Wisconsin Conference: The UMC is divided into conferences, which
resemble
a synod in the Lutheran Church or a diocese in Roman Catholicism. In 1996-JUN, the
Wisconsin conference declared that it welcomes all people into its congregations,
regardless of sexual orientation. They said "Only a public statement can begin to
overcome [the] perceived reality" that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals "are
not welcome in [our] churches," This statement was challenged and taken to the
Church's Judicial Council. The council decided to not rule on the matter.
1997:
"Affirmation" is an unofficial caucus of United Methodists for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgendered Concerns. 1 After their meeting in Nashville TN from
1997-OCT-11 to 13, their National Council of Affirmation issued a statement directed at
the Council of Bishops. 2 It asked the Council to request a ruling from the
church's Judicial Council on the "meaning, application and constitutionality"
of the church-wide ban on homosexual unions ceremonies. That ban was established by the
General Conference in 1996-APR. The National Council also:
applauded the "leadership and courage" of Rev. Creech for openly
testing the 1996 ban;
called on all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, to celebrate their continuing
commitments at United Methodist churches on Valentine's Day, 1998;
encouraged individuals to join the Covenant Relationships Network (CORNET).
This is a UMC group that supports gay and lesbian union
rituals.
called on all churches to make their facilities available for covenant services;
defined the celebration of covenantal relationships to be an "essential form of
pastoral support." They called on UMC clergy to offer "full pastoral
ministries" to all members;
asked all United Methodists to "speak and act forthrightly with the Rev. Jimmy
Creech against the present injustice".
The Edgehill United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN had decided to
discontinue all marriage services in their chapel there until the denomination changes its
policy on gay and lesbian services of union.
"In All Things Charity" is a new movement within the United
Methodist Church formed by 15 pastors who are calling for an end to the United Methodist
Church's discrimination in the areas of same-sex union services and in the area or
ordination. 3 They issued a letter in 1997-JAN-1 called "In All Things
Charity." Included were commitments to support within the denomination of: "appropriate
liturgical covenantal commitments between same-gendered couples" and to "work
and pray for the ordination of gay men and lesbians who are otherwise called to and
qualified for ordinary ministry." One month later, 651 clergy from 48 states
indicated their support.
1998:
The Council of Bishops met in Lincoln Nebraska from 1998-APR-27 to
MAY-1. It consists of 67 voting bishops (50 from the U.S.) and 60 retired bishops. The
latter can debate but have no vote. They decided that Methodist ministers should follow
the UMC Social Principles and not perform gay marriages. Council president, Bishop Emerito
P. Nacpil of the Philippines said that ministers who did this in the future could face
prosecution in the same way as Jimmy Creech. "The same procedures available in
our discipline will be followed..." 4,5 Bishop George Bashore of Pittsburgh,
PA has become the new president of the council. He said: "The intensity of
this issue is greater than any I have seen in my 40 years of ministry. The potential for
schism and hemorrhaging is greater now than at any time I have ever seen in the life of
the church." Probably the previous ethical debate of similar in intensity to the
present struggle over gay union ceremonies was a dispute in the late 1930's. That
concerned the ordination of women.
The bishops issued
unanimously adopted a pastoral statement on APR-30. It pledged to uphold the
Book of Discipline, "including the statements on homosexuality and all specified issues
contained in the Social Principles, including the prohibition of ceremonies celebrating
homosexual unions by our ministers and in our churches." The bishops also
affirmed their "pastoral responsibility to all peoples, including those who feel
excluded from the church." 6
The executive members of Good News praised with the statement but regretted
that the bishops did not call a special session of the General Conference. They were also
concerned that the statement did not condemn clergy who have recently declared their
intent to perform same-sex covenants. "The growing number of pastors who are
saying publicly that they will not be bound by General Conference action threatens the
unity of our connection."
