Conference guidelines for dealing with disagreements [on non-celibate homosexuals]

The topic causing the most discussion at the April meeting of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada General Board was what to do with congregations who accept non-celibate homosexual members.

Helmut Harder, CMC general secretary, referred to letters he has received from five congregations in four provinces. Some churches want the CMC to discipline congregations who differ from Mennonite statements on homosexual relationships. Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church in Saskatoon has prepared its own resolution calling for disciplinary action.

The recent discussions were triggered by South Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church's public decision to welcome gay and lesbian persons as full members (see Canadian Mennonite, Nov. 24, page 20).

"I struggle with how much difference I can accept," said one board member. "I'm pleased we're not taking it too quick, that we're willing to work, that we're willing to counsel," said another.

"If we want purity, not a single one of us would be in the church," said a board member. "How many churches have been excluded since the formation of the conference? If we want to be a conference of exclusion, shouldn't we have started sooner? Certainly on the issue of peace and militarism we should have excluded some churches."

While one called for emphasis on "healing" for homosexual persons, another said, "I would betray [my friends who are gay and lesbian] if I would vote for something that would call homosexuality sin."

The board wrestled with whether the conference had the right to ask a congregation to withdraw its membership. "We are not a legislating body," said one member. It's not fair that we can invite congregations to join, but never ask them to leave, said another.

After hours of discussion, and in spite of obvious differences, the general board decided to take two actions to delegates this summer. One is a set of "Guidelines for building faithful relationships in the church." The guidelines suggest that the concerned parties engage in "loving dialogue in a spirit of mutual accountability."

Area conferences are to be the usual facilitators of dialogue when disagreements arise, with CMC ready to assist. Only as "a last recourse of action" would separation be considered.

The "Resolution on the issue of homosexuality" calls for a renewed commitment of faithfulness to Jesus Christ and a reaffirmation of convictions stated in "Vision: Healing and Hope," Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, and the 1986 resolution on human sexuality. It calls upholding the "Biblical call to faithfulness, chastity and self-discipline in all sexual relationships," and for continued dialogue "on those matters wherein we disagree."

The full text will be sent to congregations in the CMC report book.