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A UMNS Report
By Heather Hahn*
6:30 P.M. ET Feb. 22, 2013 | NASHVILLE, Tenn.
The United Methodist Men recommended to the Boy Scouts of America that
new membership proposals not be implemented at this time.
A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.
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Citing the “overwhelmingly” negative feedback, leaders of United
Methodist Men sent a letter dated Feb. 19 to Boy Scouts of America
asking the nonprofit to delay any proposed change to its ban on gay
members and leaders.
“A
few have told us they support this proposed change by BSA; however,
overall, the responses have been overwhelmingly against the proposed
change,” said the letter signed by Gil Hanke, top executive of the
Commission on United Methodist Men, and Mississippi Area Bishop James
E. Swanson Sr., the commission’s president.
“This potential shift from BSA places (United Methodist Men’s)
primary goal, our core value — expansion and retention — at risk.”
United Methodist Men oversees scouting ministries and civic youth-serving agencies across the denomination. Boy Scouts of America announced Jan. 28
that it was considering leaving the question of whether to have gay
leaders and members up to its local charter organizations. On Feb. 6,
Boy Scouts of America’s national board decided to “further engage with representatives of Scouting’s membership” and postponed any decision until its annual meeting in May.
The letter made two requests affirmed by the United Methodist Men
board’s executive committee. The first was not to implement any changes
“at this time” to give U.S. annual (regional) conferences and thousands
of United Methodist churches more time to research what the change
might mean. The second request was that this be “the beginning of a new
relationship” between Boy Scouts of America and the faith communities
that support it.
The letter did not specify how long a delay should last.
Hanke told United Methodist News Service that the executive committee meeting prompted the letter.
“Since other religious groups had made statements regarding this
issue, our members asked if the (Commission on United Methodist Men)
would make a statement,” he said. “Our goal in this is to simply keep
the conversation going. The actions of BSA have caused many more
questions, and they are unable to answer them.”
He added that he hopes the Boy Scouts of America religious relations
task force “can be more involved in this process and help craft new
ways to address this issue.”
Hanke first released a statement on Jan. 29 affirming how the Boy Scouts’ proposed changes would be implemented.
In that statement, he said, “the proposed changes are actually more
consistent with the current Book of Discipline,” the denomination’s
law book.
That statement also noted that Hanke and Larry Coppock, national
director of scouting ministries, “were consulted by the leadership at
the highest levels of BSA prior to the proposal to change membership
requirements.”
After hearing from leaders threatening to quit over the proposed change, Hanke elaborated in a statement Jan. 31, saying that what he endorsed was moving the responsibility for selecting leaders and members to the local church level.
The second statement also emphasized that United Methodist Men
played no part in helping Boy Scouts of America formulate the proposed
changes. The agency was only informed of the proposal.
“The reason we endorsed this model of implementation is because it
allows your local church to continue to operate exactly like it is
operating today,” Hanke said in the Jan. 31 statement. “You choose the
leaders, you recruit the scouts; the leadership of your troop and pack
reflects the traditions and values of your faith community,” he wrote.
When the Boy Scouts of America in early February delayed approving the changes, Coppock hailed the extra time for “further dialogue and meaningful discussions.”
Boy Scout and United Methodist ties
Deron Smith, spokesman for Boy Scouts of America, said his organization
would include the United Methodist Men’s letter in its deliberations.
“We recognize, deeply respect and value the sincere religious
beliefs held by our many chartered organizations, including those
expressed in this statement, and we look forward to continued dialogue
with the Church,” he said by email.
More than 70 percent of Scout units are chartered to religiously affiliated groups, reports Boy Scouts of America. The United Methodist Men’s letter noted that those charters comprise 62 percent of the membership in Boy Scouts of America.
The United Methodist Church is second only to the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in the number of congregations that host
Boy Scouts of America groups. The United Methodist Church hosts more
Cub Scout packs than any other religious group.
As of 2012, 6,700 United Methodist congregations served 363,876
young people through 10,868 Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and
Venturing crews. Venturing crews are open to both young men and women, ages 14 to 20.
In addition to Boy Scout-affiliated groups, United Methodist Men
promotes other youth organizations including Girl Scouts of the USA, Big
Brothers Big Sisters Amachi Partnership, Camp Fire USA and 4-H.
Those groups have varied policies regarding sexual orientation. For
example, the policy of Girl Scouts of the USA, its local councils and
troops is that it does not discriminate or recruit on the basis of race,
religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status,
national origin or physical or developmental disability.
Reactions to letter
The United Methodist Men’s letter sparked varied reactions among United Methodists with a passion for scouting.
Gary Vance, scoutmaster of Troop 413 at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio, was among the Boy Scout leaders who welcomed the United Methodist Men’s letter.
“I was not certain that the view of the local charter would 100
percent back the traditional Boy Scout view on this subject or if we
would be divided on it,” Vance said. “I have concerns over the physical
safety of the boys if the current rules are changed. I also do not
understand the thinking of those in the national BSA leadership because
BSA already won in the courts. Why did they choose to reopen this
issue?”
He also said that every parent who spoke to him was opposed to the Boy Scouts of America changing its current policy.
However, the Rev. Stephen Griffith, minister to the community at
Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Neb., said he was
disappointed in the letter and applauded Hanke’s initial statement on
Jan. 29.
His congregation has chartered Boy Scout Troop 12 since 1911,
and he said that relationship will continue regardless of what Boy
Scouts of America decides. Still, he would welcome the change.
“The United Methodist Church does not restrict membership based on
sexual orientation, and I see no reason why the Boy Scouts should do
so,” he said. “The pastors have long regretted that the BSA has not
been open to gays in its membership and leadership, but we will continue
to support our troop.
“Our scoutmaster reports that the troop's scout committee has not
discussed this matter,” he added. “They have had no questions or
comments from parents about the matter. He believes that the
proposed change in membership policy would not change the program.”
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan.,
hosts a number of Boy Scout groups, including Scout Troop 11, a coed troop for adolescents and young adults with special needs.
Dan Entwistle, the church’s managing executive director for programs
and ministries, said the church — one of the largest United Methodist
congregations in the United States — has not taken an official position
on the Boy Scouts’ ban. But he welcomed additional time for
discussion.
“We think the conversation is important, particularly as it relates
to the participation of young people in the scouting program,”
Entwistle said.
“If the Boy Scouts’ policy should change, we will work with our own
scouting leaders, participants and congregation leaders. Scouting
ministry is important to our church.”
He added that if the policy changes, most United Methodist churches
“will likely appreciate the additional opportunity to apply the
church’s perspectives to this important issue.”
Jim Winkler, top executive of United Methodist Board of Church and
Society, previously had noted his support for the proposed changes to
the Boy Scouts’ membership policy.
“Whether the Boy Scouts delay their decision now or not,” he told
United Methodist News Service on Feb. 22, “I look forward to the day in
the near future when they will set aside policies that discriminate
against homosexual scouts and leaders.”
*Hahn is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News Service.
News media contact: Heather Hahn, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.