FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jeehye Kim, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing
General Commission on Religion and Race
202-495-2949
[email protected]
November 5, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) celebrates the ratification of four constitutional amendments that mark a historic step forward in The United Methodist Church’s ongoing journey toward inclusion, equity, and justice. These amendments reaffirm the denomination’s commitment to becoming a truly worldwide and inclusive church—one that reflects the image of God in the rich diversity of its people and contexts.
Among the four newly ratified constitutional amendments is the complete revision of Article V on Racial Justice, an amendment originally proposed by GCORR. This ratified Article V reaffirms The United Methodist Church’s biblical and theological conviction that every person is created in the image of God and is of sacred worth. It names racism as sin—a direct contradiction of God’s law of love—and calls the Church to embody a deeper commitment to justice, equity, and reconciliation.
Building on a global understanding of the harm caused by racism, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy, the amendment acknowledges the Church’s own historical complicity and the ongoing impact of racial injustice across generations. “Article V moves beyond recognition to action. It commits the denomination to eradicate racism in all its forms, dismantle systems of privilege and oppression, and lead transformation within both the Church and society through education, advocacy, and accountability,” said Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo, General Secretary of GCORR. “It positions the Church to live out its mission as a diverse and inclusive body that reflects the kin-dom of God—a community where all people are valued, loved, and free to flourish.”
The ratified amendments include:
- Regionalization: Reorganizes the worldwide United Methodist Church into geographically based regional conferences, replacing the term “Central Conference” and affirming equality among regions across the global connection.
- Paragraph 4, Article IV – Inclusion in Membership: Expands the Church’s constitutional commitment to inclusivity by adding “gender” and “ability” to the list of characteristics that cannot be used to bar individuals from church membership.
- Paragraph 35, Article IV – Educational Requirements for Voting Rights: Clarifies the educational requirements for clergy voting for delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences, ensuring fairness and consistency in representation.
- Article V – Racial Justice: A comprehensive revision strengthening the denomination’s constitutional stance on racial justice, originally proposed by GCORR, affirming that racism is incompatible with Christian teaching and that the Church must work toward equity and reconciliation in all its structures and relationships.
The full text of Article V - Racial Justice reads:
”The United Methodist Church proclaims that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, The United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large.”
The Disability Ministries Committee of The United Methodist Church, under the care of GCORR, also celebrated the passage of Article IV on inclusion, emphasizing its impact on accessibility and belonging across the denomination:
“As co-chairs of the Disability Ministries Committee, we rejoice in the passage of Paragraph 4, Article IV, adding the words ‘gender’ and ‘ability’ to the Constitution of the UMC! This amendment will help ensure that people with disabilities are no longer excluded from the church. This amendment recognizes that disabled people belong as full members in the body of Christ. This is in keeping with the mission of the DMC to lead the denomination in creating a culture where people with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of worship, leadership, ministry, and mission through advocacy, education, and empowerment. We look forward to all the ways that God will continue to work in and through our UMC to bring about inclusion and true belonging for those with disabilities and those who accompany them!”
— Rev. Melinda Baber and Rev. Mimi Luebbers, Co-Chairs, Disability Ministries Committee of The UMC
As The United Methodist Church continues to live into these constitutional commitments, GCORR stands ready to equip, challenge, and support the Church in building a beloved community rooted in equity, dignity, and grace for all.
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About GCORR
The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church equips and empowers individuals and institutions to engage in vital conversations, develop intercultural competency, and ensure institutional equity throughout the Church and society. Learn more at www.gcorr.org
This content was originally published by the General Commission on Religion and Race; republished with permission on ResourceUMC.org on November 5, 2025.