Social Principles Of The United Methodist Church 2017 2020

This 64-page booklet is a tool designed to help individuals and small groups study The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. It contains the official text of The Social Principles from The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2016 along with exercises for individuals or small groups, a topical index, and Social Creed. The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church are the product of over one hundred years of legislative decisions made by lay and clergy members of The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations. The Social Principles are prayerful and thoughtful efforts on the part of many General Conferences to speak to complex and controversial issues in the global community. Studying The Social Principles provides opportunities to examine your own theology and ethics and to practice discipleship.

Justice in Everyday Life, a Lay Servant Ministries advanced course, takes an in-depth look at the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church - the church's attempt to speak on contemporary issues with which it is confronted today. The book covers topics such as the following: Natural World, Social Community, Economic Community, Political Community, Biblical Foundations of the Social Principles, and Teaching the Social Principles. It is not only for Lay Servants but is for anyone interested in studying the Social Principles in greater detail. The Participant's Book, Social Principles of the UMC 2013-2016 is available through Cokesbury.

The Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) ended a 20-year political battle over same-sex marriage in the USA. The ruling in favor of a constitutional right for gays and lesbians to marry reflected growing social acceptance and political rights for gays and lesbians. At the same time, America remains a deeply religious country and many religious organizations have long opposed same-sex marriage. How do religious organizations interpret, process, and respond to shifting attitudes and public policy toward the LGBT community? Examining how religious groups in America have responded theologically and politically to the legalization of same-sex marriage, the book provides case studies from across the American religious spectrum to explore how each group understands same-sex marriage and has reacted theologically, socially, and politically to its new standing as a constitutional right. Each case study focuses on formal statements made by church leaders, incorporates original data gathered from interviews with regional and local religious authorities, and analyzes existing polling data of adherents at large. Offering a comprehensive examination of religious responses to marriage equality in the USA, this book will interest scholars and students in the fields of religion and politics, civil rights, social change, and public policy.

This 64-page booklet is a tool designed to help individuals and small groups study the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. It contains the official text of the Social Principles from The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2012 along with exercises for individuals or small groups, a topical index, and Our Social Creed. The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church are the product of ninety-eight years of legislative decisions made by lay and clergy members of The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations. The Social Principles are prayerful and thoughtful efforts on the part of many General Conferences to speak to complex and controversial issues in the global community. Studying the Social Principles provides opportunities to examine your own theology and ethics and to practice discipleship.

Koehler engages and guides inquirers and church members in the meaning of membership in The United Methodist Church. For both clergy and laity.

Modeled after the callings of the United Methodist Social Principles, this course delves deeper into existing issues surrounding matters of faith and practices. Justice in Everyday Life encourages lay speakers to examine the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. In this course participants will learn how to expand their network of support; deepen their practice of means of grace; identify and work through resistance to change; analyze their congregation and community; understand, form, and nurture partnerships; and create a climate of hospitality.

This volume offers students a broad examination of the impact of religion on the lives of women around the world, focusing on differences among women, indigenous religions, the impact of religion in colonization, and resistance to religious oppression. Sexism, pervasive in religion, limits access to high leadership positions; dictates gender-related religious practices and roles; portrays women in limited ways in sacred texts; excludes or condemns them if they are lesbian, bisexual, or transgender; and makes them subject to violence by people of other faiths as well as their own. This volume is organized into eight chapters, each focusing on a different region of the world—North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Chapters cover women's status and experiences in the religions of each region, including indigenous religions and such major world religions as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Additionally, they cover issues of religion for women, such as women in religious leadership, women in sacred texts, LGBTQ issues in religion, the intersections of religion and politics for women, the legacy of Christian missionaries on the colonial project, religious violence against women, and women's resistance to religious oppression.

You are the leaders of your church’s involvement in social issues. As such, you will help your church members respond to social issues through education, making connection, and advocating for and responding to the needs of people around you and in the rest of God’s world. This Guideline is designed to help equip you in leading this ministry group in your congregation. This is one of the twenty-six Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 that cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.