JCD 1218

http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1337&JDMOD=VWD&SN=1201&EN=1229

“REQUIREMENT TO DISCRIMINATE”

The New York Conference was offered a petition calling upon its members to consider not discriminating against LGBT members and their families. It was challenged by means of a question of law requesting the bishop to rule it null and void based on extensive church law.

The Judicial Council ruled the resolution was aspirational and does not have legal enforcement behind it.

Such resolutions have survived testing before the Council in the past, as noted in the decision. That was the ruling of the bishop and that ruling was affirmed by the Council.

The term “discrimination” enters into the judicial discussions in this session from two places, New York and Wisconsin. The New York resolution and the report of the Wisconsin pastor may be the result of discussions at General Conference among those who find the church’s laws on homosexuality oppressive.

It will come up in other places next year.

Will that argument forward the discussion or will it be neutralized some way?

Who says church life is boring?


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