UMC and the Death Penalty

I have led hundreds of workshops on The United Methodist Church's Social Principles during the past 20 years. I realized a long time ago that when I ask people whether they agree or disagree with statements made by our denomination they are especially interested. And, I always find it enlightening to learn what my fellow United Methodists think. Each time, I have begun with the church's position on the death penalty. The basic statement of the church says, "We oppose capital punishment and urge its elimination from all criminal codes." I can say from my experience over the years that a majority of United Methodists do not agree with the denomination's position.

I can also say that most supporters of capital punishment do not base their personal views on the teachings of Jesus. Rather, they are committed to the Old Testament teaching of an eye for an eye. Jesus taught differently, though. The United Methodist Church opposes the death penalty because our denomination follows a Christ who taught us it is wrong to take a life for a life. The death penalty denies any possibility for God's redemption to work. It places humans in the role of God. The United Methodist Church does not oppose the death penalty because we want to see murderers running free on our streets. Nor do we believe people should not be held accountable for their sins. But our core values of forgiveness, compassion, redemption and reconciliation stand in stark contrast to the death penalty.

[Jim Winkler, executive director of the UMC General Board of Church and Society, March 9, 2009.]

Are Methodists Lobbyists?

Jim Winkler, general secretary, and other staffers of the General Board of Church and Society based in Washington DC, met with the Obama transition team before the inauguration. They were responding to the President's invitation to bring faith groups to the table. GBCS could be considered another lobbying group, but Winkler says there is a difference: "GBCS offers no campaign contributions [and] does not threaten members of Congress with defeat if they don't support our denomination's Social Principles."

All GBCS can do is organize, says Winkler. Obama's team told him it needs groups like his to create demand. Winkler said faith groups can, and must, create demand only "in the name of Jesus Christ." Typical lobbying groups, the ones that do give campaign contributions, like medical providers, will work hard to stop any reform of health care akin to the one in Canada. "If we're going to get a single-payer health-care system in the United States, it will be because The United Methodist Church and its allies overcome corporate opposition….We have to organize our people for action." Winkler acknowledges, however, that many pastors do not want to call people "to action." Many want, instead, to offer "spiritual transformation and the contemplative life." Winkler says that alone will not do in these times, and notes that Martin Luther King was an organizer - and so was Jesus.

[Adapted from Winkler statement February 2, 2009, on the GBCS website]