All About the United Methodist Book of Discipline

Photo Courtesy of UMC.org

As we think about becoming a Reconciling congregation, we have to think about the United Methodist Book of Discipline.  The Book of Discipline is essentially a rule book for the church, and it is amended every four years at a gathering called the General Conference.  Nearly 1,000 delegates meet to vote on all kinds of issues, from how our pastors get paid to sexuality.  This summer the General Conference took place in Florida, and the updated Book of Discipline is still being compiled.

One fascinating aspect of the United Methodist Church is that its structure is very similar to American government structure.  For example, the church conferences elect delegates to vote on the Book of Discipline, and there is a Judicial Council.  The Methodist Church movement began in the Church of England but eventually became its own church here in America. It is not surprising that our structure would be similar to our secular governing structure.

The General Conference has seen its fair share of controversy over the years, and most of that controversy is derived from petitions to change the Book of Discipline.  This past summer the question of the church’s position on human sexuality (among other things) became a hot-button issue, with multiple related resolutions up for a vote. Arguably the most divisive issue the church has ever faced reached its peak in the 1840s, when the church split into pieces over the issue of slavery.  The splintered churches did not unite again until the 1960s, when they began to call themselves the United Methodist Church and to have a unified Book of Discipline again.

If you are interested in the details of how the Book of Discipline is compiled, you can read more about the process here.  If you would like to order a copy of the Book of Discipline, you can find it at Cokesbury, the United Methodist Church’s publishing arm.

What are your questions about the Book of Discipline?  Have you consulted it in your own faith practice?

If you would like to contribute to this blog, please contact us at blog@silverspringumcp.org.