Another Reason Why It's a Good Thing that the World Wide Church Amendments Are Going Down in Flames

As Annual Conferences continue to meet, it's becoming more and more apparent that United Methodists around the world have seen the folly of the World Wide Church Amendments approved by the 2008 General Conference.  Of the 27 AC's which have reported their voting, 24 have rejected the Amendments.  By voting no, UM's are insuring that the UMC doesn't end up like the Anglican Communion in America which is turning in on itself.

The Anglican Church of North America will be formed next week.  This mass exodus of more than 10% of all Episcopalian attendees in the US & Canada comes as a result of the increasing liberal actions of the Episcopalian leaders.  (Washington Times article)

I firmly believe if the World Wide Church Amendments would have somehow passed, that the UMC would be following suit in a few short years.  The Amendments would have established the US as a "regional" body.  This would have made it much easier for the liberal elements of the UMC in the US to push through their agendas.  And like the Episcopalians, conservative American United Methodists would feel a closer ties to their African sisters and brothers and would move to align with them, perhaps going as far as forming a new Methodist denomination in America.

Can you imagine what it would mean if suddenly 10% of all American UM's left the denomination?  Since conservative Christians are generally more generous than those who are left-leaning.  The financial earthquake would leave the GC and AC's reeling.

But thanks be to God, it appears as if the door is quickly closing on those possibilities.  Any AC which might yet pass the Amendments is too small to have a major impact on the outcome.  And I think that the trend of 8 to 1 against will for the most part continue. 

Comments

[Rev Ralph W Howe]

Isn't it odd that just as the balance of power in the UMC is about to shift to Africa, Asia and South America, the US folks are trying to keep "those people" from influencing how we do church in the US? Since they are liberal, it couldn't be racism, could it?

[Steve]

Yes, it appears we will be maintaining a colonial structure for the UMC that is steeped in racism. If the amendments are indeed defeated it gives the African conferences and Filipinos one more reason to move toward separation and becoming autonomous churches like the Latin American and Korean Methodists. What is being lost in the debates is the fact that the Central Conference bishops requested these changes. Rejection by the US conferences says that we don't care about the wishes of the Central Conference leaders. We like our colonial church just the way it is, thank you very much.