The United Methodist Church, with
an estimated 10.4 million members, has current policies that are contrary to
the wishes of many if the LGBT community. However, many church leaders,
including local pastors, welcome gays and lesbians as church members and
support their basic human rights. The denomination prohibits ministers from
blessing same-sex unions and condemns gay sex. It also officially excludes
noncelibate gay and lesbian people from ordination, though this rule has been
the subject of recent controversy.
Rights for Gays and Lesbians
Regarding the denomination’s
particular stance on homosexuality, the 2012 Book of Discipline states:
“The United Methodist Church does
not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice
incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available
to all. We will seek to live together in Christian community, welcoming,
forgiving, and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us.
We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay
members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all
persons.”
The United Methodist Church
supports “certain basic human rights and civil liberties” for gays and
lesbians, including some limited recognition of same-sex relationships. For
example, the 2008 Book of Discipline states:
“Certain basic human rights and
civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to supporting those
rights and liberties for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation. We see
a clear issue of simple justice in protecting the rightful claims where people
have shared material resources, pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers
of attorney, and other such lawful claims typically attendant to contractual
relationships that involve shared contributions, responsibilities, and
liabilities, and equal protection before the law. Moreover, we support efforts
to stop violence and other forms of coercion against all persons, regardless of
sexual orientation.”
However, the denomination’s top
court declined to reconsider Judicial Council Decision 1032 at the end of
October 2010. Decision 1032 states that a United Methodist pastor has the right
to determine local church membership, even if the decision is based on the
person’s sexual orientation.
Sexual Relations
The 2008 Book of Discipline frames
the UMC’s beliefs about human sexuality, “Although all persons are sexual
beings whether or not they are married, sexual relations are affirmed only with
the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage.”
Blessing of Same-Sex Unions
The church forbids United
Methodist ministers from performing weddings or commitment ceremonies for
same-sex couples even in states where it is legal or for its buildings to be
used for such ceremonies.
At the 2012 General Conference,
the policy forbidding the blessing of same-sex unions was challenged but
upheld. The conference delegates also upheld church’s official doctrine
declaring support for “laws in civil society that define marriage as the union
of one man and one woman.”
In 2012, the General Conference
reaffirmed that marriage is between a man and a woman by stating:
“We affirm the sanctity of the
marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal
commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We believe that
God’s blessing rests upon such marriage, whether or not there are children of
the union. We reject social norms that assume different standards for women
than for men in marriage. We support laws in civil society that define marriage
as the union of one man and one woman.”
Additionally, the UMC’s Judicial
Council ruled in 2009 that church law prohibits clergy from performing same-sex
marriages or commitment ceremonies. Thus, the denomination does not sanction
civil union ceremonies or weddings conducted by UMC ministers or in UMC
churches, despite appeals from some regional congregations and clergy that it
does so.
In 2011, some 70 United Methodist
ministers in Minnesota announced that they're willing to marry gay couples.
They signed a statement at Minnesota's Annual United Methodist Clergy
Conference, saying they would "offer the grace of the Church's blessing to
any prepared couple desiring Christian marriage." The move by the
ministers comes as Minnesota voters prepare to vote
next year on a constitutional amendment that would define marriage in the state
as being only between one man and one woman.
Ordination of Gay and Lesbian
Ministers
The UMC’s official doctrine bars
“self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from the clergy.
“While persons set apart by the
Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human
condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the
highest standards of holy living in the world. The practice of homosexuality is
incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing
homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or
appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”
"Self-avowed practicing
homosexual" is understood to mean that a person openly acknowledges to a
bishop, district superintendent, district committee of ordained ministry, board
of ordained ministry, or clergy session that the person is a practicing
homosexual.
Resources for LGBT United Methodists
The Reconciling
Ministries Network is a coalition of LGBT-inclusive UMC
congregations and ministries that offers contact information for LGBT-friendly
churches around the United States.
Affirmation:
United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns encourages
more inclusive policies for LGBT people within the church.
The Methodist
Federation for Social Action works to advance social justice
policies within the church, including advocacy on behalf of LGBT people.
Film:
Incompatible with Christian Teaching is a documentary film directed
by Anne Brown, detailing the stories of clergy and laity, and GLBT and straight
allies.
If you would like to communicate with
the United Methodist Church in the United States, here is their mailing
address:
United Methodist
Office of Public Information
810 Twelfth St.
South
Nashville, TN 37203
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