{"id":7278,"date":"2014-04-29T17:33:03","date_gmt":"2014-04-30T00:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=7278"},"modified":"2014-04-29T17:33:26","modified_gmt":"2014-04-30T00:33:26","slug":"united-methodist-body-considers-change-to-sexuality-stance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/united-methodist-body-considers-change-to-sexuality-stance\/","title":{"rendered":"United Methodist body considers change to sexuality stance"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rev. Pamela Lightsey, associate dean for community life and lifelong learning at Boston University School of Theology, shares her views during the April 29 online dialogue on human sexuality, held by the Connectional Table in Chicago. The Rev. Mark Teasdale (center) and retired Bishop Daniel C. Arichea Jr. round out the three-person panel. Photo by Diane Degnan, United Methodist Communications.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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By Heather Hahn | CHICAGO (UMNS) April 29, 2014<\/h4>\n

The Connectional Table, one of The United Methodist Church\u2019s governing bodies, has decided to draft legislation that could change church law \u201cto fully include LGBTQ persons in the life and ministry of the church.\u201d<\/p>\n

The draft would be brought back to the\u00a0Connectional Table<\/a>\u00a0at a future meeting for consideration. The April 29 decision to draft the legislation came the same day the Connectional Table began a series of three public discussions on human sexuality.<\/p>\n

The dialogue \u201cis an exercise of our responsibility to be a common table for the church and to confer with one another as representatives of the church,\u201d said Dakotas-Minnesota Area Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Connectional Table chair, the day before the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Connectional Table believes that we need some specific language to inform the discussion before we can seek effective feedback from the Connection and fully discern what our next steps will be,” Ough said after the event, in a press release. \u201cThis decision has empowered the Table to begin developing such language, which would be open to debate, amendment, and improvement before any final decision is made on adoption.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 59-member Connectional Table is a United Methodist governing body of clergy and lay people that coordinates the denomination\u2019s mission, ministry and resources. Any legislation adopted by the body would go to the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly, General Conference, for action in 2016.<\/p>\n

The April 29 dialogue was live-streamed on the denomination\u2019s web site, UMC.org, and viewed by people in 11 countries. The group plans to host similar dialogues during its next two meetings, concluding at its February 2015 meeting in Liberia.<\/p>\n

Raleigh (N.C.) Area Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, the chair of the Connectional Table\u2019s Human Sexuality Task Force, served as moderator for the morning\u2019s discussion.<\/p>\n

She told those gathered in Chicago and online that the hope is these public discussions will lay the groundwork for any substantive change the Connectional Table proposes to General Conference.<\/p>\n

The possibility of changing the church\u2019s stance on homosexuality came up soon after the Connectional Table returned from lunch. The Book of Discipline, the global denomination’s law book, states that all people are of sacred worth but “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Area Bishop Minerva Carca\u00f1o proposed beginning the process for greater inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. She did so following the urging of the Rev. Julie Todd, a member of Love Prevails. Todd\u2019s unofficial United Methodist group advocates the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the life of the church.<\/p>\n

Carca\u00f1o said she had not expected to make such a motion at this Connectional Table meeting but felt led by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

‘Parallel paths’ to change<\/h4>\n

What followed was a discussion that lasted nearly two hours and at times included motions to table Carca\u00f1o\u2019s motion until the end of the public dialogue.<\/p>\n

Other members expressed concern that, with the rapid approach of the 2016 General Conference, legislative wording needed to be worked on now. The body would need to approve such legislation before it could be submitted to General Conference. A number of members said they saw a need to eliminate \u201cdiscriminatory language\u201d in the Book of Discipline.<\/p>\n

The deadline for petitions to General Conference is Oct. 13, 2015. General church agencies and the Connectional Table are urged to submit petitions by Sept. 1, 2015.<\/p>\n

By a show of hands, a majority of Connectional Table members affirmed a motion from Ward that the body engage in \u201cparallel paths through dialogue and e-mending (that is, changing from within) the Book of Discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n

The body narrowly voted \u2013 17-15 \u2013 against a subsequent motion to reconsider that action.<\/p>\n

The dialogue<\/h4>\n

The question at the center of the Connectional Table\u2019s first dialogue on human sexuality was: Can The United Methodist Church sustain deep disagreements regarding human sexuality and still remain in unity?<\/p>\n

The church\u2019s divisions on homosexuality have made headlines in recent months, and, not for the first time, some church members have mentioned the possibility of schism.<\/p>\n

The April 29 discussion included clergy and scholars who approached the topic from various theological perspectives.<\/p>\n

Ough called the panel discussion a historic conversation that attempted to engage the entire United Methodist Church through live-streaming and Twitter.<\/p>\n

San Antonio Area Bishop James E. Dorff opened the discussion with a Bible study based on Jesus\u2019 prayer for his disciples\u2019 unity in John 17:20-26. Dorff told those in Chicago and online that Jesus prayed for unity so that Christians can be a witness to the rest of God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is our end game?\u201d Dorff asked. \u201cWill we be of one mind? I doubt it. Will we all be of one church? I sure hope so. Will we all be brothers and sisters in Christ? I hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panelists included:<\/p>\n