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Methodism Today
Bishop Scott Jones addresses clergy renewal group at North Georgia Annual Conference (6/25/2010)
During the 2010 North Georgia Annual Conference, Bishop Scott Jones spoke at a breakfast held by the Wesleyan Renewal Movement, a group of clergy and laity who are committed to "ensuring the Book of Discipline and the election of bishops reflect the principles of Wesley and the Bible". He was invited to speak about the Committee to Study the Worldwide Nature of the UMC which Bishop Jones chairs. The General Conference 2008 had voted by a 2/3 majority to restructure the United Methodist Church into a series of regional conferences due to the shifting demographics of church growth. The proposed constitutional amendments were then sent to individual annual conferences for a vote, where they were soundly defeated. Bishop Jones acknowledged the dramatically different results between the General Conference votes and the annual conferences votes was unprecedented and quite shocking to the Committee.
Bishop Jones denied that the restructuring legislation was used as a strategy to separate the U.S. and African voting blocs, whereby progressive sexuality petitions would have a greater chance of passage. The African delegations tend to be theologically conservative and vote overwhelmingly against the acceptance of homosexual practice. Many evangelical Methodists believe that without the conservative votes of the African delegations, the likelihood of holding the line on the church's historical stance on the acceptance of homosexuality would be slim. Crossing this line has proven disastrous for other mainline denominations in the United States, creating an unrepairable schism as laity and clergy leave the church.
Jones explained that many issues are at play concerning the future of worldwide Methodism and how it is structured. By General Conference 2012, it is expected that 40% of the delegates will be from outside the United States. This is due to the rapid growth of the UMC in Africa and the Phillipines and the continued decline in membership in the U.S. and Europe. He explained that currently that the Book of Discipline and the work of our boards and agencies are U.S.-focused and cumbersome to other regional areas.
Many of the points and concerns Bishop Jones shared with the group are important ones for Methodists to ponder, and his audience seemed to gain more clarity from hearing his perspective. He said that one task facing the Worldwide Nature Committee is to make clear recommendations regarding which parts of the Book of Discipline should apply to all United Methodists and which parts should be "adaptable to local contexts". Bishop Jones saide the study committee has determined that a few things are so crucial to the unity of the worldwide church that they must be determined by the General Conference such as the Constitution, our Doctrinal Standards, the Social Principles, the mission statement, basic descriptions of church entities, and sexuality issues, including ordination.
Perhaps the great difference in votes between the General Conference and the annual conferences illustrate the deep disconnect which exists between our church institutions and the people in the pews. As the church continues to form committees and study groups to "rethink church" and "redefine structures", perhaps the answers to revitalizing the global church can be found at the grassroots and local church level. Or perhaps we can look to our African brothers and sisters in Christ and learn from them about the amazing work that God is doing in their midst.
Read a wonderful article on Bishop Jones' presentation at The Methodist Thinker website. http://methodistthinker.com/2010/06/23/bishop-scott-jones-rethinking-the-path-to-a-worldwide-umc/ Board of Church and Society publically opposed pro-life provision in healthcare reform bill. (11/24/09)
The partisan political advocacy of the Board of Church and Society and the Women's Division are on full display, as evidenced in this new post to The Methodist Thinker website. Using resolutions passed at General Conference 2008 (that they authored), these agencies are able to advocate in the public square for public funding for abortion. Renew provided a research piece for this article.
Read the full article in The Methodist Thinker here.
Read Renew's report on the 2008 Book of Resolutions here.
Board of Church and Society Sex-Ed Writer: Sex Outside of Marriage Can Be "Moral, Ethical"(10/8/09)
The Board of Church and Society continues to push the envelope on morality, theology, and political advocacy. A sex-education column in their current webzine "Faith in Action" argues that persons can have a "moral, ethical sexual relationship" outside the covenant of marriage--a position totally against historic Christian teaching and the United Methodist Book of Discipline. Please read more about this outrageous position here.
Great Websites For Methodist News
Get the latest news headlines from the official news agency of the United Methodist Church,the United Methodist News Service: http://feeds.feedburner.com/umnsheadlinesKeep up to date from the leading voice on the renewal of the United Methodist Church--Good News: The Magazine and Movement of Methodism Renewal: www.goodnewsmag.org
An independent news organization, The United Methodist Reporter, publishes stories on the web through their website, The United Methodist Portal: www.umportal.org
The Methodist Thinker--a website featuring news, commentary, audio, transcripts--focusing particularly on the North Georgia Conference and Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church: www.methodistthinker.com |
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