Being in ministry with the marginalized, including women and children, was a practice of Jesus’ daily life. He believed all people were God’s people regardless of their economic or societal position. His acts of communicating with women, healing women and also extending preference to children were counter-cultural acts and not without criticism. Jesus was criticized not only by the disciples, but also politicians who eventually sent him to his death.
Like Jesus, John Wesley supported women and children in his ministry. Although Wesley did not allow women to preach, he did encourage them to be leaders in a number of ways. His commitment to women sometimes resulted in attacks from inside and outside Methodism. Parallel to Wesley’s upbringing, he believed children needed to be raised with austerity and strict discipline with the hope that “ they would emerge with firmly held conviction that their natural propensities were akin on the one hand to ‘the devil’ and on the other to ‘the beasts of the field.’ ”
As United Methodists, we are called to be in ministry with women and children recognizing that women and children bring abundant gifts to the world. Yet far too often they face severe oppression and discrimination. According to the United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) more than 10 million children under the age of five die from totally preventable deaths each year – approximately 27,300 per day. Some deaths are directly caused by illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. Other deaths are from indirect causes such as conflict and HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition, poor hygiene and lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation contribute to more than half of these deaths.
Women comprise 70% of the world’s poor and, in many cultures, are responsible for the sustenance of the family. Yet many women have few, if any, rights. In many developing nations, women are now the fastest growing segment of the population in contracting the HIV virus. One out of four women worldwide experience some level of abuse during her lifetime.
The rights and privileges a society bestows upon or withholds from those who comprise it indicate the relative esteem in which that society holds particular persons and groups of persons. We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God. We therefore work toward societies in which each person’s value is recognized, maintained, and strengthened. We support the basic rights of all persons to equal access to housing, education, communication, employment, medical care, legal redress for grievances, and physical protection. We deplore acts of hate or violence against groups or persons based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or economic status. Our respect for the inherent dignity of all persons leads us to call for the recognition, protection, and implementation of the principles of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights so that communities and individuals may claim and enjoy their universal, indivisible, and inalienable rights.
Once considered the property of their parents, children are now acknowledged to be full human beings in their own right, but beings to whom adults and society in general have special obligations. Thus, we support the development of school systems and innovative methods of education designed to assist every child toward complete fulfillment as an individual person of worth. All children have the right to quality education, including full sex education appropriate to their stage of development that utilizes the best educational techniques and insights. Christian parents and guardians and the Church have the responsibility to ensure that children receive sex education consistent with Christian morality, including faithfulness in marriage and abstinence in singleness. Moreover, children have the rights to food, shelter, clothing, health care, and emotional well-being as do adults, and these rights we affirm as theirs regardless of actions or inactions of their parents or guardians. In particular, children must be protected from economic, physical, emotional, and sexual exploitation and abuse.
F. Rights of Women
We affirm women and men to be equal in every aspect of their common life. We therefore urge that every effort be made to eliminate sex-role stereotypes in activity and portrayal of family life and in all aspects of voluntary and compensatory participation in the Church and society. We affirm the right of women to equal treatment in employment, responsibility, promotion, and compensation. We affirm the importance of women in decision-making positions at all levels of Church and society and urge such bodies to guarantee their presence through policies of employment and recruitment. We support affirmative action as one method of addressing the inequalities and discriminatory practices within our Church and society. We urge employers of persons in dual career families, both in the Church and society, to apply proper consideration of both parties when relocation is considered. We affirm the right of women to live free from violence and abuse and urge governments to enact policies that protect women against all forms of violence and discrimination in any sector of society.
The elected members of the General Board of Church and Society have voted to join the following coalitions and organizations. The staff person responsible for maintaining a liaison with each group is listed.
General Secretary's Office
Faith and Politics Institute – James Winkler
The Faith and Politics Institute provides occasions for moral reflection and spiritual community to political leaders, drawing universal wisdom from a range of religious traditions. The Institute encourages civility and respect as spiritual values essential to democracy and strives to strengthen political leadership that contributes to healing the wounds that divide our nation and our world.
Human Welfare and the Louise and Hugh Moore Population Project Work Area
Child Labor Coalition – Linda Bales and Bill Mefford
The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) exists to serve as a national network for the exchange of information about child labor; provide a forum and a unified voice on protecting working minors and ending child labor exploitation;’ and develop public education to combat child labor abuses and promote progressive initiatives.
Coalition Against Religious Discrimination – Bill Mefford
The Coalition Against Religious Discrimination is composed of civil rights organizations, religious organizations, education organizations, and organized labor groups. The coalition seeks to protect the freedom of religious organizations to provide social services but not at the expense of civil liberties. The coalition promotes healthy relations between religious groups and the state and promotes the protection of people’s civil and religious rights when working in providing social services with tax dollars.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence – Bill Mefford
The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) emerged from the civil rights movement in the early 1970s and pushes a progressive agenda to reduce firearm death and injury. We were founded on the principle of collaboration, meaning that we work closely with other organizations to achieve our common goals. CSGV is comprised of 45 national organizations working to reduce gun violence. Our coalition members include child welfare advocates, religious organizations, public health professionals, and social justice organizations. This diversity of member organizations allows us to reach a wide variety of grassroots constituencies who share our vision of non-violence.
GAA is dedicated to a collaborative and aggressive campaign to stop global AIDS and the crisis affecting orphans and vulnerable children. GAA provides cutting-edge analysis for the media and key policymakers while supporting advocacy by a wide range of organizations and grassroots participants. Funding is allocated to GAA periodically.
GHC is the world’s largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world. The Council works to ensure that all who strive for improvement and equity in global health have the information and resources they need to succeed. GBCS works with them on AIDS and family planning concerns.
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights – Bill Mefford
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) was founded in 1950 by three giants of the civil rights movement: A. Philip Randolph, founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary of the NAACP; and Arnold Aronson, a leader of the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council. It is the nation's premier civil rights coalition, and has coordinated the national legislative campaign on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957.
National Coalition for Public Education – Bill Mefford
The National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE) was created to respond to the many new legislative changes taking place regarding public education, and as a response to the many attacks against public education. The coalition is composed of a number of civil rights organizations, religious organizations, and parents and teachers’ organizations.
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty – Bill Mefford
Since its inception in 1976, NCADP has been the only fully staffed national organization exclusively devoted to abolishing capital punishment. NCADP provides information, advocates for public policy, and mobilizes and supports individuals and institutions that share our unconditional rejection of capital punishment.
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice – Linda Bales
RCRC is an alliance of national organizations from major faiths throughout the country unified to preserve reproductive choice as a basic part of religious liberty. RCRC looks beyond the abortion debate to seek solutions to pressing problems such as unintended pregnancy, the spread of HIV/AIDS, inadequate health care and health insurance, and the severe reduction in reproductive health care services. RCRC supports access to sex education, family planning and contraception, affordable childcare and health care, and adoption services as well as safe, legal, abortion services, regardless of income. RCRC works for public policies that ensure the medical, economic, and educational resources necessary for healthy families and communities that are equipped to nurture children in peace and love.
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