The United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church traces its origins to the lives and ministries of John Wesley (1703-1791) and his brother Charles (1707-1788).  Its current form took shape in 1968, when The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church merged into a single denomination. The Church encourages dialogue with other denominations and permits members to hold divergent opinions about a wide range of religious and social issues. The Church teaches, however, that there is a "living core" of Christian truth which "stands revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal and corporate experience, and confirmed by reason." This core is set down in The Book of Discipline and its applications to contemporary social issues are explored in The Book of Resolutions.

Number of Members: 8.5 million
Number of Members Worldwide: 10 million

Governing Body:

The United Methodist Church strives to ensure representational government through the checks and balances of four branches: the General Conference, which sets official policies and is the only branch empowered to speak for the denomination as a whole; the Council of Bishops, which has administrative oversight responsibilities; the Judicial Council, which is the final court of appeals for disputes and which rules on the constitutionality of activities undertaken by the other branches; and the Connectional Table, which was added to the governing body in 2004 in order to coordinate the denomination's missions, ministries, and resources. With the exception of the Council of Bishops, where membership is restricted to active and retired clergy, all branches are required to have an equal number of lay and clergy representatives.

The United Methodist Church teaches that salvation is an unmerited gift from God, but that good works are the "evidence" of salvation.  As a result of this emphasis on faith put into action, the Church has a strong commitment to social justice and a long history of involvement in contemporary social issues.  Current efforts by the Church to apply theological and biblical teachings to contemporary issues are found in The Book of Resolutions and The Book of Discipline.  According to these books, all creation—including the animals within creation—belongs to God, who loves the world and who will hold us accountable for the ways in which we treat our fellow creatures.

 “Faith is the only response essential for salvation.  However, the General Rules remind us that salvation evidences itself in good works.”

--from The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2008 (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2008), 47.

“The United Methodist Church believes God’s love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty.  We cannot just be observers.  So we care enough about people’s lives to risk interpreting God’s love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex.”

--from The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church, 2008 (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2008), 27-28.

“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it.  Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings.”

--from The Book of Discipline, 98.

 
Although the world belongs to God and not to humanity, God has summoned us to be creation's stewards:  to be caretakers of God's household. 

"In Genesis 1:26, the Bible affirms that every person is created in God's image.  But this gift brings with it a unique responsibility.  Being created in God's image brings with it the responsibility to care for God's creation.  God chose to give human beings a divine image not so we would exploit creation to our own ends, but so we would be recognized as stewards of God.  To have dominion over the earth is a trusteeship, a sign that God cares for creation and has entrusted it to our stewardship." 
--from The Book of Resolutions, 80.

"In the Bible, a steward is one given responsibility for what belongs to another.  The Greek word we translate as steward is oikonomous, one who cares for the household or acts as a trustee.  The word oikos, meaning household, is used to describe the world as God's household.  Christians, then, are to be stewards of the whole household (creation) of God."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 79.

"Humankind enjoys a unique place in God's universe.  On the one hand, we are simply one of God's many finite creatures, made from the 'dust of the earth,' bounded in time and space, fallible in judgment, limited in control, dependent upon our Creator, and interdependent with all other creatures.  On the other hand, we are created in the very image of God, with the divine Spirit breathed into us, and 'entrusted' with 'dominion' over God's creation (Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:7; Psalm 8:6).  We are simultaneously caretakers with all creation and, because of the divine summons, caretakers with God of the world in which we live."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 49.

All too often we have misinterpreted our stewardship obligations as a license for domination and exploitation.  We must repent this past arrogance and remember that God's redemptive covenant extends to all creatures.

"We have confused God's call for us to be faithful stewards of creation with a license to use all of creation as we see fit.  The first humans had to leave the garden of Eden when they decided they had permission to use all of creation despite warnings to the contrary.  We have denied that God's covenant is with all living creatures (Genesis 9:9)…. We forget that the good news that we are called to proclaim includes the promise that Jesus Christ came to redeem all creation (Colossians 1:15-20)." 
--from The Book of Resolutions, 67.

Stewardship obligations extend into every area of life, because, in an interdependent world, "private" choices can have "public" consequences. In all our lifestyle choices, we should endeavor to promote the wellbeing of all God's creatures.

"All creation is under the authority of God and all creation is interdependent."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 79.

"Failure to accept limits by rejecting or ignoring accountability to God and interdependency with the whole of creation is the essence of sin."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 323.

"Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers, and lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, and misuse and overconsumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies. This continued course of action jeopardizes the natural heritage that God has entrusted to all generations. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social, and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God's creation."
--from The Book of Discipline, 98-99.

Agriculture is one example of a seemingly "private" enterprise which has widespread consequences for creation. The United Methodist Church, therefore, supports agricultural practices that fulfill our stewardship responsibilities by promoting sustainability, cultural diversity, and the humane treatment of animals.

"Sustainable agriculture requires a global evaluation of the impact of agriculture on food and raw material production, the preservation of animal breeds and plant varieties, and the preservation and development of the cultivated landscape."
--from The Book of Discipline, 115.

"Humans, and particularly North American agricultural practices have lost or obliterated strains of corn and apples, reduced the varieties of cattle and sheep to a virtual handful, bred chickens that do not ever get to walk, and turkeys so large they cannot even stand, much less fly. Multinational agribusiness has sought to expand profits and control of agricultural practices by exporting such exploitative practices to peoples in the developing world. These practices have also threatened the diversity of the human community…. It is possible to change the technology-driven direction of agriculture and rural development to one that is respectful and appreciative of creation as a gift of God that reflects our responsibilities as stewards and establishes right relationships of sustainability with creation."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 336.

