To: The Council of Bishops, General Conference Delegates, and the Global Connection of The United Methodist Church.
Subject: A Pastoral and Canonical Appeal Regarding Recent Decisions on Human Sexuality.
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
We write to you as shepherds of the flock, fathers and mothers in the faith, and faithful laity representing many United Methodist congregations across the African continent. Our hearts are heavy with a profound sense of grief and pastoral concern following the legislative decisions enacted at the General Conference of 2020/2024. As leaders charged with guarding the faith and maintaining the order of the Church, we find ourselves in deep disappointment. The recent sweeping changes to our covenantal law threaten not only our global connectional unity but also the spiritual well-being of the millions of souls entrusted to our care.
Our Holy Ordination and Covenantal Foundations: Our ministry is bound by a sacred trust—both to the infallible Word of God and constitutional polity of The United Methodist Church. For decades, our global covenant was preserved through strict adherence to shared standards of scriptural holiness and doctrinal integrity. The abrupt reversal of these standards represents a severe fracture in our connectional governance:
1. Canonical Departure from the Book of Discipline: We grieve the deletion of the historic language from Paragraph 161.C, which for over fifty years stood as a definitive legislative boundary, affirming that the practice of homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching.” The striking of this language removes the ethical framework that has long preserved our connectional identity.
2. The Dilution of Ministerial Orders: The removal of statutory prohibitions under Paragraph 304.3—which previously barred self-avowed practicing homosexuals from being certified, licensed,
ordained, or appointed —compromises the rigorous moral qualifications required for those set apart for the ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and service.
3. Abdication of Judicial Accountability: By dismantling the prohibitions and chargeable offences under Paragraph 341.6 and Paragraph 2702.1(b), the General Conference has effectively legalized what was previously deemed unauthorized conduct. This creates a severe conflict of law for our jurisdictions, where local clergy are bound by Scripture,
but the global discipline no longer provides legal recourse to protect our pulpits and properties.
The Scriptural Mandate and Our Pastoral Responsibility:
As pastors, we are commanded to “keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28). We cannot separate our love for Christ’s people from our obedience to His commands. The new legislative realities directly contradict the primary authority of Holy Scripture, which defines marriage exclusively as a sacred, covenantal union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4–5) and maintains an unchanging moral standard regarding human sexuality (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10).
We are called to minister with deep empathy, grace, and Christ-like love to all individuals. However, true pastoral care cannot be divorced from biblical truth. To endorse or legitimize practices that Scripture defines as contrary to God’s design is an abdication of our vow to defend the Church against doctrines contrary to God’s Holy Word.
Pastoral Reality: Impact on Local Communities and Ministry:
As pastors, we do not minister in a vacuum. We serve communities where the local church is a beacon of moral clarity, communal support, and spiritual stability. The decision to remove the historic standards on human sexuality directly disrupts our local ministries in several profound ways:
- The Erosion of Local Trust: In many of our nations, the traditional definition of marriage is protected by civil constitutions and deeply woven into our cultural fabrics. By departing from these standards, our churches are suddenly viewed by our neighbors with suspicion, undermining our public witness and evangelistic efforts.
- Fragmentation of the Flock: Our congregants are confused and distressed. Parents are asking how to raise their children in the faith when the global body relaxes its moral boundaries. As leaders, we find our time consumed with nursing the wounds of a fractured flock rather than advancing the Great Commission.
- The Pain of Disconnection: True pastoral care is built on truth and love. We love all individuals and minister to everyone with Christ-like empathy. However, we cannot separate pastoral care from biblical holiness. Forcing a progressive paradigm onto our congregations alienates millions of faithful, traditional believers who feel their global church has abandoned them.
A Solemn Appeal for Restitution and Regional Autonomy:
We feel that the collective voice, cultural context, and theological convictions of the African Church have been fundamentally marginalized by these statutory changes. Our congregations exist within sovereign nations with distinct constitutional laws and deeply rooted moral values, both of which are now in direct conflict with the global church’s updated discipline.
We urge the Council of Bishops and church leadership to formally recognize the severe crisis of conscience these decisions have produced. If the connectional church insists on enforcing a trajectory that abandons our historic canonical standards, it risks completely fracturing the global body. We appeal for legal equity, mutual respect for our regional autonomy, and a return to the scriptural foundations upon which our great connection was built.
We, the Clergy and Laity of United Methodist Congregations in Africa pray without ceasing for the healing of our church, the wisdom of our leaders, and the preservation of scriptural holiness.
In Christ’s Unchanging Service,
Kennedy F. Mukwindidza.
Theological Voice of Africa President.
