General Conference

Commission encourages delegates to protect gender in Constitution

GCSRW is petitioning General Conference to require the word “gender” in the inclusiveness protections of the Constitution

By Linda Bloom

Women must be assured of the opportunity to fully participate in leadership roles within The United Methodist Church.

That is why the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) is petitioning the 2012 General Conference to amend the inclusiveness protections in the church’s Constitution.

Specifically, the legislation requires the word “gender” – meaning male and female – to be added to Paragraph 4 of the Constitution, found in the United Methodist Book of Discipline.

While the denomination “has a long tradition of striving for the full inclusion of women at all levels of the church,” explains Tyler Schwaller, GCSRW board member and chair of legislation committee, adding gender to the list of constitutionally protected classes “is essential because the Constitution is the one part of the Discipline that remains absolute throughout our worldwide connection.”

Unfortunately, despite the strides made, it cannot be assumed that gender is a “protected class” within the denomination, says M. Garlinda Burton, the commission’s general secretary.

The lack of opportunity can be obvious – the Polish church has yet to ordain a woman, for example – or more subtle. Some U.S. congregations still make it clear they don’t want a female pastor to be appointed to their church, Burton notes.

The representation of women in other key leadership roles lags as well. While 56 percent of church members are women, only 40 percent of General Conference delegates are female and that percentage drops when only Central Conference delegates are counted. Worldwide, women represent only 19 percent of clergy in the denomination.

“There are places in the world where it depends upon the whim of the bishop or the board of ordained ministry whether or not women will be ordained,” Burton explains. “The assumption that every aspect of church leadership is open to women is not an assumption we can make.”

The current proposal to allow the central conferences to craft their own versions of the Book of Discipline makes inclusion of gender in the Constitution even more important “symbolically and legally” in 2012 to ensure the right of women to serve in leadership positions.

In Europe, it is taken for granted that women have equal access to education and professional opportunities, says Meeli Tankler, a GCSRW board member from Estonia. “However, in the church this equality is not always so self-evident when it comes to clergy roles and positions – and sometimes even to the opportunities to preach a sermon,” she points out.

Including gender in Paragraph 4 would serve as an appreciated but simple reminder “that gender should not be regarded as something that enables or disables a person to follow their calling from God.” Tankler says.
Past legislation to include gender in the Constitution has been voted down because some delegates believed it was an attempt to loosen prohibitions on homosexuality. That is not the case, Burton stresses. “We’re talking about male and female, period.”

The commission is particularly encouraging female delegates to support the legislation. “If we are serious about gender equity as a global church, it is vital that we enshrine this commitment in our global Constitution,” Schwaller says.

Linda Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.