Earlier this year, the Methodist Church launched a consultation with its members on whether to "revise its understanding of marriage" in light of the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex) Couples Act 2013. The consultation also sought views on whether its prohibition on performing civil partnership ceremonies should be reconsidered.
A new report on the outcome of the consultation exercise revealed that 62 per cent of those who responded expressed opposition to a change in the Methodist Church's teaching on marriage as outlined in Standing Order 011A, which states:
"The Methodist Church believes that marriage is a gift of God, and that it is God’s intention that a marriage should be a life-long union in body, mind and spirit of one man and one woman."
The results are contained in a report produced by the working party on marriage and civil partnerships, presented at the Methodist Conference meeting in Birmingham last month. The conference announced that the Church had decided to accept the recommendations of the working party's report to commit to a "two year period of listening, reflecting and discernment following the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England, Wales and Scotland earlier this year."
The conference also agreed revised guidelines to "allow local churches and ministers to consider the appropriate pastoral response to requests for prayers and blessings of same-sex couples." It also directed the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee to "work on the production and dissemination of clear guidance on what is to be regarded as homophobia."
Andrea Williams says: "The consultation delivered a very clear message to the Methodist Church and it appears that instead of accepting the result, the Church is going to copy the Church of England by entering into a two year period of listening and reflecting. Christians everywhere are looking to mainstream denominations to uphold the Biblical definition of marriage."
Please contact the President of the Methodist Conference, Rev Kenneth Howcroft, to express your concerns, urging him to uphold the Biblical definition of marriage . You can email him at: presidentandvp@methodistchurch.org.uk
Read a statement issued by the Methodist Church here >
Read the working party's full report here >
