THE METHODIST CHURCH IN BRITAIN
AND HOMOSEXUALITY

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Overview:

The Methodist Church was founded by two brothers, John and Charles Wesley in England during the 18th century. It is the third largest Christian denomination in Britain, after the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. It has about 6,100 churches, about 330,000 full members, and more than one million other adherents.

Of all of the faith groups in Britain, the mainline denominations like the Methodist Church are probably experiencing the greatest degree of conflict over the rights to be given to their gay and lesbian members. More liberal religious groups, like the Unitarians, accepted homosexuality as simply another normal and natural sexual orientation decades ago. More conservative denominations, like Fundamentalists and other Evangelicals have retained the historical Christian beliefs which condemn all same-sex behavior.

At their 2005 convention, they decided to allow their ministers to bless same-sex relationships in a formal church ritual.

Methodists adopt local option on blessing of same-sex relationships:

At their conference which started on 2005-JUN-23 in the Riveara Centre in Torquay, the Methodist Conference discussed their denomination's in-depth report on human sexuality. It is a recent review of the "Pilgrimage of Faith" report adopted in 1993. The review took two years and involved contributions by in excess of 160 congregations, groups and individuals. A draft version of the report indicated that some Methodists reject full inclusion of sexually active homosexuals within the denomination. However, it found that other members "...are moving towards allowing the full inclusion of sexually active lesbians and gay men in stable and committed relationships, whilst not necessarily believing that same-sex sexual activity is what God intends."

Many speakers at the conference described the positive contributions that gay and lesbian church officials had made to the denomination. One speaker, Ken Holdsworth, of Somerset, mentioned that the presence of elderly same-sex couples in his congregation had not upset other worshippers. He said: "We need to get on with blessings." Only one speaker was opposed -- concerned that the church would move away from its biblical roots if it accepted homosexuals.

The delegates decided on JUN-29 that the denomination should become "welcoming and inclusive," and not turn people away because of their sexual orientation. Delegates decided to allow its ministers to bless same-sex relationships. The Methodists thus became the first large Christian denomination in Britain to take this step. They have asked their Faith and Order Committee to prepare guidelines to help ministers respond to requests by same-sex couples to conduct prayers or services of blessing. The document is expected to be distributed in the fall. Individual ministers will probably adapt the existing Methodist liturgy for the blessing of a opposite-sex couple for use with same-sex couples. The church intends that blessing services are not be regarded as weddings. However, church officials did acknowledge that many couples and the society as a whole might view them as marriages.

This move is in stark contrast to the situation in the Anglican Communion: