Global Methodism rolls through Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is located at the intersection where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers merge to form the Ohio River. It is the proud home of the roughneck Steeler football team and the eccentric Andy Warhol Museum. For two weeks in April and May, Pittsburgh also became the host city for 986 national and international United Methodist delegates and more than 1,200 guests and visitors who came to witness the 2004 General Conference.

Delegates came from around the world, with more than 188 coming from the Central Conferences, which include Africa, Europe, and the Philippines (some delegates were regrettably unable to attend because of visa issues). Others came from autonomous Methodist churches (churches with which we have concordant relationships) such as Great Britain, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Mexico.

The opening worship service was a colorful display of ethnic diversity, with Native American, African, Hispanic, Korean, and Caribbean elements incorporated into calling the church to worship. Delegates and visitors were joined by a mass choir and orchestra in the beloved hymn "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing."

In what has been called the largest single addition to membership since the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren churches merged in 1968, the denomination officially took into full membership the one million-member Protestant Methodist Church of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

The General Conference, held every four years, is the top legislative body of the denomination and is the only group that can speak officially for the church as a whole. An equal number of clergy and lay delegates make decisions on ministry and missional directions for the denomination. Statements for inclusion in the church's Social Principles and positions on other religious and societal issues are adopted. The financial support for church-wide programs and administrative ministries are also established.

According to a poll taken prior to the 2004 General Conference, delegates considered homosexuality to be the number one issue facing society, followed by war/violence, racism, poverty, and engaging a changing world.

In the midst of emotional protest, United Methodism's 32-year-old statement that homosexual practice is "incompatible with Christian teaching" was overwhelmingly supported. The body also retained United Methodism's statement that "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" are prohibited from ordained ministry by a two to one margin.

Standing against the political and cultural wave of acceptance of gay marriage, delegates said that conducting or performing same-sex unions or wedding ceremonies would be added to the Discipline as a "chargeable offense." Furthermore, the General Conference voted to "support laws in civil society that define marriage as the union of one man and one woman," by a vote of 624 to 184.

A Judicial Council decision clarified that the Discipline's statement that homosexual practice is "incompatible with Christian teaching" is, in fact, church law. In a second decision, while not overturning the Karen Dammann trial verdict, the Council ruled that no clergyperson found by a trial court to be a self-avowed practicing homosexual can be appointed in the UM Church.

The 2004 General Conference will be remembered for a shattered communion chalice that was broken by activists after the delegates voted to maintain their stance on homosexuality. Additionally, the General Conference was interrupted by a half-hour protest orchestrated by Soulforce, a gay-rights organization. Those actions, plus straightforward comments from African delegates causing the General Conference to think about the global ramifications of the issue of homosexuality, set the tone for what was an emotionally exhausting General Conference.

Delegates in Pittsburgh faced the unrealistic task of dealing thoughtfully with hundreds of petitions from groups and individuals across the church. When the final gavel sounded, delegates had acted on a number of controversial issues, voting to:

. Ensure that boards and agencies are fairly and equitably represented according to jurisdiction, with greater representation from growing areas of the church, such as the Central, South Central, and Southeastern conferences by a 514-331 vote.

. Refuse an attempt to require the Boy Scouts to include homosexuals by a 637-158 margin.

. Eliminate the General Council on Ministries and adopt a smaller, more lay involved "Connectional Table."

. Join a boycott of Taco Bell because of alleged worker exploitation by its tomato supplier, as well as voting to boycott Mount Olive Pickle Company until it reaches an agreement on collective bargaining with workers.

. Continue United Methodism's relationship with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice by a vote of 480-350.

. Edit language on abortion in Paragraph 161.J of the Social Principles to include the sentence, "We particularly encourage the church, the government, and social service agencies to support and facilitate the option of adoption."

. Support a resolution, "Ministry to those who regret a past abortion," that encourages pastors and local churches to make referrals and information available for those seeking help with "post-abortion stress."

. Support a resolution opposing assisted suicide and euthanasia. 

. Create a taskforce to study teen sexual identity and suicide risk.

. Oppose the creation of embryos "with the intention of destroying them for research purposes." By a 708-171 vote, the assembly further stated, "Neither should we, even for reproductive purposes, produce more embryos than we can expect to introduce into the womb in the hope of implantation."

. Support a study of reparations and slavery's effect on African Americans' lives, economics, and politics, and to petition the vice president and House of Representatives to support the passage and signing of House Resolution 40.

. Oppose legislation that called upon the Board of Church and Society to ensure that income generated from the Methodist Building in Washington D.C. be in compliance with the building's trust agreement.

. Refuse legislation that would have strengthened accountability by allowing more appeals from trials to the Judicial Council.

. Support a resolution on "Refugees, Immigrants, and Visitors to the United States" that notes the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 have provided a basis for unjust treatment of some immigrants and made it difficult for some visitors to enter the country.

. Disallow the practice of rebaptism.

. Approve a resolution supporting calls for a full investigation of alleged abuses of Iraqi prisoners by the U.S.military.

. Oppose all unilateral first-strike actions and "calls on the president and Congress of the United States to cease and desist from such actions without ratification by, and collaboration with, the United Nations."

. Support the development of a Department of Peace by the U.S. government.

 . Approve a budget for the next four years that is 12 percent higher than the current one, and 35 percent higher than the actual receipts of the current budget.

. Adopt a new document titled "This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion" to serve as the interpretive statement about the ritual and theology of the sacrament.

. Continue the "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" media campaign.

. Pass a resolution stating that today's African-American families face problems of epidemic proportions and mandated that the UM Board of Discipleship identify or create resources and materials to assist local congregations in developing mentoring, counseling, and referral programs, which include implementing strategies for strengthening African-American family life.

. Affirm the historic doctrines of the Christian faith and United Methodism by a 570-334 vote.

. Refuse to allow a variety of women's ministries in the local church by a vote of 571-295.

The two-week legislative gathering was filled with pain, protest, prayer, and petitions. There was heart-felt talk of "amicable separation" and then a theatrical resolution declaring denominational unity was passed on the final day. Hand in hand, the delegates sang "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." Somehow, however, you knew that the broken communion chalice was an outward manifestation of a very deep denominational divide, and the tie that binds was in woeful tatters.

-Good News Editorial Team

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