The 1992 General Conference adopted Calendar Item 224, page 238 of the Daily Christian Advocate with the following recommendations regarding Biblical and Theological Language:
1) UMPH keep in print the study guide, "Words That Hurt, Words That Heal: Language about God and People";
2) GCOM work with the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women to develop a plan for informing the denomination about the study guide and to encourage churchwide use of it;
3) GCOM inform conference council directors about the study guide and encourage its use by annual conference committees, agencies and the councils on ministries;
4) GCOM seek input from central conferences related to imagery and cultural dimensions of inclusive language. Learnings and new insights from the exchange would then be incorporated into future editions of the study guide when it is reprinted.
Implementation
1. A five-member GCOM team was organized to address this mandate. The team, through conference calls and mailings, developed a plan to "make more visible" this resource throughout the church. The following steps were taken during the quadrennium:
-- A letter was mailed to all conference council directors and bishops containing a copy of the reprinted study guide and a request for its promotion with the conferences.
-- The study guide was distributed to all GCOM members and incorporated into a worship service at the October 1994 Council meeting in Los Angeles. Representatives to GCOM from GCSRW designed the service as one that illustrated the importance of language when in communion with God and people.
-- Initial dialogue with representatives from the central conferences occurred about the use and cultural adaptation.
2. Although no formal recommendations come with this report, GCOM affirms the importance of this document and the need to further explore ways of adapting it to various cultural settings.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21709-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference