wfn.org | Church will draw closer on homosexuality issue, Bishop Oden says

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CLEVELAND (UMNS) - While some pundits forecast schism, the new president of
the United Methodist Council of Bishops predicts that the church "will be
drawn closer together" as General Conference addresses the issue of
homosexuality.

"I am not a voting delegate, and I can't predict what will happen to every
piece of legislation," said William Oden, bishop of the church's Dallas
Area. "But I believe we will be closer together after this conference as a
result of our discussions (on homosexuality)."

Oden's remarks came during a press conference held shortly after he took the
helm as president of the denomination's Council of Bishops. The president
serves a one-year term. President-elect Elias Galvan, bishop of the Seattle
Area, will succeed Oden next year.

Besides the issue of homosexuality, Oden commented on several other key
issues facing delegates to United Methodism's top legislative body,
including: the church's global nature; the act of repentance for racism
service held May 4; global poverty; theological education around the world;
and a proposed television campaign to heighten public awareness of the
church and its worldwide mission.

The 992 delegates to the General Conference are meeting May 2-12 at the
Cleveland Convention Center. The assembly meets every four years.

A centerpiece of the delegates' work is the review of a report to change the
denomination's organizational structure. Oden did not endorse or criticize
specific legislation, but challenged delegates to help the denomination
embrace its global nature, particularly in light of rapid church growth
outside the United States.  

No longer is the denomination "an American church with mission outposts in
other countries," Oden said. "We're waking up to the fact that if we are
truly to call ourselves a global church, we must invite our churches in
Europe, Africa and Asia to take their rightful place as partners and leaders
in ministry." 

The church has 8.4 million members in the United States, but its fastest
growth is occurring in other parts of the world, where it has another 1.2
million members.

Oden applauded the May 4 worship service in which delegates, donning symbols
of sackcloth and ashes, apologized for the racism that has plagued the
extended Methodist family. However, he said, the church must find ways to
move from ritual to response. 

For their part, Oden said United Methodist bishops will continue their
pan-Methodist work and dialogue with bishops from the three historically
black denominations that were started because of racial segregation in the
parent Methodist Church. Those denominations are the African Methodist
Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion and Christian Methodist
Episcopal churches.

Oden challenged local churches and members to initiate dialogue and acts of
repentance in their own congregations and communities.
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M. Garlinda Burton

	

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United Methodist News Service
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