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United Methodist Insight Exclusive
The United Methodist Church’s highest legislative assembly is scheduled to meet in February to consider the future of this denomination. Several plans for “a way forward” have been proposed by a commission of that name and by other unofficial caucuses. General Conference may adopt, amend, rewrite, or reject these proposals. Each of the plans focuses on how to restructure this denomination based on differing opinions about homosexuality.
This article provides a very brief overview of how each plan might impact the ministry and affiliation of the local church, especially Reconciling Congregations. Further “Resources on UMC Way Forward” can be found on the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference website and the links throughout this article.
Currently, the UMC officially declares “the practice of homosexuality” to be “incompatible with Christian teaching” (see fifty-year timeline). As a result, the denomination forbids ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals,” celebration of same-sex marriages or unions, and the use of general church funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. Violation of these laws can result in church trials, as we’ve seen with Beth Stroud, Frank Schaefer, and others. Nevertheless, many congregations and clergy who consider these laws discriminatory and harmful have openly protested and defied these prohibitions.
Hostility and animosity got so bad at General Conference 2016 that the legislative assembly ground to a halt. An exceptional appeal to the Council of Bishops prevented imminent schism. The bishops responded by proposing a “Commission on a Way Forward” to prepare a report to a special session of General Conference—the upcoming meeting in St. Louis, February 23–26, 2019. After a year of study and prayer, the Commission could not arrive at a consensus and instead presented three separate options for a way forward.
The One Church Plan, backed by a majority of the bishops, removes some (not all) of the discriminatory language from the Discipline (in the US version) and allows individual pastors and congregations in the US to follow their conscience regarding homosexuality. For Reconciling Congregations, that means the congregation could vote to allow same-sex marriages—or not. The pastor could choose to conduct a same-sex marriage—or not. Ordination of LGBTQIA+ candidates would be up to the discretion of the Board of Ordained Ministry and clergy session of annual conference. Under this plan LGBTQIA+ candidates could be refused ordination—or not. LGBTQIA+ candidates in discriminatory conferences could choose to transfer to a more welcoming conference. Progressive detractors have noted that this plan introduces new layers of discrimination into church law.
The Traditionalist Plan, supported by the Wesleyan Covenant Association and other conservative caucuses, retains the discriminatory language in the Discipline and attempts to increase enforcement and uniformity throughout the denomination. The parts of this plan that Judicial Council found unconstitutional will no doubt be revised prior to February’s General Conference session. While church law prohibiting same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBTQIA+ candidates would remain much the same as it has been in past years, this plan would signal open hostility to Reconciling Congregations and other open and affirming ministries This plan encourages dissenting conferences and congregations to exit the denomination.
The Connectional Conference Plan creates three “values-based” conferences within the US, each with its own Discipline and laws pertaining to homosexuality. Conferences outside the US could affiliate with one of these or remain the same. This plan requires constitutional amendments rather than a simple majority vote at General Conference. Congregations and annual conferences would be required to vote on their new affiliation.
A fourth plan, which I have endorsed, removes all of the discriminatory language from the Discipline. Proponents of the Simple Plan are gathering in Madison, NJ on January 12, 2019 (register here). This plan is significantly more justice-oriented than the One Church Plan. I must caution, however, that adoption of the Simple Plan (or even the One Church Plan or Traditionalist Plan) may not alleviate the current state of anxiety and unrest within the UMC. Any plan requiring only a simple majority for approval by General Conference could be reversed by a simple majority at any future session of General Conference.
I do not know what General Conference will decide in February. It is also possible (and perhaps likely) that General Conference will agree on no plan in February. Regardless, I’m pretty sure that focusing on homosexuality will not address the future challenges facing this aspiring “worldwide” denomination.
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Darryl W. Stephens
The Rev. Darryl W. Stephens, an ordained deacon in the Texas Annual Conferences, directs United Methodist studies at Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary.