wfn.org | [UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 312-Western Jurisdiction challenges homosexuality stance

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Western Jurisdiction challenges homosexuality stance

>Jul. 22, 2008

NOTE: Photographs and additional coverage of the 2008 jurisdictional
conferences are available at http://umns.umc.org.

>By Marta W. Aldrich*

PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS)-Challenging the United Methodist stance on
homosexuality, the church's Western Jurisdictional Conference approved
four statements aimed at changing denominational policies and beliefs on
human sexuality.

With no debate, the legislative assembly voted July 18 in favor of
resolutions that presenters said will serve as "a witness to the general
church."

One resolution celebrated a May 15 ruling by the California Supreme
Court clearing the way for gay marriages, which began in that state June
16. It states, in part, that the conference supports "same-gender
couples who enter into the marriage covenant and encourage(s) both
congregations and pastors to welcome, embrace and provide spiritual
nurture and pastoral care for these families."

Another asks that church leaders look for "creative ways" to "be in full
ministry with all who come to us" and declares an intention not to
penalize clergy or churches "for being agents of this ministry in God's
name."

A third resolution challenges decisions last April by General
Conference, the denomination's top legislative body, that kept intact
the church's position that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian
teaching."

"We stand with our gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender brothers and
sisters, both lay and clergy, who have been shunned by The United
Methodist Church in polity and deed," the resolution states. "... As a
welcoming and reconciling jurisdiction, we will take steps of inclusion
in the sacred trust of marriage, ordination and leadership roles for
all."

A fourth resolution affirms a statement approved by the human sexuality
subcommittee of General Conference. That statement, which was not
approved by the churchwide assembly, says United Methodists and other
Christians "have struggled to find principles for applying traditional
teachings to contemporary understandings of human sexuality." The
resolution encourages "the medical, theological and social science
disciplines to combine in a determined effort to understand human
sexuality more completely."

As the only body that speaks for the entire church, General Conference
affirmed its stance while holding that all people are "individuals of
sacred worth created in the image of God." Meeting in Forth Worth,
Texas, the denominational assembly also retained statements asking
"families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members
and friends."

General Conference represents a worldwide denomination of 11.5 million
people. Of those, 390,000 United Methodists are in the Western
Jurisdiction, which covers the Western United States and some U.S.
territories in the Pacific.

>Pushing for change

In the wake of the California high court's ruling, the Western
Jurisdiction's resolutions followed others passed in June by the
California-Pacific and California-Nevada Annual (regional) Conferences.
Those resolutions include support of United Methodist clergy who choose
to perform same-sex marriages, including one that lists and commends 82
retired clergy who have offered to perform such ceremonies.

The Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference, meeting during the same week
as the Western, voiced support for those clergy as well.

In a ruling of law issued earlier in July, Bishop Beverly J. Shamana
said California-Nevada's statement commending those pastors was "void
and of no effect." Her ruling said the conference does not have the
power to offer clergy services that could be chargeable offenses under
church law, which prohibits United Methodist pastors and churches from
conducting ceremonies celebrating homosexual unions.

>A minority in the church

Leaders of the Western Jurisdictional Conference and its annual
conferences have become increasingly vocal about including and affirming
people of diverse sexual orientations in the life and sacraments of the
church.

"As the population has grown in the Western Jurisdiction, people have
increasingly come to know more and more people in our Christian
community who are gay and lesbian people, and so there is a desire ...
to be a home for all of God's people," Bishop Mary Ann Swenson told
United Methodist News Service.

"It's been a growing vision over time, and the majority of people in our
leadership would wish for the Book of Discipline and the denomination's
position to change," said Swenson, of the church's Los Angeles Area.
"But the majority of people in our jurisdiction are a minority of people
for the whole church."

Leah Gallardo Switzer, one of two jurisdictional delegates to vote
against the four resolutions, said she represents "that silent voice in
the California-Pacific Conference" that sides with the denominational
stance.

"I believe everyone is welcome at God's table," said Switzer. "My issue
is marriage. I believe marriage is a sacrament that God intended for a
man and a woman. At the same time, I believe there are many more
important issues, such as poverty and human trafficking, that God is
calling us to address. These are the things I'd like to see us spending
more of our energy speaking to."

*Aldrich is news editor of United Methodist News Service.

News media contact: Marta Aldrich, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

>********************

United Methodist News Service Photos and stories also available at: http://umns.umc.org

----------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe from this group, go to UMCom.org, log in to your account, click on the My Resources link and select the Leave option on the list(s) from which you wish to unsubscribe. If you have problems or questions, please write to websupport@umcom.org.

Powered by United Methodist Communications http://www.UMCom.org