Homosexuality/LGBTQ
Will the United Methodist Church of Nigeria, its congregations and pastors be required to teach about homosexuality, allow same gender weddings and ordain Homosexuals/LGBTQ persons?
NO! Homosexuality is against the law and a crime in Nigeria and our Book of Discipline has a number of paragraphs that forbids any action by Nigeria United Methodists considered as a crime or not following the laws of Nigeria (Book of Discipline paragraphs 2702.1 (c) and 2702.3 (b), 340.2 (3a), 164 (f)). Furthermore, a central conference can fix the ritual for marriage (BOD 543.14). The United Methodist Church nor the Council of Bishops would never ask the people of Nigeria to break the laws of its Nation. Homosexual practices are not permitted in The United Methodist Church of Nigeria. Furthermore, General Conference has given authority to each central conference to fix the standards for ordination and for marriage (adding a new 543.15 and 543.16)
Status of The United Methodist Church in Nigeria
Why has an interim Episcopal Team been assigned by the Council of Bishops?
Bishop Yohanna resigned from The United Methodist Church on July 29, 2024. He would have had to step down as a Bishop in December of this year as he would complete his term. He would no longer be an active Bishop, but a new Bishop would be elected and consecrated. Bishop Yohanna chose to leave The United Methodist Church and be a Bishop in another denomination. Bishop Yohanna indicated that he joined the other denomination because of actions by the General Conference.
Who is the interim team?
The Council of Bishops assigned an interim team that includes Bishop John Schol, Lead, Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, Bishop Patrick Streiff. Bishop Yemba is also serving as an advisor to the team. This team brings more than 70 years of experience as Bishops and more than 150 years as United Methodist clergy. The team will continue to serve the United Methodists of Nigeria until a new Bishop is elected in December of 2024 and will take office.
Why were a new group of District Superintendents appointed?
Bishop Schol working with Nigerian leaders and the episcopal team appointed 41 clergy to serve as District Superintendents. Many have experience as District Superintendents and all have served the
church well. They were appointed because all but two members of the former cabinet left The United Methodist Church with Bishop Yohanna.
Have pastors left The United Methodist Church?
Yes, several have announced that they have resigned from The United Methodist Church, and have joined with Bishop Yohanna. It is reported that as many as two-thirds of the pastors have declared that they are staying with The United Methodist Church.
Have churches left the United Methodist Church?
There is no mechanism in our Book of Discipline for a church to leave The United Methodist Church with their property. The Trust Clause of The United Methodist Church requires that property stay with the United Methodist Church. Paragraph 572 of our Book of Discipline provides an avenue for Nigerian Annual Conferences to leave the denomination, but none of the four Annual Conferences have followed this process. Instead, Bishop Yohanna left The United Methodist Church, but he nor any of the Annual Conference have followed the process for the Annual Conferences to leave The United Methodist Church with their churches.
Path Forward Covenant
What is the Path Forward Covenant and why is it necessary?
The Path Forward Covenant was developed in response to a series of complaints filed by more than 200 Nigeria laity and clergy against Bishop Yohanna for leadership mismanagement and disobeying the order and discipline of the church. The Book of Discipline has a process and procedures for handling complaints. While the Disciplinary processes was followed, there was no final resolution and finalization of the complaints. The Council of Bishops assigned three Bishops to work with the West Africa College of Bishops to understand the full nature and concerns of the complaints and to determine the best path forward.
After six days of in person and video conferences, the Path Forward Covenant emerged that set forth a process that would:
- Listen to United Methodists across Nigeria about their concerns and receive their input on how The United Methodist Church of Nigeria would honor Jesus Christ and advance the mission of The United Methodist Church.
- Develop a peace and reconciliation process would be developed that people who felt harmed would have the opportunity to share their experiences with trained group of reconcilers.
- Explore if one or more of the four Conferences wanted to leave The United Methodist Church by first listening to laity and clergy across the conferences and after listening to the people, invite any Conference that so desired to follow the process for leaving the denomination found in paragraph 572 of The Book of Discipline.
- Elect new leadership that would resolve the complaint that proper procedures were not followed in 2021.
- Dissolve a Parallel structure that was formed in Nigeria Episcopal Area in response to the allegations of leadership abuses by the Cabinet and Bishop in 2021. Parallel structures are not part of our Book of Discipline.
