ATLANTA — Bishops from six U.S. Methodist denominations pledged to work together on common social justice goals but said a merger or union among them is not likely to happen anytime soon.
Representing the United Methodist Church and the historically black African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion and Christian Methodist Episcopal churches, the bishops gathered in Atlanta March 11–13 for their quadrennial meeting.
Two new members also joined the meeting: the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Union Methodist Protestant Church.
Noting that the gathering’s goals do not include a “union” of the churches, the bishops agreed to change its name from “Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation and Union” to “Pan-Methodist Commission,” according to United Methodist News Service.
Bishop William Oden, the ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, said there are several obstacles blocking a merger but the Methodist denominations have been working toward greater cooperation recently.
The bishops also appointed a committee to draft a statement calling for an end to the Iraq war; agreed to write letters in support of groups working on wage, health care and HIV/AIDS issues; and asked for research on AIDS in the United States.
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