Officers of the Confessing Movement had similar views in their statement
released on MAY-4. "We are grateful that the Council of Bishops has recognized
the pain inflicted upon the membership of the United Methodist Church as caused by the
performing of a same-sex union...and the verdict which failed to find the pastor guilty
for violation of the order and discipline of the church." They expressed concern
that if the Judicial Council does not issue a clear decision concerning the homosexual
issue. "We are fearful that there will be a radical hemorrhage of members leaving
the denomination, and a significant loss in financial support for the general structures
of our church."
On MAY-6 release, Morris Floyd, a spokesperson for Affirmation and CORNET, said the
pastoral statement "is another illustration of the problem of losing sight of
Biblical commandments for justice and love...Despite its appropriate pastoral tone, the
statement satisfied very few...It simply reiterated the administrative status quo."
George D. McClain, executive director of The Methodist Federation for Social Action,
commented that the bishops' statement "in no way diminishes the reality that the
Creech verdict is a sign of the direction in which God is leading us...We are pleased that
they acknowledged those excluded from the church - obviously, lesbians and gay men...Aware
that the bishops themselves are deeply divided around issues of sexual identity, biblical
interpretation and doctrinal emphases, we celebrate the bishops' commitment to prayerful
study and dialogue about such issues, thus enabling them to model for the church how we
can be a mutually supportive and forgiving family despite our differences."
Rev. Gregory Dell of Chicago, spokesperson for "In All Things Charity,"
said that the bishops' statement preempts the Judicial Council's ruling, and changes
"the historic nature of our church from a faith-motivated community to a
doctrinal denomination. For that reason, it puts increased numbers of faith-motivated
clergy at risk of ecclesiastical trial on all kinds of issues. It also leaves the church
further divided and more adamant in its exclusion of many of its members."
1998 (cont'd):
"Good News," is a magazine for the evangelical wing of the
United Methodist Church. They showed in its 1998-MAY issue a drawing of the Titanic sinking as a
lifeboat pulls away from the disaster. The headline reads: "Will homosexuality
sink United Methodism?''
California-Nevada UMC Conference: 18 out of 325 ministers asked to
detach and form a separate conference for evangelicals. They said that they were "divided
beyond reconciliation.'' The conference decided to take no action on this request at
their 1998 meeting.
Confessing Movement: Many groups and individuals, including bishops and
cabinets from Georgia and North Carolina and the conservative Confessing Movement
are calling for a special church-wide General Conference as soon as possible. The next
regularly scheduled meeting will be held in the year 2000. They are asking for a vote that
would make the Social Principles binding on all pastors, or that would move the section
concerning homosexual unions into the section that serves as a legal code. The
Council of
Bishops opposed a special conference. They said, "as we respond to the crisis in
the world, especially among children and the impoverished...a special session might
further distract us from our central mission."
The Progressive Religious Alliance, a Los Angeles group, perhaps
inspired by Rev. Creech's trial, circulated a declaration
concerning same-sex marriages. The deadline for declaration has passed We have added
it to our web site for historical purposes.
Annual Conferences: During 1998, halfway between the 1996 and 2000
General Conferences, 39 annual UMC conferences passed a variety of resolutions related to
homosexuality. These included:
affirmations of the Book of Discipline and Social Principles.
requests to the Judicial Council to rule that Social Principles are binding to all
pastors.
affirming the APR-30 pastoral letter.
calling on the 2000 General Conference to make an unambiguous prohibition of same-sex
union ceremonies.
declaring themselves as "reconciling, transforming, confessing or welcoming
organizations:"
Reconciling groups accept members of all sexual orientations as full participants
Transforming groups support gays and lesbians who want to become heterosexual
Confessing groups support "Jesus Christ and the doctrinal position of the
United Methodist Church" 7
Welcoming groups may accept or reject homosexuality, but accept all gays and lesbians as
members
Readiness to conduct same-sex unions: An unidentified conservative UMC
leader said that 240 UMC ministers had signed a statement confirming that they would
conduct same-sex unions if asked. By 1999-JAN, this has grown to 360.
