Petition Text: 20968-IC-NonDis-O

Understanding Petition Numbers

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Membership in the United Methodist Church and in Supremacist Groups

Mandate

The 1992 General Conference referred to the General Commission on Religion and Race for study and to report back to the 1996 General Conference Calendar Item 1182 found on page 831 of the 1992 "Advance Daily Christian Advocate". This petition sought to amend ¶ 208 of the 1988 Book of Discipline by adding the following language: "However, since membership in The United Methodist Church cannot coexist with membership in racial and ethnic supremist [sic] groups, any persons who holds [sic] membership in racial and ethnic supremist [sic] groups shall not hold membership in The United Methodist Church".

Methodology

At its organizing meeting in September 1992, The General Commission on Religion and Race assigned to its Legislative Committee the responsibility of developing a methodology for responding to the referral.

In December 1992, the United Methodist News Service published two stories (one an update) of the White Knights of the KKK of the Kansas City, Missouri area who were using the denomination's copyrighted cross-and-flame insignia in its promotional materials. The imperial klaliff of the Klan group, explaining how he first learned of the controversy, stated that "several of our members that belong to your [United Methodist] church have confirmed that this symbol is similar to your symbol". (Emphasis ours).

At its March 1993 meeting, the General Commission adopted the Legislative Committee's recommendation that it request assistance from the General Council on Ministries's Office of Research in developing a `user friendly" survey instrument to conduct a survey of GCOM's 1994 SUMO (Survey of United Methodists Opinion) Panel in an effort to answer the following questions:

* Do many United Methodists belong to racial/ethnic supremacist groups?

* Are United Methodist youth being targeted for recruitment by racial/ethnic supremacist groups?

* Are United Methodist facilities being used for recruitment by racial/ethnic supremacist groups?

* How are United Methodist churches responding to the presence of racial/ethnic supremacist activities in their communities?

* What should be the denomination's response to racial/ethnic supremacist activity?

* What kinds of resources would be helpful to individuals, local churches, districts and annual conferences to assist them in responding effectively to racial/ethnic supremacist activities in their communities?

In early June 1994, surveys were mailed to 1380 clergy and 974 lay panelists who comprised the 1994 SUMO panel. The panel represented the diversity of The United Methodist Church in terms of gender, lay/clergy, geographic locations, race and ethnicity, generations (age), membership size, and communities. A total of 1,011 usable surveys were returned by the return date of July 19, 1994: 437 were lay persons and 574 were clergy.

Survey Results

* 85 (8.4%) panelists knew of persons who are members of racial/ethnic supremacist groups. Of these 85 panelists, 18 (1.8% of the total) responded "yes" when asked whether these persons were members of their own local congregations. When asked how many of the persons who were reported to be members of racial/ethnic supremacist groups were younger than 19 years of age, 41 panelists reported that they knew of 1-5 youths, 7 panelists reported knowing 6-10 youths, 3 panelists reported knowing of 11-15 youths, 1 panelist reported knowing of 16-20 youths and 7 reported knowing of more than 20 youths who are members of racial/ethnic supremacist groups.

* 126 members of the panel were aware of the recruitment of young people in their communities for membership in racial/ethnic supremacist groups.

* 10 members of the entire panel reported knowing of the use of United Methodist facilities by racial/ethnic supremacist groups for meetings or to recruit members. Fourteen members of the panel reported that racial/ethnic supremacist literature had been distributed in their churches within the past five years.

* 345 (34%) members of the panel reported racial/ethnic supremacist group activity in their communities within the past five years, and 259(25.6%) reported that racial/ethnic supremacist literature had been distributed in their communities within the past five years.

* Thirteen lay members and 92 clergy members of the panel reported that they are members of a community-based multi-racial coalition to combat racial/ethnic supremacist groups. 895 panelists reported that they are not.

The resource most widely used in the local churches is Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, followed in order by "Charter for Racial Justice," Language of Hospitality: Intercultural Relations in the Household of God, "Creating a New Community: God's People Overcoming Racism," "Building A New Community: God's Children Overcoming Racism," America's Original Sin, When Hate Groups Come to Town, and "Indicators of Institutional Racism".