- Set a mission and goals to be reviewed, modified and adopted by the Annual Conferences in 2025.
The Path Forward Covenant Process will begin the fall of 2024.
Did any of the four Annual Conferences follow paragraph 572 for leaving the denomination?
No. First no such vote could have taken place because it was not part of the Special Called Sessions of the Annual Conferences. Special Sessions may only vote on the agenda sent prior to the special session.
Was there any property matters that were a part of the Path Forward Covenant?
There was concern that the Cabinet and Bishop Yohanna had begun talking with key leadership about leaving the denomination and taking the churches and property with them. This was part of a church complaint, and a civil complaint filed with a Nigeria Court. It was also revealed through court evidence that Bishop Yohanna had written to the government that he was leaving The United Methodist Church and taking church property with him to join a new breakaway denomination. The Path Forward Covenant committed to withdrawing all court cases and address the issues through the Path Forward.
There was reluctance to withdraw the court case but Bishop Yohanna committed to work through all issues through the Path Forward Covenant. Those who filed the civil case went to court and withdrew the case. The judge granted the motion to withdraw and ordered the group to pay court cost. Approximately two weeks later Bishop Yohanna resigned from The United Methodist Church and has not moved from the property purchased by The United Methodist Church. Nor have the District Superintendents that left the church.
Church Property
Is it true the congregations can leave The United Methodist Church with their property?
No. A congregation cannot vote to leave the denomination and take their property with them. You may read about the Trust Clause found in paragraph 2501 of our Book of Discipline by selecting this link What is the United Methodist Trust Clause?
What will be done to secure United Methodist property?
Unfortunately, the former Cabinet and Bishop Yohanna did not teach about our polity and Discipline. This has led to misunderstandings and breaking the law of The United Methodist Church. We are beginning to work with appropriate authorities and congregations to assist them in understanding church law and why it must be followed. We have also retained legal counsel that will be working to have all United Methodist property returned to The United Methodist Church.
Is it true that in some States, the government has closed churches until the disputes are resolved?
This has occurred in a couple of instances. We are working to address these matters as they arise.
Regionalization
What is regionalization and why is it necessary?
Regionalization has become associated with homosexuality, but they are two distinct and different matters. Regionalization provides the opportunity for United Methodists in the United States to make decisions based on their context, similar to the authority already given to central conferences outside the United States. Central Conferences, regional bodies outside the United States, Nigeria belongs to the West Africa Central Conference have always had this authority granted within The Book of Discipline and Constitution of The United Methodist Church.
Legislation was passed at the General Conference to give this authority to the United States conferences, but because it is a constitutional matter, it takes a two year process in which all of the Annual Conferences around the world to approve the constitutional change. The four conferences of Nigeria will have the opportunity to vote on extending this opportunity to the United States at the next regular Annual Conference sessions.
Parallel Structures
Two separate and distinct Parallel Structures were established. The first as many as 11 years ago when a large number of United Methodists of Nigeria, some estimate to be 400,000, separated from the Nigeria Episcopal Area because of leadership issues. This group has continued to function as a traditional United Methodist Conference, but not under a United Methodist Bishop.
The second Parallel Structure was organized three years ago when the breakaway Global Methodist Church was forming and leaders, particularly clergy were feeling pressured by the Cabinet and Bishop to be loyal to the breakaway denomination. Elections were held that did not adhere to The Book of Discipline and many new leaders were elected and Cabinet members installed that were more loyal to the beginnings of the breakaway denomination. A significant group of United Methodists did not honor the new elections and felt forced to abide by the movement to the breakaway denomination. They continued to stay and serve within the Nigerian Episcopal Area but remained to loyal to the former elected leadership of the conferences. It is estimated this group numbered 300,000 or more of the present Nigerian United Methodists.
Regretfully these matters were not resolved when they arose through our Book of Discipline process. Our Book of Discipline has specific processes to address such matters. The second Parallel Structure group pledged in April of 2024 to honor and follow the new elected leadership during the Special Sessions.
The first group has also expressed an interest to return to The United Methodist Church. Following the Special Session, the second Parallel Structure will be disbanded as called for in the Path Forward Covenant. Also as called for in the Path Forward Covenant, conversations will begin with the first Parallel Structure group.
Parallel structures are not permitted by our Book of Discipline. In the future, all disagreements and challenges to leadership will be handled through the processes outlined in our Book of Discipline.