1999:
Jimmy Creech: Rev. Creech performed another same-sex union ceremony. It
was for two men at a church in chapel Hill NC on 1999-APR-24. Complaints have been filed
with his bishop. The process starts again. 8 More
information.
2000:
The Sacramento 95 or 96 or 67 or 69: On 2000-FEB-11, a UMC investigating
committee decided to not try the ministers who had jointly conducted a
lesbian union service in 1999-JAN-16. The exact number of ministers
involved varies by news source. Bishop Melvin Talbert of the California-Nevada
Conference said: "No further steps or action will be taken
or pursued" against the ministers. He added: "We may
never reach agreement on this issue." According to
ReligionToday: "The investigating committee heard testimony
from church experts on Scripture, tradition, ethics, experience, and
reason before reaching its decision." 9 James
Heidinger, the head of the Evangelical Good News movement, said
that he and his conservative colleagues were "stunned and
angered" by the decision.
Conservative groups merge: Three conservative renewal
movements within the UMC (Good News, the Institute on
Religion and Democracy, and the Confessing Movement), have formed a
coalition called Coalition for United Methodist Accountability
(CUMA). It is a coalition of "laity and clergy who have come
together to seek doctrinal, fiscal, and procedural accountability in
the life of the United Methodist Church." According to
Newsroom, their goal is to "help steer the church back to its
doctrinal roots." 10 On 2000-NOV-16,
the leaders issued a statement: "We believe the witness and
ministry of our church is being undermined by increasing disobedience
to church doctrine and standards, neglect of due process, and unfair
administration on the part of some bishops and district
superintendents"
Legal same-sex unions: ReligionToday reported on 2000-DEC-7
that Pastor Gregory Dell of the Broadway United Methodist Church
in Chicago IL believes that he has found a method of conducting same-sex unions within
church rules. He has the couple exchange vows at a ceremony outside
the church. Then they return to the church to celebrate their unions
at a second service.
2001:
Trial of gay pastor: Complaint against UMC pastor: On 2001-JUN-15, The Rev. Mark Edward
Williams of Woodland Park United Methodist Church revealed to clergy
and lay members of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference that
he was gay. On 2001-DEC-18, the Associated Press reported that Bishop
Elias Galvan of Seattle, WA, had initiated a formal complaint at the
direction of a denomination court. Williams commented: "I was
expecting it for many months, but at the same time it sort of felt
like being hit in the stomach when it actually happened." AP
stated that "The bishop and an investigation committee will
determine whether there are grounds for a church trial, which could
bring suspension or expulsion." 11,12
Funding of dialog: According to a United Methodist News Service
report of APR-23, the The United Methodist Commission on Christian
Unity and Interreligious Concerns have requested $200,000 from the
General Council on Ministries for a "series of dialogues on
homosexuality and church unity." 13
2002:
Survey of GLBT UMC members: On 2002-APR-5, the
Reconciling Ministries Network issued a "flashnet" news release
about Jamie B. Stroud, a clinical sexologist and a Ph.D. candidate at
the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality (IASHS) in San
Francisco. She created a
new web site where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT)
United Methodist individuals can anonymously participate in a research
project. The survey is intended to examine why LGBT United Methodists
remain loyal to and/or affiliated with the United Methodist Church
in spite of the denomination’s Social Principles assertion that
homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and stance that
disallows full participation in the life of the denomination for those
persons. 14 Her survey is still
active today. 17
2005:
Judicial Council ruling concerning Ref.
Edward H. Johnson: During 2005-JUN, clergy of the Virginia Annual
Conference of the UMC voted to place the Rev. Edward H. Johnson,
senior pastor of the South Hill [VA] United Methodist Church on
involuntary leave. This was triggered by his refusal to receive a
homosexual male into membership. He said that the man would neither
repent nor seek to live a different lifestyle.
