Methodists Address Homosexuality & Infant Baptism

     Vol. IX, No. 7, August 1996

At their general conference in April United Methodist delegates voted 577-378 to reject a strong effort to soften the church's stand on homosexuality. The proposal would have replaced the existing provision of church law that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching" with a statement that United Methodists are "unable to arrive at a common mind" on the subject. Delegates also refused 598-304 to approve same sex marriages and rejected a provision that would have allowed church funding of organizations that "promote" homosexuality.

The general conference unanimously affirmed a document redefining the role of baptism. Now people are considered full members when they are baptized rather than when they have a "born again" experience and ask to join a church. The baptismal study committee said the change was a return to denominational roots. The study upholds the legitimacy of infant baptism. (Word & Way, 16 May 1996)

[Editorial Comment: Note that the homosexuality proposal would have changed the governing standard from "Christian teaching", i.e., the Bible, to "a common mind." Thus Satan always works. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve knew God's command, but Satan's temptation was "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. "Praise the Lord that our Methodist brothers did not yield on this one. TCP]