not recognize a relationship between two persons of the same sex as constituting marriage.”

General Conference 1980 - Indianapolis

• No change in the prior positions

• Debate centered around ordination, but didn’t result in any changes

• Specific references to homosexual marriage were removed from the Social Principles

• Replaced by:

General Conference 1980 - Indianapolis

• “We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant, which is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman.”

General Conference 1984 - Baltimore

• Adopted a standard for clergy including:

• Commitment to “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness”

• “Since the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church.”

General Conference 1988 – St. Louis

• Instructed General Council on Ministries to conduct a study of homosexuality and report to the 1992 General Conference

• Made one change to the Social Principles statement:

General Conference 1988 – St. Louis

• Made one change to the Social Principles statement:

• “Although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching, we affirm that God’s grace is available to all. We commit ourselves to ministry for and with all persons.”

General Conference 1992 - Louisville

• Received the 19-page “Report On The Study Of Homosexuality”

• Voted 710-238 to retain the language that homosexual practice is “incompatible with Christian teaching”

• Changed no statements or positions

General Conference 1996 - Denver

• Added a definition for “self-avowed practicing homosexual”

• Added a declaration that ceremonies celebrating homosexual unions shall not be conducted by United Methodist clergy or in United Methodist church buildings

• Voted 577-378 to reject replacing “incompatible” language

General Conference 2000 - Cleveland

• First major protests about the UM positions on homosexuality resulting in arrest of over 200 people … including 2 bishops

• Directed General Commission on Christian Unity to engage the church in continued dialogue about

homosexuality

General Conference 2000 - Cleveland

• Rejected a plan requiring all clergy to sign a statement professing that homosexuality is not God’s will.

• Added to the Social Principles:

• “We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn their lesbian and gay members and friends.”

General Conference 2004 - Pittsburgh

• After much debate, reaffirmed the positions on homosexuality

• Judicial Council decisions affirmed the positions as constitutional

• A list of ‘chargeable’ offenses for clergy were amended to clarify what may lead to a church trial

General Conference 2004 - Pittsburgh

• Passed the following resolution:

• “As United Methodists, we remain in covenant with one another, even in the midst of disagreement, and affirm our commitment to work together for the common mission of making disciples throughout the world.”

General Conference 2008 – Fort Worth

• Rejected a change to the Social Principles acknowledging that church members disagree on homosexual practice

General Conference 2008 – Fort Worth

• Approved a new resolution to oppose homophobia and heterosexism saying:

• We oppose “all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice, or sexual orientation”

General Conference 2012 - Tampa

• Rejected two items stating that Christians have different opinions about homosexual practice

• Left all statements unchanged

General Conference 2016 - Portland

• Much debate and arguing resulted in an acknowledgement that we are at an impasse on this issue.

• Legislative process came to a halt

• General Conference asked the Council of Bishops to lead us in a way forward

General Conference 2016 - Portland

• “The Commission on a Way Forward was proposed by the Council of Bishops and approved by the 2016 General Conference to do a complete examination and possible revision of every paragraph of the Book of Discipline concerning human sexuality and explore options that help to maintain and strengthen the unity of

the church. ”

General Conference 2016 - Portland

• Council of Bishops called a special General Conference to meet February 2019 to handle the report from the Commission on a Way Forward

Called General Conference 2019 –

St. Louis

• The Commission on a Way Forward report proposed 3 possible ways forward.

• The “Traditional Plan” affirmed the current positions of the Church, and clarified punitive measures for clergy violations.

• Gracious Exit:

Called General Conference 2019 –

St. Louis

• Gracious Exit:

• Local churches were given a method for leaving the UMC with their property if they disagreed with the church’s positions regarding human sexuality.

Why Are We Talking About This?

2020 General Conference was postponed/canceled until 2024. Global Methodist Church launches May 1st 2022

Options

• Wait until 2024 and do nothing

• Paragraph 2548.2 Join an evangelical denomination. (GMC)

• Paragraph 2553 disaffiliate (go independent/ join another denomination) $$$$$

• Paragraph 2528. Close and purchase

property from denomination.

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