Methodists weigh sexuality doctrine

The Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church published a document on Monday to answer questions about the church’s Special Session of the General Conference to be held in St. Louis on Feb. 23-26.

In 2016, the faith’s General Conference — a group of about 1,000 delegates who represent members of the church worldwide — reached an impasse on the issue of homosexuality in the church and asked that its Council of Bishops “find a way forward in terms of human sexuality,” according to Arkansas Bishop Gary Mueller in a video now published on the conference’s website, arumc.org.

A 32-member group known as the Commission on a Way Forward was appointed to review how homosexuality is addressed in the Book of Discipline, which details the faith’s doctrinal beliefs, and weigh options on reaching a resolution on an issue that has divided the denomination in recent years. The commission’s potential solutions and recommendation will be reported at next year’s special session.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in St. Louis next Feb. 2326,” Mueller said. “Neither do you. But I know this: God is still God, and God is still at work making God’s will just as real on earth as it is in heaven.”

The document, “Important Questions Concerning the Way Forward and the Special Session of General Conference,” is available through the Arkansas conference website or by visiting tinyurl. com/yaqhmau8.