
JC Oral Hearing May 2018
Bishop Bruce R. Ough (left) speaks during a May 22, 2018, oral hearing before the United Methodist Judicial Council, meeting in Evanston, Ill. At right is Bishop Scott Jones. The two bishop colleagues found themselves on opposing sides of the question before the Judicial Council. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
The United Methodist Judicial Council has ruled that alternative proposals to the Council of Bishops' "One Church" recommendation on unity may be submitted to the special called 2019 General Conference
The ruling is widely seen as a major defeat for the Council in its efforts to avoid the kind of polarized, acrimonious deliberations that nearly split The United Methodist Church in 2016. The 2016 General Conference put consideration of all petitions regarding the church's stance on homosexuality on hold until the denomination could discuss how it could avoid a split.
Through Bishop Bruce Ough, immediate past president, the Council argued to the Judicial Council that by assigning the "Way Forward" task to the bishops, the agenda of the special General Conference was limited to hearing the bishops' report.
One Council member, Bishop Scott Jones, publicly dissented by the bishops' majority by sending his own request to the Judicial Council to allow all petitions. “The Council of Bishops is not the final repository of wisdom,” said Bishop Jones of the Texas Annual Conference said during the May 22 oral hearing before the Judicial Council.
A summary of Decision 1360 reads:
The purpose of the special session of the General Conference 2019 stated in the Bishops’ call is limited to receiving and acting upon a report from the Council of Bishops based on the recommendations of the Commission on a Way Forward. Petitions to the special session of the General Conference 2019 may be filed by any organization, clergy member and lay member of the United Methodist Church as long as the business proposed to be transacted in such petition is in harmony with the purpose stated in the call. It is the obligation of the General Conference to determine, in the first instance, through its committees, officers and presiders, acting in accordance with The Discipline and the rules and procedures of the General Conference, whether any such petition is “in harmony.” However, business not in harmony with the purpose as stated in the call is not permitted unless the General Conference by a two-thirds vote shall determine that other business may be transacted. See ¶ 14.
According to a United Methodist News Service report by Linda Bloom, one member of the Judicial Council, New York attorney Beth Capen, dissented from the decision. Ms. Bloom quoted Ms. Capen that "while she agreed with her colleagues 'on some points,' she believed that the 2019 General Conference should not receive other petitions 'because its purpose is limited to the report emanating from the work of the Commission on a Way Forward.'”
Reactions to the Judicial Council decision were expected in coming days, but one faction, Good News, was quick to praise Decision 1360. Thomas Lambrecht, a member of the Commission on A Way Forward and executive vice president of the unofficial evangelical caucus Good News, wrote on its website: "The significance of this ruling is that the petition process is open to all, and alternative proposals for resolving our impasse over the definition of marriage and the practice of homosexuality will be allowed. If a Traditionalist Plan with legislation is not included in the bishops’ report, it can still be submitted separately through this process. This ensures that a plan that evangelicals can support will be considered by the delegates at General Conference."
On its Facebook page, Jan Lawrence, executive director of the LGBTQ-advocacy group Reconciling Ministries Network, wrote: "Disappointingly, this Judicial Council Decision is likely to add confusion and stretch the limitations of our time together to produce any meaningful change in February. It is left to be seen what will be determined as 'in harmony' with the called 'purpose' of the General Conference. Regardless, we must remain steadfast in our pursuit of justice for all God's people. We serve a God who shows up, even in chaos."
This is an ongoing story that will be updated as events warrant.