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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3132 notes).

Note 3131 by UMNS on Aug. 15, 1996 at 15:27 Eastern (5621 characters).

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CONTACT: Thomas McAnally                          417(10-71){3131}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Aug. 15, 1996

'Wesleyan Essentials of Christian Faith'
outlined by World Methodist Council

by Tom McAnally*

     RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- A concise document identifying 33
essentials of Christian faith shared by Wesleyan denominations
around the world was adopted by the World Methodist Council here
Aug. 13.
     The 500-member conference also authorized its officials to
work with other Christian groups to celebrate the 2000th
anniversary of Jesus Christ's birth.
     Produced by a 17-member work group of the council, the
"essentials" document describes "the people called Methodists" and
their beliefs, worship, witness, service and common life.  Work on
the paper began after discussions of pluralism and diversity at
the most recent World Methodist Council meeting in Singapore in
1991.
     In addition to approving the Wesleyan essentials here, the
500-member council received a second paper suggesting how the
essentials might be used when relating to other Methodists, other
Christian communions and people of other faiths.
     Seventy-three Methodist denominations or united churches are
members of the World Methodist Council representing about 32
million members in 107 countries.  United churches are those in
which Methodist denominations have been merged with others, such
as the United Church of Canada and the United Church of Australia.
     The people called Methodists, according to the paper, "claim
and cherish our true place in the holy, catholic and apostolic
church."
     The work and ministry of John and Charles Wesley in 18th
century England is affirmed as the common heritage of people
called Methodists.  Purpose of the Wesleys' work, according to the
paper, was renewing the church and spreading "scriptural holiness,
which includes social righteousness, throughout the whole earth,
to the glory of one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
     Confessing that Methodists often have failed to live up to
their calling, the paper says, "We repent of the times when our
witness has distorted the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Trusting in the
Grace of God we engage ourselves anew in God's service."
     The second paper encourages members of the Methodist family,
when dealing with one another, to "discern God's will to seek to
prevent disagreements from becoming alienating and isolating" and
to "respect one another's right to disagree without isolating them
from the family."
     Dialogue with other Christian communions occurs, the paper
says, "when there is sufficient commonality between us to make
such conversation possible," and when "there are significant
differences between us to make conversation necessary."  The goal
of such ecumenical discussions, the papers say, is to work toward
"full communion in faith, mission and sacramental life."
     The fact that more people today from different religious
beliefs and traditions are living side by side provides both
opportunities for growth and knowledge as well as conflict," the
paper says.
     Methodists are encouraged to respect the religious beliefs,
confession and customs of others but at the same time learn what
ideals and values are held in common.
     Regarding the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus
Christ, the council authorized officials of the organization to
work with other Christians in planning special observances for the
occasion.
     They also encouraged "acts of solidarity with Christians in
the Bethlehem area to give substance and credibility to the
anniversary of Jesus' birth."  Specific suggestions include
sending work teams to work with Christians in the Holy Land.
     The Rev. Keith Berry, a council member from Kansas City, Mo.,
lamented that the "little town of Bethlehem is getting smaller
every year."  An increasing number of individual Christians are
being forced to leave the birth place of Jesus Christ, he said.
     He encouraged Methodists, when visiting the Holy Land, to
utilize travel agencies owned by Palestinians, to take part in
work projects with local Christians while there, and to plan for
personal conversations with Christians "who remain and who wonder
if anyone else cares about them."
     In other actions take during Aug. 13 sessions, the council:
     * approved proposals to help stop violence in Africa, Bosnia
and Ireland;
     * expressed "alarm and outrage" at the steadily increasing
gap between the rich and poor and called on the International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank to cancel "paralyzing debt that
has impoverished the people of so many nations;"
     * agreed to initiate dialogue with the Holiness and
Pentecostal churches;
     * agreed to create by 1998 a committee to enhance men's
ministries in the Wesleyan bodies;
     * asked the council's executive committee, which meets
annually, to develop guidelines to be applied when a member
denomination plans to establish a new church in a nation where a
World Methodist Council member denomination already exists;
     * requested the executive committee to study the
organization's structures and report at the next meeting in 2001.
                              #  #  #

     * McAnally is director of United Methodist News Service,
headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

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