"We support a sustainable agricultural system that will maintain and support the natural fertility of agricultural soil, promote the diversity of flora and fauna, and adapt to regional conditions and structures—a system where agricultural animals are treated humanely and where their living conditions are as close to natural systems as possible. We aspire to an effective agricultural system where plant, livestock, and poultry production maintains the natural ecological cycles, conserves energy, and reduces chemical input to a minimum."
--from The Book of Discipline, 115.

The Church also supports regulations that protect the well-being of pets, research animals, farm animals, and wild animals, including the habitats on which animals depend.

"We support regulations that protect the life and health of animals, including those ensuring the humane treatment of pets and other domestic animals, animals used in research, and the painless slaughtering of meat animals, fish, and fowl. We encourage the preservation of all animal species including those threatened with extinction."
--from The Book of Discipline, 99-100.

"We believe that the wondrous diversity of nature is a key part of God's plan for creation. Therefore, we oppose measures which would eliminate diversity in plant and animal varieties, eliminate species, or destroy habitats critical to the survival of endangered species or varieties. We support national and international efforts to protect endangered species and imperiled habitats."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 84.

"The task of the steward is to seek shalom:" to be guided in hope toward God's coming reign where peace and justice will characterize all relationships, including our relationships with animals.

"Often translated 'peace,' the broader meaning of shalom is wholeness. In the Old Testament, shalom is used to characterize the wholeness of a faithful life lived in relationship to God. Shalom is best understood when we experience wholeness and harmony as human beings with God, with others, and with creation itself. The task of the steward is to seek shalom."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 80.

"The intention of creation was that all should experience shalom to know the goodness of creation. In the Old Testament, 'fullness of life' means having enough, sufficient, to experience the goodness of creation. By contrast, our age has come to define 'fullness of life' as more than enough. The desire of many for excess begins to deny enough for others, and shalom is broken. That all should participate in creation's goodness is a fundamental of stewardship."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 80.

"…the coming of God's reign is the guiding hope for all creation. Hebrew Scripture and the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ affirm that God's reign is characterized by liberation from all forms of oppression, justice in all relationships, peace and good will among all peoples, and the healing of all creation."
--from The Book of Resolutions, 324.

In "A Service for the Blessing of Animals," the United Methodist Church gives witness to the love of God and the Church for animals, to human-animal interdependence, and to the role of animals in salvation history.

"The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth, and the sea.
They share in the fortunes of human existence
and have a part in human life.
God, who confers gifts on all living things,
has often used the service of animals
or made them reminders of the gifts of salvation.
Animals were saved from the flood
and afterwards made a part of the covenant with Noah. (Genesis 9:9-10)
The paschal lamb recalls the Passover sacrifice
and the deliverance from slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 12:3-14)
A giant fish saved Jonah; (Jonah 2:1-10)
ravens brought bread to Elijah; (1 Kings 17:6)
Animals were included in the repentance of Nineveh; (Jonah 3:7)
and animals share in Christ's redemption of all God's creation.
We, therefore, invoke God's blessing on these animals.
As we do so, let us praise the Creator
and thank God for setting us as stewards
over all the creatures of the earth."

--from "Occasional Services: A Service for the Blessing of Animals," The United Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992), 608-609.

"All the beasts of the field, and all the fowls of the air, were with Adam in paradise. And there is no question but their state was….paradisiacal; perfectly happy. Undoubtedly, it bore a near resemblance to the state of man himself….And they too were immortal…"
--from John Wesley, "Sermon 60: The General Deliverance".

"(God) seeth 'the earnest expectation' wherewith the whole animal creation 'waiteth for' that final 'manifestation of the sons of God;' in which 'they themselves also shall be delivered' (not by annihilation; annihilation is not deliverance) 'from the' present 'bondage of corruption, into' a measure of 'the glorious liberty of the children of God'…. Thus, in that day, all the vanity to which they are now helplessly subject will be abolished; they will suffer no more, either from within or without; the days of their groaning are ended. In the new earth, as well as the new heavens, there will be nothing to give pain, but everything that the wisdom and goodness of God can create to give happiness. As a recompence for what they once suffered, while under the 'bondage of corruption,' when God has 'renewed the face of the earth,' and their corruptible body has put on incorruption, they shall enjoy happiness suited to their state, without alloy, without interruption, and without end."
--from Wesley, "Sermon 60."

God's love for and tender care of animals must be our example, inspiring us to show mercy to all of God's creatures.

"Nothing is more sure, than that as 'the Lord is loving to every man,' so 'his mercy is over all his works;' all that have sense, all that are capable of pleasure or pain, of happiness or misery. In consequence to this, 'He openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteousness. He prepareth food for cattle,' as well as 'herbs for the children of men.' He provideth for the fowls of the air, 'feeding the young ravens when they cry unto him.' 'He sendeth the springs into the rivers, that run among the hills, to give drink to every beast of the field,' and that even 'the wild asses may quench their thirst.' And, suitably to this, he directs us to be tender of even the meaner creatures; to show mercy to these also."
--from Wesley, "Sermon 60."

Ban on Cockfighting: Bill Number: NM S.B 39

In the campaign to ban cockfighting statewide in Louisiana, Bishop William W. Hutchinson, head of the Louisiana United Methodist Church, supported our efforts with a public statement condemning the bloodsport. The ban passed in June 2007 and will take effect in 2008 in part due to Bishop Hutchinson's leadership.  

Updated February 23, 2009