Affirmation Calls for Dissent, Adopts General Conference Platform

Link to Affirmation: Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns home page.

October 27, 1998

Affirmation Calls for Dissent,
Adopts General Conference Platform

by Affirmation

UNITED METHODISTS SHOULD DISSENT FROM THE PROHIBITION OF COVENANT SERVICES FOR LESBIANS AND GAY MEN. The National Council of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns, meeting October 10-12, 1998 in Portland Oregon called upon United Methodists to dissent "thoughtfully and creatively" from the prohibition on celebrating or hosting covenant services for lesbians and gay men. Affirmation claims that the prohibition is "discriminatory, unjust and unconstitutional."

AFFIRMATION ALSO ADOPTED A PLATFORM OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND RESOLUTIONS FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE 2000. Chief among these is a call to add to the Social Principles statement a new paragraph affirming the rights of all people to enter into relationship covenants. Affirmation insists that it is past time to remove from the Discipline discriminatory passages, such as prohibitions on ordination, covenant services and funding. "It is time for the church to decide," said co-spokesperson Jeanne Knepper. "The church cannot have it both ways, claiming not to discriminate when it labels our lives 'incompatible with Christian teaching,' refuses to celebrate our relationships and declines to recognize our calls into ministry.

Judicial Council delivers "Double Whammy," Report and analysis by Morris Floyd, December 10, 1998
Affirmation's Brief Submitted to Judicial Council (October 1998 meeting)
Affirmation's brief concludes, "We find that the meaning of status in Paragraphs IV and 15.14 of the constitution protects people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. We find that the effect of the language of ¶ 65.C, 'Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches,' violates the constitutional provisions of Paragraphs IV and 15.14."
Jeanne G. Knepper's Brief Submitted to Judicial Council (October 1998 meeting)
Affirmation's Brief Submitted to Judicial Council (August 1998 meeting)
Two Cal-Nevada leaders announce plans for same-sex union (with at least 67 clergy presiding), UMNS, October 26, 1998
External Links
Decision No. 837 (October 1998 Ruling)
The bishop's decision in the North Texas Annual Conference is affirmed that in order to legally define "self-avowed practicing homosexual", the definition must include identification of the persons or groups to whom the self-acknowledgment is to be made.
Decision No. 845 (October 1998 Ruling)
The concluding sentence of ¶ 65c of the 1996 Discipline: "Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches" is constitutional.
Decision No. 847 (October 1998 Ruling)
An Annual Conference may not identify or label itself as an unofficial body or movement (such as, but not limited to, a "Confessing Conference," "Reconciling Conference," or "Transforming Conference").
The Social Principles

As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people, Affirmation radically reclaims the compassionate and transforming gospel of Jesus Christ by relentlessly pursuing full inclusion in the Church as we journey with the Spirit in creating God's beloved community. We affirm a Gospel of respect, love, justice and mercy for all. Affirmation is an activist, all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization with no official ties to The United Methodist Church.