wfn.org | Justice issues fuel board proposals to change Social Principles

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

March 9, 1999          Contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
10-71BP{129}

NOTE: A General Conference logo may be used with this story.

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - As the advocacy arm of the United Methodist Church looks
to the denomination's quadrennial legislative assembly, its members are
preparing to request changes in the Social Principles, or guidelines on
justice.

During a March 4-7 meeting, governing members of the United Methodist Board
of Church and Society approved proposals to change two paragraphs on human
sexuality and endorsed the proposed wording of a new section on the
Internet. The text of a new section on suicide received a first reading. The
Social Principles reflect where the denomination stands on issues and
concerns, and are contained in the church's Book of Discipline.

Proposals for legislative changes from voting members of the United
Methodist Church's agencies as well as annual (regional) conferences,
congregations and individuals will come before the 992 delegates to the
General Conference in Cleveland, May 2-12, 2000. The assembly is the top
lawmaking body of the denomination.

In the Social Principles' section on human sexuality, board members quickly
agreed to add the word "competent" to the criteria for protective services
and counseling opportunities "that are culturally sensitive" for abused
children. 

However, changes to the final paragraph of the section involved extensive
discussion, which centered around the sentence: "Although we do not condone
the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with
Christian teaching, we affirm that God's grace is available to all."

Bishop Melvin Talbert, as chairman of the board's human welfare work area,
presented the committee's recommendation to delete the first part of the
sentence, leaving it as: "We affirm that God's grace is available to all."

Voting member David Livingston of Shawnee, Kan., proposed to substitute for
the deletion these words: "Although faithful Christians disagree on the
compatibility of homosexuality with Christian teaching, ..." Eventually this
was put to a vote and the substitute narrowly prevailed 19-17. The
subsequent vote on sending the proposed revision to General Conference
passed by a greater margin but was not unanimous.

In a proposed Social Principle on the Internet, the positive aspect of the
online world is noted along with a warning about the dangers. The brief
section concludes with a call for religious and civic groups "to work
together to make the Internet a safer place for all." The text was quickly
accepted by the board.

The wording of a new section on suicide was reworked but not concluded. In
its current form, the statement calls for educating pastors and
congregations about issues that relate to suicide and for efforts to
eliminate the stigma that often falls on family and friends. It also
advocates access to medical care and therapy for all who need it with the
hope of preventing suicides. The board expects to vote on this proposal at
its October meeting.

Board members approved revisions or new text for several resolutions that
will also go before General Conference. When adopted by the legislative
assembly, the resolutions are considered official policy statements of the
denomination and are printed in the church's Book of Resolutions. Under a
new sunset law passed by the 1996 General Conference, all resolutions
adopted 12 or more years ago will be dropped unless resubmitted and approved
by the delegates.

The board completed its work on several resolutions, including "Victims of
Crime," "Opposition to a Call for a U.S. Constitutional Convention,"
"Church-Government Relations in the United States," "the United Methodist
Church and Peace," "Human Rights," "In Support of African-American Farmers,"
"Recycling and Use of Recycled Products" and others.

The resolutions approved at the board meeting included one supporting the
Peace with Justice Special Sunday, with its churchwide offering for annual
conference and denominational justice ministries. A recommendation from a
joint committee of churchwide program and finance councils would eliminate
two special Sundays, including this one, the smallest of the six such
offerings.

The board  also agreed to forward a resolution to General Conference calling
for the closing of the U.S. Army School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga.
The contention that the school has been a "school for assassins" is
supported in the findings of a U.N. truth commission report cited in the
resolution, together with U.S. Department of Defense information about
manuals from the school that condoned murder, torture, kidnapping and
extortion.

Board members also tackled several items that were not related to the
General Conference.

They adopted a board resolution calling for the U.S. president to grant
Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier executive clemency for a
1977 conviction in the murders of two FBI agents. Amnesty International
investigated the case and said Peltier was falsely accused and convicted,
according to the resolution. 

The board also approved sending a strongly worded letter to the presidents
of the Philippines and that country's senate, with copies to their U.S.
counterparts and church officials in both countries. It will be signed by
Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan, president of the board, and the Rev. Thom
White Wolf Fassett, top staff executive.

The letter objects to the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement, stating
that the pact would relegate Filipinos to second-class status in their own
country, expose them to the firing of live ammunition and the dumping of
toxic wastes, and possibly make them the target of attacks if the United
States enters into armed conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.

A board member from the Democratic Republic of the  Congo (formerly Zaire)
brought a personal report on conditions in the northeastern part of his
land. Mumba Djamba, speaking through an interpreter, said armies from
neighboring Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi have massacred many Congolese and
looted churches, homes, factories and natural resources.

"We want peace and not war," he said, and asked for prayers and assistance. 

Board employee Mark Harrison urged the voting members to express their
interest in Africa to their congressional representatives.

The board will conclude its work on other resolutions and reports for the
2000 General Conference when it convenes again this fall. Because so much
remains and the board approved two extra events for that gathering, the
executive committee is exploring adding an extra day to the meeting, set for
Oct. 7-10.

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