wfn.org | Church ratifies constitutional amendments, bishops announce

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 8, 2001 News media contact: Thomas S. McAnally7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.     10-21-31-71B{521}

NOTE: For further coverage of the United Methodist Council of Bishops'
meeting, see UMNS stories #520, #522, #523 and #524.

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UMNS) - All 11 amendments to the constitution of the
United Methodist Church, approved by the 2000 General Conference, have been
ratified by the required aggregate two-thirds vote of the 177 annual
(regional) conferences in the United States, Europe, Africa and the
Philippines.

The church's Council of Bishops made the announcement Nov. 8, during their
weeklong meeting at Lake Junaluska. 

Only Amendment IV relating to baptism and church membership caused much
debate across the church prior to the voting by regional units this year. 

The amendment makes it clear that upon baptism all individuals are
considered "baptized members" of the church. Once vows are taken declaring
their Christian faith, they become "professing members." Heretofore,
baptized infants have been considered "preparatory members" until they are
old enough to profess their own faith. This is usually done at the age of 11
or 12 in a service of confirmation.

The amendment brings the denomination's baptism ritual, "By Water and the
Spirit," and the Book of Discipline into agreement regarding membership.  

Some critics said the amendment is contrary to United Methodist tradition by
allowing individuals to stay as baptized members, even when they do not
profess their own faith. Others disagreed. The Rev. Andy Langford, general
editor of The United Methodist Book of Worship, said official liturgical
documents have supported a careful balance between sacramental and
evangelical theologies of baptism. "We believe that God's work in baptism is
transforming, and that every person must personally claim God's grace given
in baptism," he said.

If the amendment had been defeated, Langford said it would have repudiated
the distinctive United Methodist theology and pushed the denomination
"either into Roman Catholic sacramentalism or Baptist evangelicalism."

Four related amendments (VII, VIII, X and XI) clarify membership categories.

An amendment adding a statement on racial justice to the constitution
received considerable attention before and during the General Conference in
Cleveland, but little debate in annual conferences. In Amendment V, the
church proclaims the value of each person as a unique child of God and
commits itself to the healing and wholeness of all people.  

"The United Methodist Church recognizes that the sin of racism has been
destructive to its unity throughout its history," the new paragraph reads.
"Racism continues to cause painful division and marginalization." 

It commits the church to "confront and seek to eliminate racism, whether in
organizations or in individuals, in every facet of its life and in society
at large." The amendment also commits the denomination to collaborative work
with others to address concerns "that threaten the cause of racial justice
at all times and in all places."

Four amendments (I, II, III, VI) are editorial in nature, changing language
resulting from the 1968 merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical
United Brethren Church. Amendment IX clarifies age categories from which
young people from each district are to be selected for membership in the
annual conference. The upper age limit is also raised from 25 to 30.

The vote counts announced by the bishops were:
7	Amendment I, 39,892 yes; 716 no.
7	Amendment II, 39,847 yes; 669 no.
7	Amendment III, 40,186 yes; 773 no.
7	Amendment IV, 32,523 yes; 7,570 no.
7	Amendment V, 39,058 yes; 1,290 no.
7	Amendment VI, 39,365 yes; 1,006 no.
7	Amendment VII, 35,040 yes, 5,063 no.
7	Amendment VIII, 34,711 yes; 5,409 no.
7	Amendment IX, 35,924 yes; 4,504 no.
7	Amendment X, 35,322 yes; 5,069 no.
7	Amendment XI, 35,161 yes; 5,074 no.

Full texts of the amendments may be found on the Internet at 
http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=2251.
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