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At every General Conference from 1972 to 2019, human sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular has been the topic that generated the most buzz, even if, from a legislative perspective, among the fewest pieces of new or revised legislation in the Book of Discipline.
The 2024 General Conference, by contrast, made more changes and passed more legislation on this topic than any in the history of American Methodism.
That said, a substantial number of the changes approved involved deletions of previous content, not additions of new content.
Much of what was deleted are former prohibitions involving homosexual people. These include prohibitions against self-avowed, practicing homosexual persons serving as clergy (2016 Book of Discipline Paragraph 304.3), against United Methodist clergy presiding at same-sex union or marriage ceremonies and the mandatory penalties for the same (Paragraphs 341.6, 2711.3, 2702.3.b), against bishops consecrating, commissioning or ordaining persons duly elected to the relevant status but who were found to be self-avowed, practicing homosexuals (Paragraph 415.6), and against annual conferences (Paragraph 613.19) or general agencies (Paragraph 806.9) using funds or undertaking any activities promoting of the acceptance of homosexuality. Also removed is a requirement that district committees and conference boards on ordained ministries verify that candidates for licensed or ordained ministries were not self-avowed, practicing homosexuals prior to admitting them to candidacy or recommending them for commissioning or ordination (Paragraph 304.5 as amended by the 2019 General Conference).
What Central Conferences May Adapt
While the 2024 General Conference has made sweeping changes to the denomination's policies regarding human sexuality, central conferences (regional legislative bodies outside the United States) are free to accept, reject, or adapt many of them. If the constitutional amendments regarding regionalization are ratified by the 2/3 of the total votes of this year's annual conferences, all regional conferences worldwide (including a new regional conference for the United States) will be able to customize even more of the Discipline for their settings.
However, even with regionalization, only the General Conference has the authority to approve or alter the Social Principles. Meanwhile, if the regionalization amendments are ratified, regional conferences may create and adopt their own standards and ceremonies for marriage.
What is added includes a revised statement on sexual ethics for clergy candidates along with proactive efforts to restore clergy previously removed or withdrawn because of their homosexuality, to oppose homophobia, and to include non-heterosexual people in positions of responsibility in districts, annual conferences and general agency boards.
The revised sexual ethics statement holds clergy candidates to higher and more searching standards in their sexual relationships than simply not to engage in sexual relations with people to whom they are not married. Now such relationships are to demonstrate “faithful sexual intimacy expressed through fidelity, monogamy, commitment, mutual affection and respect, careful and honest communication, and mutual consent” (Paragraph 304.2).
A new paragraph (368) provides a process for the reinstatement of clergy who were terminated, surrendered their credentials, or had their clergy membership or license for ministry revoked because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or for having presided at a same-sex union or marriage ceremony. The window to apply for reinstatement is limited (ending May 15, 2025), but also makes provision that if one's own annual conference does not readmit them, one can apply to another annual conference with an extended timetable to make that request (through November 15, 2025).
Three new items address overcoming homophobia. Global Ministries is now required to “provide training, resources, and consultation with and for all levels of the global church to actively resist intersecting structures of white supremacy, heterosexism, sexism, patriarchy, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, colonialism and classism” (new Paragraph 1302.16). To the list of items congregations are not to consider in receiving pastoral appointments (Paragraph 425.1) are now added “economic position” and “sexual orientation.” And to the list of conditions of people UMCOR is not to consider when providing services are added sexual orientation, disability, and economic condition.
The largest number of additions regarding human sexuality involve ways to include non-heterosexual people at all levels of leadership in the denomination beyond the local church. Starting at the district level, the district council on youth ministry is now recommended to include in its membership people of various sexual orientations, people with disabilities, and people of various economic conditions (Paragraph 672.2). Similar language was added for the membership of the conference councils on youth ministry, young adult ministry, and older adult ministry (Paragraphs 649.2, 650.2, and 651.2). At the general agency level, similar language is also included for the composition of the board of the General Commission on Religion and Race (Paragraph 2003.4).
The Social Principles had long been a battleground with many attempts over the years to add or remove restrictions on non-heterosexual people and ministry with them. The Revised Social Principles approved by the 2024 General Conference took two substantial steps away from the position first declared in 1972 that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” Not only is that phrase no longer part of the Social Principles, but no mention of homosexuality is to be found there at all. Instead, human sexuality is treated as a gift for all people (Paragraph 162.C).
On marriage, the Revised Social Principles make this statement: “Within the church, we affirm marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith, an adult man and woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age, into union with one another and into deeper relationship with God and the religious community” (Paragraph 162.D). This new statement, opening marriage to consenting monogamous adult couples, underscores other changes in the Revised Social Principles. Polygamy is explicitly rejected, as is child marriage, two issues of particular concern to United Methodists outside the United States (Paragraphs 162.D.1,2). A previous statement calling United Methodists to advocate for laws limiting marriage to monogamous heterosexual couples is absent (2016 Book of Discipline, 161.C).
Through deletion and addition, the position of The United Methodist Church on human sexuality has shifted more profoundly in the current Book of Discipline than at any previous time in the history of Methodism in the United States. Exclusion of homosexual people is removed. Inclusion of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, is advocated for laity and clergy alike. Clergy are able to make their own decisions about whether to preside at same-sex weddings in countries where they are permitted without penalty for their discernment. And for the first time, statements related to marriage explicitly include voices from United Methodists in Africa.
As a result, the denomination’s brand promise, “Open hearts, open minds, open doors” now better describes what the people of The United Methodist Church seek to be than it had before.
Burton Edwards serves as Lead for Ask The UMC, the United Methodist Information Service.
