A Petition to
the Members of the Memphis Annual Conference
of the United Methodist Church
To assist the church in bringing to resolution the conflicts
surrounding the authority of Scripture that have been growing and continue to grow, the
undersigned members of the United Methodist Church offer the following petition to the
Memphis Annual Conference for its approval for submission to the General Conference no
later than the year 2000.
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United Methodist Church, Division
One, Article III. Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith states: "The
Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith shall be those currently held by The
Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church respectively.", and
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United Methodist Church, Division
Two, Section III. Restrictive Rules Article I. states: "The General Conference shall
not revoke, alter, or change our Articles of Religion or establish any new standards or
rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of
doctrine.", and
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United Methodist Church, Division
Two, Section III. Restrictive Rules Article II. states: "The General Conference shall
not revoke, alter, or change our Confession of Faith.", and
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United Methodist Church, Division
Two, Section III. Restrictive Rules Article V. states: "The General Conference shall
not revoke or change the General Rules of Our United Societies.", and
WHEREAS the Articles of Religion, as protected by the
Constitution, Article V -Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation states:
"The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever
is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it
should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to
salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the
Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. The names of
the canonical books are:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges,
Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The
Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The
Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the
Greater, Twelve Prophets the Less.
All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly
received, we do receive and account canonical.", and
WHEREAS the Articles of Religion, as protected by the
Constitution, Article VI -Of the Old Testament states: "The Old Testament is not
contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to
mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and Man.
Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for
transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and
rites doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be
received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from
the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.", and
WHEREAS the Confession of Faith, as protected by the
Constitution, similarly states in Article IV -The Holy Bible: "We believe the Holy
Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our
salvation. It is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for
faith and practice. Whatever is not revealed in or established by the Holy Scriptures is
not to be made an article of faith nor is it to be taught as essential to
salvation.", and WHEREAS the conclusion of the General Rules, as protected by the
Constitution, states: "These are the General Rules of our societies; all of which we
are taught of God to observe, even in his written Word, which is the only rule, and the
sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we know his Spirit writes
on truly awakened hearts. If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually
break any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they who must
give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways. We will bear with him for
a season. But then, if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered
our own souls.", and
WHEREAS there are those recognized as members of the United
Methodist Church who do not accept the Scriptures as sufficient, who separate the Old
Testament from the New, who practice and condone the practice of things contrary to
written Scripture, and who perform ceremonies and acts of worship contrary to Scripture,
IT IS THEREFORE clear:
that we must yield to the statements in our Constitution,
Articles of Religion, Confession of Faith, and General Rules, and that these statements
may not be changed by the United Methodist Church either in unison or severally, and that
the Scriptures as written are the only and sufficient rule for our faith and practice, and
that we may not continue to bear with those who continue to believe and practice contrary
to the written Word, and
FURTHER THEREFORE that since these are constitutionally protected
precepts of the United Methodist Church, reconciliation within the United Methodist Church
with opposing viewpoints to the above is impossible regardless of the length of time or
effort expended, and we call the United Methodist Church to return to obedience by
actively:
rejecting and refusing to fund all studies which assume or
attempt to prove inaccuracies or deficiencies in Scripture, and rejecting any worshiping
or expounding of idols or gods before or against our God as revealed in Scripture
(including refusing to support any statement or practice that would deny that Jesus is the
only way to God the Father), and rejecting as inaccurate any depiction of Jesus that does
not agree with the four Gospels, and refusing to publish and further by removing from
distribution all materials, textual or otherwise, that contradict the Scriptures, and
refusing to continue to fund or in any manner support any function whether in the church
or without that denies the deity of Christ, promotes an immoral or sinful act, condition,
status or orientation, or in any other way contradicts the directives of Scripture, and
refusing to allow any and all things contrary to Scripture to be presented in our
literature, taught in our seminaries, preached from our pulpits, or performed in our
churches, regardless of how sincere or well-intended. We have born with those who behave
contrary to our Constitution for a long season, so we call one last time for repentance by
those who continue to practice these errors, and if no repentance, then we recommend that
the General Conference follow the procedure as set down and take immediate steps to have
no more union with them.
We then shall continue to love and fervently hope and pray for
rejoining, and if not in this world, then at the feet of Jesus in the next.
Signed by:
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