General Conference and Global Christianity, Part Two

How White Anglo-Saxon Protestants used a trick of colonialism to prevent Africans from taking over control of the United Methodist Church

Last year, 862 delegates from around the world came to Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2020/24 United Methodist Church’s General Conference from April 23^rd – May 3^rd. Some of the countries that were represented included: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Denmark, Germany, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, United States, and Zimbabwe. International delegates (including those from concordat churches) made up 44.1% of the total, or 380 people. African delegates comprised of 32% of the total, or 275 people. However, 82 of the international delegates did not receive visas to enter the United States (US) to attend the General Conference (GC), and most of them were from Africa. Many of these delegates complained about the late notice that they received from the GC, which made it difficult for them to schedule an appointment with the American Embassy in their respective countries to enter the US. The American Embassy in Nigeria had a 277 day wait period in 2024! The United Methodist Church (UMC) Credentials Committee gave several reports to update the delegates about the process, and whereabouts of the missing delegates. Their report revealed that some of the international delegates had not been duly elected at the Annual Conference (AC), and therefore they could not be representatives at the GC. This report sparked more questions than answers, as the election of delegates ended in 2019, and unless a delegate died or moved, their contact information should have been provided to the GC by the AC.

African delegates, who had previously been united from the first GC that they attended in 2000, through the Special Session of the GC in 2019, were now divided between Africa Initiative (founded in 2008) and the United Methodist Africa Forum (founded in 2023). Africa Initiative was formed to give African delegates a voice at the GC, as many of them felt isolated from the American religious, social, and political disagreements that were being articulated over biblical interpretation, LGBT inclusion, climate change, abortion, BDS  against Israel, and many other things. Many of the African delegates felt that their viewpoint was not considered, or that the concerns of the American delegates should have been handled in the Jurisdictional Conferences, as they primarily dealt with American issues at the GC.

Africa Initiative, which caucused with Good News, spoke with one voice on the issues that impacted the church on the continent. This was a sufficient arrangement until the Special Session of the GC, when the One Church Plan (which was being promoted by the UMC) was defeated, and the Modified Traditional Plan  (which would continue the ban on same sex marriage) prevailed. Africans were blamed by some in the Love Your Neighbor Coalition (an American caucus group) because of their traditional views on marriage and sexuality, which includes polygamy. Colonial era laws against homosexuality that were enacted by various European governments on the continent were also to blame, and African delegates were accused of having a colonial mentality on sex, even though Africa is the Cradle of Humankind. It appears that many of the American Methodists have only studied slavery and colonialism in relation to African history. They are unaware of how widespread the practices of homosexuality and same sex marriage were or were not on the continent before European contact, and they are completely unaware that there are tribes that do not engage in either one of the aforementioned practices.

Out of the ashes of the Special Session of the GC, United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF), primarily made up of lay people, was launched. It was formed as a direct result of the criticism that some Americans had towards Africa Initiative, who were blamed for the failure of same sex marriage not passing. In a stunning move, the African bishops, who spoke truth to power to the American UMC by denouncing homosexuality and same sex marriage, attacked the Africa Initiative for trying to divide the church. These attacks continued until UMAF figured out that they were being used by Mainstream UMC (another American caucus group, which rose to power after the Special Session) to promote American interests.

At the GC in Charlotte, North Carolina last spring, the division among the African delegates was evident. White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs) had accomplished their task! African delegates complained      that they had not received the Advanced Daily Christian Advocate (the books which listed all of the petitions that were to be debated at the General Conference, which were to be distributed 3 months in advance) until they arrived in America, and some of them complained that they only received them in English, even though they read and speak French. Some of the delegates from Africa complained that they did not have translation in their spoken language, even though translation services were offered in English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and other languages. African delegates also complained that they were confused about the process that the GC was using, and that some of them were lost in the proceedings as many of the African delegates were not familiar with Roberts Rules of Order. In the legislative committee that I was in (Church and Society 2), African delegates chose to be silent rather than ask questions. Several Americans made the effort in the aforementioned committee to remind our fellow delegates that African voices were not being heard.

Same sex marriage passed after a contentious floor debate. This led to a protest by some African delegates, who felt betrayed by their leaders and the UMC. Although African churches were not allowed to disaffiliate from the UMC, that is exactly what they did once they returned home. Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Rwanda left the UMC without the approval of the GC, which is what churches in Kenya and Ethiopia did before the GC. Côte d’Ivoire took Cameroon and Senegal with them. Churches in Nigeria and Liberia have also left without permission. And it is anticipated that churches in Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe will also leave the UMC.

Additionally, the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation did not pass at the GC, nor did the Christmas Covenant (which was authored by African and Asian UMC members). Instead, the American Regionalization plan passed, and that is all that you need to know about WASPs. Africans and Asians were rejected in favor of Americans. The WASPs want to maintain control of the assets of the church, which is why there are no Africans who are the head of any of the 13 boards and agencies of the church. WASPs have done everything within their power to make sure that Africans do not take over the UMC. A vote for the Regionalization plan is not a vote for independence of the African church, it is a vote for WASPs to maintain power. What is needed at this time in the life of the UMC, is a rebuke of the American Church and its Regionalization plan to divide the church! And that rebuke must come from Africa. Do not sell your birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34), Vote no to Regionalization!