In October, the Judicial Council'S decision #1032 decided that
UMC pastors have the authority to decide who is acceptable as a church
member. They ruled:
"the pastor in charge of a United Methodist Church or charge is solely
responsible for making the determination of a person's readiness to
receive the vows of membership."
According to the Reconciling Ministries Network Digest:
"The word 'solely' has especially generated emotionally and politically
charged conversations throughout the church about pastoral authority and
the power of United Methodist bishops. The Rev. Jerome King Del Pino,
top executive of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, said
the heated debate highlights the need for focused, careful and
continuing dialogue about the theological, ecclesial and pastoral
implications of the council's action. "The church craves clarity about
how to understand and live out its mission that is at once coherent and
compelling for an unbelieving world," said Del Pino. "Judicial Council
1032 has created a defining moment in the life of people called United
Methodists." Florida Conference Bishop Timothy Whitaker said reactions
to the ruling have exposed "weaknesses in the life of our church" and
declared that "we have much work to do in examining and renewing our
discipline of membership in the church."
The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, which
oversees the church's licensed and ordained leadership held a conference on
2007-FEB-15/16. Pastors, bishops, theologians, seminary deans and denominational
staff members met to discuss the matter. 19
Statement of
inclusivity by Methodists of color: On SEP-04, at Lake Junaluska, NC, a
group of Asian American, African American, Hispanic, Native
American and Pacific Islander Methodists issued a statement promoting
inclusiveness. It said, in part:
"...we raise our voices lest the mistakes of the past be
repeated in the present. We are reminded that at not so long ago
African Americans were denied entry into this historic site at
the heart of Methodism and based on the remembrance of this
tragic legacy, we speak out today so that no other individuals
or groups will be similarly denied hospitality at Christ's holy
table of fellowship."
"As UMOC, we are mindful that then as now, more conservative
voices from within this Church that we love have sought to deny
access and entry to fellow Christians and United Methodists. And
we are concerned that then as now acts of inhospitality have
opened the door to expressions of extremism and hatred. In
particular, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the
efforts of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and of other misguided
individuals to intimidate and threaten this gathering of
faithful United Methodists. Again, as UMOC, we are mindful of
the campaign of brutality, violence and terror that the KKK has
waged from the past down to the immediate present against
African Americans, new immigrants, Catholics, Jews, people of
differing political perspectives, the federal government, and
many, many others."
"Now, in recent weeks, the KKK has made it abundantly clear that
they have expanded their circle of hatred and terror to include
Reconciling United Methodists, particularly those who are gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people of faith." 15.16
2006:
Methodist youth pass resolutions concerning homosexuals: On
2006-MAY-25 to 28, young people at the annual United Methodist Student
Development Conference approved a series of resolution urging their
denomination to be more tolerant and inclusive towards
homosexuals. They passed 14 resolutions on the topic. One criticized a
church court for its decision to deprive "lay people of their rights."
It upheld the right of a minister in Virginia to withhold church
membership from a man because he is a homosexual. It passed by a vote of
199 to 28. 17
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
Affirmation (United Methodists for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
Concerns) is a support group within the denomination. See: http://www.umaffirm.org/
"Affirmation leaders ask for judicial decision on ban against homosexual
union ceremonies," United Methodist News Service, 1997-OCT-14, at: http://www.umc.org/umns/news97/oct/
"Methodist pastor in trouble again for same-sex ceremony,"
NewsRoom, 1999-MAY-27, at: http://www.newsroom.org/
ReligionToday news summary, 2000-FEB-15.
Newsroom is a service of Worldwide Newsroom Inc. Their
articles are written by "a network of journalists, scholars and
other professional contacts in country." You can subscribe to their
service from their website at http://www.newsroom.org/
Tim Tanton, "Gay Seattle pastor gets church assignment, not
appointment," United Methodist News Service, 2001-JUN-29, at:
http://umns.umc.org/01/june/297.htm
