The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is a general agency of the United Methodist Church. It is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church as set out the ''
UMC Book of Discipline
The ''Book of Discipline'' constitutes the law and doctrine of the United Methodist Church. It follows similar works for its predecessor denominations. It was originally published in 1784, in the Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Epis ...
''. The General Board has headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and at the
Interchurch Center
The Interchurch Center is a 19-story limestone-clad office building located at 475 Riverside Drive and West 120th Street in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York City. It is the headquarters for the international humanitarian ministry Church ...
in New York City. There are five divisions within the GBCS: Public Witness and Advocacy, Administration, Ministry of Resourcing Congregational Life, United Nations Ministry and Communications.
Purpose
According to the 2004 Book of Discipline, the GBCS's purpose is thus stated:
1002. Purpose - The purpose of the board shall be to relate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the members of the Church and to the persons and structures of the communities and world in which they live. It shall seek to bring the whole of human life, activities, possessions, use of resources, and community and world relationships into conformity with the will of God. It shall show the members of the Church and the society that the reconciliation that God effected through Christ involves personal, social, and civic righteousness.
Spheres of Influence
There are six stated spheres of influence for the GBCS
# The Natural World
# The Nurturing Community
# The Social Community
# The Economic Community
# The Political Community
# The World Community
Social Issues
The GBCS was traditionally pro-choice and supportive of the
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) is an abortion rights organization founded in 1973 by clergy and lay leaders from mainline denominations and faith traditions to create an interfaith organization following ''Roe v. Wade'', t ...
. In 2008, this was affirmed by the General Conference, but, in 2016, it voted in favor of withdrawing the United Methodist Church from the pro-choice organization. The GBCS remains supportive of legal abortion in certain circumstances stating "the General Board of Church and Society continues to be an advocate for a full range of safe and legal reproductive health care – including, in certain cases, the option to safely and legally end a pregnancy."
On human sexuality, the GBCS opposes discrimination or prejudice against people based on sexual orientation. In 2013, the organization allowed its building, in Washington D.C, to be used by supporters of same-gender marriage.
In 2019, the GBCS joined with 42 other religious and allied organizations in issuing a statement opposing
Project Blitz Project Blitz is a coalition of over 40 Christian right groups, including the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, the National Legal Foundation, and Wallbuilders Pro-Family Legislators Conference. Founded by Randy Forbes, the group states that ...
, an effort by a coalition of
Christian right
The Christian right, or the religious right, are Christian political factions characterized by their strong support of socially conservative and traditionalist policies. Christian conservatives seek to influence politics and public policy with t ...
organizations to influence state legislation.
References
* ''2004 Book of Discipline'', United Methodist Publishing House
External links
General Board of Church and Society{{United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
Methodist denominations