(RNS) — The African Methodist Episcopal Church, gathered in Columbus, Ohio, for its quadrennial meeting, consecrated six new bishops on Wednesday (Aug. 28) and voted to continue its ban on same-sex marriage while a committee considers ways to guide the denomination concerning sexual ethics.
The decisions were among the major actions of the weeklong meeting of thousands of delegates, which also included a closely watched and much-debated discussion of missing retirement money that has troubled the denomination for the past few years.
The delegates voted 896-722 to delete a bill that would have removed a ban on same-sex marriage from the historically Black denomination’s rule book, according to The Christian Recorder, the AME’s official periodical. “The Doctrine and Discipline” of the denomination says “the AME Church believes that unions of any kind between persons of the same sex or gender are contrary to the will of God.”
The AME bishops, in their written address to the General Conference, seemed to question whether a committee could settle on acceptable changes to church doctrine on LGBTQ matters, saying, in part: “Rational arguments on the matter of sexuality, sexual orientation, same sex marriage, the structure of the family, and the meaning of male and female will not resolve the controversy because the issues have deep theological and psychological roots.”
But the delegates voted that the Sexual Ethics Discernment Committee could continue its work for the next four years. This week the committee presented a 24-page report that includes biblical texts about gender identity and sexual orientation, resources about sexuality and Black theology and a listing of terms used to discuss LGBTQ issues.
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The new bishops, who will fill seats vacated by retiring bishops and another who stepped aside, were chosen from a slate of 30 candidates and will head six of the AME’s 20 districts.
They include the Rev. Erika D. Crawford, pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Dover, Delaware, who will serve in the 8th Episcopal District, which includes Mississippi and Louisiana; the Rev. Julius H. McAllister Jr., pastor of Bethel AME Church in Tallahassee, Florida, who will lead the 9th Episcopal District, which comprises several Alabama churches; and the Rev. Vernon R. Byrd, pastor of St. Matthew AME Church in Philadelphia, who has been appointed to the 17th Episcopal District, which includes churches in Zambia and Burundi.
Other newly elected prelates are the Rev. Henry Allen Belin III, pastor of First Bethel AME Church in New York, who will serve in the 15th Episcopal District, which includes churches in South Africa; the Rev. Jeffery B. Cooper Sr., who was the AME Church’s general secretary and chief information officer and now will lead the 18th Episcopal District, with churches in several Southern African countries; and the Rev. Gregory Vaughn Eason, pastor of Atlanta’s Flipper Temple AME Church, who will serve in the 20th Episcopal District, which includes Malawi and Zimbabwe.
McAllister, Byrd and Belin are all sons of ministers who also served as bishops of the AME Church.
Among new general officers is the Rev. Tyronda Burgess, the first woman to be elected to that role, The Christian Recorder reported.
The conference also adopted a resolution aimed primarily at districts in Africa and the Caribbean that enhances “just and fair” appointments of bishops so that they can serve “with no exception on the basis of indigeneity.” Historically, some AME African clergy were restricted by custom to serving within their continent.
“(T)he AME Church shall commit to electing bishops from Districts 14 through 20 with no limitations placed on their districts of service,” reads the resolution.
The closing worship service of the African Methodist Episcopal Churcha quadrennial General Conference on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (Video screen grab)
On Monday, the church announced it had reached a settlement agreement with clergy who sued the church, accusing leadership of mishandling their retirement funds. The denomination’s general counsel said the “partial settlement,” which awaits a judge’s approval, totals $20 million. The 2022 class-action litigation claimed a total loss of $90 million.
The lawyer said the proposed settlement is separate from a suit the denomination filed against former Department of Retirement Services director Jerome Harris, who was accused of embezzling the retirement accounts. Harris died in May of a heart attack.
In their joint quadrennial address, the AME Church’s bishops gave a list of recommendations to AME members on topics such as education, equity and justice, gender inequality and equal opportunities, voter suppression and the 2024 election, and self-care, mental health and health care.
As members did before and during the meeting, the bishops too called for greater levels of responsibility across the denomination, including the creation of “accountability measures for every elected and appointed leader within our church, even to the extent of using civil law to uphold and enforce rules and bylaws.”
The AMEs also heard separate video greetings from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Vice President Kamala Harris gives a video address to the AME General Conference. (Video screen grab)
In their brief remarks, Biden and Harris thanked the denomination’s members for their support and get-out-the-vote efforts. “We still have to do more,” Biden said. “Scripture says God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Harris cited the Gospel of Luke by saying “faith has the power to shine a light on those living in darkness and to guide our feet in the path of peace.”
“In moments such as this, faith guides us forward,” she said. “Faith in the promise of America.”
Her remarks were met with applause from the delegates and an affirmation from Bishop Samuel L. Green Sr., who said, “Let’s celebrate the future madam president of these United States of America.”
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