Methodist Church of Southern Africa: Difference between revisions

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Line 14: From 1969 through 1974 they drew up to 450 of the youth in the area, unfailingly attending its activities week by week. An outspoken and challenging local preacher, the preached word more often than not sending parishioners home with much food for thought as the unadulterated word is preached as a pure Methodist. The originator of many Bible Study groups throughout the Peninsula of which some are still in operation. Many young people originally from that group have advanced to become leaders in various fields with much thanks and gratefulness to the commitment and dedication of Peter Harley for the spreading of the Gospel and above all: teaching others to teach.<ref name="Pillay" /> The MCSA rejected the [[Apartheid in South Africa\|apartheid]] ideology from the beginning and was a vocal critic of the [[National Party (South Africa)\|Nationalist]] government policy throughout the apartheid era.<ref name=mcgb>{{cite web\|title=The Methodist Church in Southern Africa (MCSA)\|url=http://www.methodist.org.uk/downloads/grant-SOUTHERNAFRICA-100211.pdf\|publisher=Methodist Church of Great Britain\|accessdate=23 April 2013\|format=PDF\|year=c. 2008\|deadurl=yes\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190955/http://www.methodist.org.uk/downloads/grant-SOUTHERNAFRICA-100211.pdf\|archivedate=16 December 2013\|df=}}</ref> A notable politician with Methodist roots was [[Nelson Mandela]], who addressed the annual conference in a 1994, praising the work of the church throughout the era of minority-rule.<ref>{{cite web\|last=Mandela \|first=Nelson \|title=Address by President Nelson Mandela to the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church \|url=http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=3685 \|publisher=ANC \|accessdate=23 April 2013 \|deadurl=yes \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505033805/http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=3685 \|archivedate=5 May 2013 \|df= }}</ref> Faced by government pressure to divide along racial lines, the 1958 conference declared its "conviction that it is the will of God for the Methodist Church that it should be one and undivided, trusting to the leading of God to bring this ideal to ultimate fruition". Six years later the first African to serve as president of conference was elected. The life of the MCSA reflects the strains and tensions of an apartheid society. In spite of this, the conference, connexional executive and synods have long since been non-racial. The idea of a one and undivided church has still to be realized at the congregational level.<ref name=mcgb /> Line 21: On issues of gender and human sexuality, the denomination is more liberal than other denominations in African countries. For example, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa has allowed and supported the ordination of women in ministry.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Chapter 4: Ordained Ministry\|url=http://www.methodist.org.za/publications/laws/chapter4\|website=methodist.org.za\|publisher=Methodist Church of Southern Africa\|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}</ref> Additionally, the denomination has opposed discrimination against members of the gay and lesbian community. In particular, the denomination opposed the anti-gay legislation being proposed in Uganda.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Methodists Condemn Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Law\|url=http://www.methodist.org.za/news/02262014-1831\|website=methodist.org.za\|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}</ref> In 2013, the denomination announced that it was in the midst of conversation regarding how to approach same-sex relationships.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Conference Address 2013\|url=http://www.methodist.org.za/blog/conference-address-2013-01172014-1304\|website=methodist.org.za\|publisher=Methodist Church of Southern Africa\|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}</ref> Currently, “Conference recognises that any decision and subsequent action on the issue of civil unions between same sex partners must await the outcome of the on-going process of engagement as specified by Conference 2005 and, in the interim, expects Methodist Ministers to continue to offer pastoral care to homosexual individuals."<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2013-05-23-the-curious-case-of-the-pastor-punished-for-honesty/\|title=The curious case of the pastor punished for honesty {{!}} Daily Maverick\|website=www.dailymaverick.co.za\|language=en\|access-date=2017-05-10}}</ref> In a case concerning a married lesbian pastor, the Western Cape High Court determined that "the Methodist church did not have a rule prohibiting its ministers from marrying someone of the same sex".<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Church-didnt-have-same-sex-marriage-rule-20130521\|title=No same-sex marriage rule in church\|access-date=2016-07-23}}</ref> Additionally, another court determined that the denomination "even accepts same-sex relationships (as long as such relationships are not solemnised by marriage), which means it is not at the core of the Church’s beliefs".<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2015-11-24-the-methodist-church-is-confused-and-irrational/#.V5Ml3LQ-CT8\|title=The Methodist Church is confused and irrational {{!}} Daily Maverick\|website=www.dailymaverick.co.za\|access-date=2016-07-23}}</ref> At the Constitutional Court, the Church said that "it tolerates homosexual relationships but requires its ministers not to enter into same-sex marriages."<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2015/35.html\|title=De Lange v Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa for the time being and Another (CCT223/14) [2015] ZACC 35; 2016 (1) BCLR 1 (CC); 2016 (2) SA 1 (CC) (24 November 2015)\|website=www.saflii.org\|access-date=2017-05-10}}</ref> Regarding a specific case involving a lesbian minister, the MCSA "allowed her to be in a homosexual relationship whilst being a minister, and allowed her to stay in the Church’s manse with her partner, but drew the line at recognising her same-sex marriage."<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.methodist.org.za/sites/default/files/fileuploads/Judgment%20-%20CCT%20223-14%20-%20De%20Lange%20v%20Presiding%20Bishop%20of%20the%20Methodist%20Chu...%20%282%29.pdf\|title=Constitutional Court of South Africa\|last=\|first=\|date=\|website=methodist.org.za\|access-date=May 10, 2017}}{{dead link\|date=January 2018 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 2016, the Rev Londiwe Zulu, an openly lesbian Methodist pastor, participated in a panel on human sexuality.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.episcopalcafe.com/southern-african-anglicans-in-conversation-on-lgbti-pastoral-care/\|title=Southern African Anglicans in conversation on LGBTI pastoral care\|date=2016-09-29\|language=en-US\|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref> ==Structure==