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United Methodists Meet in Fort Worth
The United Methodist General Conference, which convenes every four years, is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, from April 22 to May 2 to discuss over 1,500 petitions that have been proposed by those seeking change in church structures and policies. One topic that has been hotly debated at each recent conference is the Church's position on homosexuality. A search of the official conference Web site shows that 56 of the petitions being discussed this week either deal with or mention homosexuality. Currently, the official position of the United Methodist Church is that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching." Some petitions propose to strengthen that view while others hope to bring flexibility to the policy.
For example, petition #80454 would like the church to adopt a statement saying that the practice of homosexuality is not "necessarily incompatible with Christian teaching if practiced in committed monogamous relationships." Another petition proposes that "homosexuality is on a continuum of sexuality and therefore [should] be seen in the natural God-made way for human life." A petition dealing with the sanctity of marriage affirms the "personal commitment and shared fidelity between two adult persons, [and that] God's blessing rests upon such marriage."
Many of the proposed petitions attempt to undergird the traditional view of the church opposing the practice of homosexuality. Petition #80030, for example, states that any clergy or lay person who consistently tries to overturn the wording of the traditional statement on homosexuality would not be fit for appointment or for membership. Another petition states that United Methodist funds should not be given to any gay caucus or group, and that church funds should not be used to promote the acceptance of homosexuality or provide domestic partner benefits.
The conference Web site also lists 17 petitions that deal with transgenderism. Rev. Karen Booth, who heads up "Transforming Congregations," an organization that ministers to "sexually confused, sinful and broken people," believes that the church should minister to transgender people, but leadership should not be an option for them.
According to the 2008 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, the United Methodist Church has 7,995,456 members and is the third largest denomination in the United States, behind only the Catholic Church with over 67 million members and the Southern Baptist Convention with over 16 million members.