UMNS Photo by Paul Jeffrey
Bishop addresses protesters
Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany is current president of the Council of Bishops.Here’s the distillation of United Methodism in the “Episcopal Greetings” from the front of the 2012 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church.
This book of covenant sets forth the theological grounding of The United Methodist Church in biblical faith, and affirms that we go forward as “loyal heirs to all that [is] best in the Christian past.” It makes clear that The United Methodist Church is an inclusive society without regard to the ethnic origin, economic condition, gender, age, or the disabilities of its constituents. It asserts that all who are baptized and confirmed are ministers of Jesus Christ. It affirms the conciliar principle and connectionalism as distinctive marks of United Methodist ecclesiology, makes clear the global character of the Church’s mission, and declares interdependence with other Christian bodies both in spirit and cooperation. It affirms with John Wesley that solitary religion is invalid and that Christ lays claim upon the whole life of those who accept him as Lord and Savior.