When asked what kinds of materials would be helpful in responding effectively to the presence of racial/ethnic supremacist groups, the panel listed films and videos as the overwhelming first choice, followed in order by brochures and booklets, speakers and consultants, workshops and curriculum.

The survey instrument included seven open-ended questions or opportunities for the panelists to write in "other" responses. Two of the open-ended questions were "What should be the response of the denomination to members of racial/ethnic supremacist groups who seek membership in The United Methodist Church?" and "What should be the response of the denomination to racial/ethnic supremacist group activity in local areas?"

The largest number of responses, 1009, were written to explain what the response of the denomination should be to members of racial/ethnic supremacist groups who seek membership in The United Methodist Church. The responses ranged across the spectrum. Some panelists advocated emphatic rejection. Others advocated strong educational programs for prospective members. Others suggested that the denomination should proclaim boldly its understanding of Christian love and all the implications of that love so that any one who seeks membership would know the character of life that membership would entail. Still others advocated unconditional acceptance. Whatever the position adopted, the panelists were clear that there is a fundamental discrepancy between the tenets of our faith and the policies and practices of racial/ethnic supremacist groups.

Interestingly, when the panelists were asked their own personal beliefs as to whether persons who hold membership in racial/ethnic supremacist groups should be permitted to hold membership in The United Methodist Church, 207 (21.01%) said yes, 556 (56.4%) said no and 222 (22.5%) were undecided.

In response to the final question on the survey, "What should be the response of the denomination to racial/ethnic supremacist group activity in local areas?" 723 panelists recorded their ideas. Again, the responses ranged across the spectrum. Some panelists advocated organized opposition such as counter-demonstrations. Others suggested building coalitions with other groups, religious and community-based, to present a united front against such activity. Still others suggested that the denomination should monitor the actions and movements of racial/ethnic supremacist groups. Others advocated a more proactive stance suggesting that the membership should be educated about racism and hate groups through teaching, preaching, church school curricula, press releases, position papers issued by the Council of Bishops, etc. Others advocated a more systemic approach to the problem of racial/ethnic supremacist groups and suggested that the denomination should address the underlying issues of economic disparities.

Recommendations

As a result of its study of Calendar Item 1182 as reported above, the General Commission on Religion and Race makes the following recommendations to the 1996 General Conference:

1. That the proposed amendment to ¶208 of The 1992 Book of Discipline be rejected on the grounds of four inter-related theological principles: first, that God's grace is all-inclusive, embracing every person regardless of status or condition; second, that all persons are sinners, whatever form their sinfulness may assume; third, that the possibility of repentance and growth in grace, personal and social, is always and everywhere present; and fourth, that the church, as representative of the fullness of interaction between God and the world, must open its doors to all who would enter and join in its community.

2. At the same time, the General Commission on Religion and Race acknowledges the deep inconsistency between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the philosophy of racial and ethnic supremacist groups. Therefore, the General Commission recommends that the United Methodist Church undertake the following concrete steps in its continuing struggle against racism:

a. That pastors instruct candidates for membership about the Social Principles and the denomination's position to eliminate racism and to build the inclusive community of faith.

b. That the general agencies responsible for developing church school curricula and other resources provide materials--films and videos, brochures and booklets-- which help persons of all age levels in the local congregations to understand racism as sin and to develop a theology of inclusiveness.

c. That the appropriate general boards and agencies develop and disseminate materials to educate clergy and laity to the insidiousness of the "Christian Identity" movement, the Ku Klux Klan and other racial/ethnic supremacist groups which claim their values and practices are based in Christianity.

d. That the appropriate general boards and agencies develop and disseminate special education materials for children, youth and young adults, who are frequently the target for recruitment by the racial/ethnic supremacist groups.

e. That local congregations and annual conferences support coalitions that oppose the activity of racial/ethnic supremacist groups.

f. That Conference Boards of Ordained and Diaconal Ministry examine candidates more closely about issues of inclusiveness and racism.

g. That District and Conference Boards of Ordained Ministry provide opportunities through Continuing Education for pastors on racial and ethnic inclusivity.

Bishop S. Clifton Ives

Acting President

Barbara Ricks Thompson

General Secretary

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Petition Text: 20968-IC-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference