Methodist Church in Ireland adopts new resolution on sexuality with controversial change

The MCI conference, held at the Assembly Buildings in Belfast, presented a report that was the result of a ten-year process that began at the 2014 conference.

The eagerly awaited report states that at no point was a change in the Church’s understanding of marriage as a “union between a man and a woman” considered. Nor was the view that marriage is “the only appropriate relationship within which sexual intercourse can take place” considered.

Apparently, an adopted amendment to the resolution – described as “sneaky” by one speaker in the debate – was adopted that prohibited people in same-sex relationships from holding leadership roles in the church.

Since an overwhelming majority vote in 2021, same-sex marriage has been permitted in the Methodist Church in Great Britain.

While the MCI report did not come close to such a step, it did contain an “unreserved apology for failures in pastoral support and care” for members of the LGBTQI+ community.

Because the amendment was adopted, the usefulness of this apology was questioned during the discussion.

The adopted resolution declares that “all are welcome” in Methodist churches and at the communion table. It also gives responsibility for making decisions about how individuals can “serve the life of the local church” to individual church councils.

However, the controversial amendment, which was passed by 105 votes to 91, states that “fidelity in marriage and celibacy outside of marriage” is a “standard for spiritual leadership and teaching.”

The aim of the change is to provide clarity for individual congregations and to ensure uniform application of the church’s teachings, it said.

During the debate, it was also pointed out that the amendment contained an “element of contradiction” as the resulting resolution appeared to simultaneously introduce and revoke the ability of individual church councils to appoint people in same-sex marriages to leadership positions.

One passionate contribution to the debate, which “respectfully” described the wording of the amendment as “a little underhanded”, said: “If we accept this, we can forget everything, throw the report in the trash, do nothing and cause suffering.”

Others welcomed the “clarity” the amendment provided and expressed concern that individual church councils might “do what they think is right”.

It was also said that the wording that identifies “fidelity in marriage and celibacy outside of marriage” as “the goal of discipleship and the standard for spiritual leadership” is “an inclusive formulation and allows all to be part of” MCI.

Another amendment failed even more narrowly: by just one vote out of 100 votes to 99. The aim of the motion was to delete a part of the resolution which asserts that Bible passages relating to sexuality are read and understood differently and that there are different views within the Church about the validity of these readings.

The overall resolution was adopted by 160 votes to 27, with one voter abstaining.