GC31 Inclusive Language 1986

Be it resolves that having heard Petitions 534, 535, 536, 539, 540, 541, and 542, and in the light of Resolution 91; that

1. The 31st General Council affirm the freedom of worship within The United Church of Canada and encourage a more broadly inclusive community by the use of a variety of human and other metaphors, images and pronouns for God in church documents, worship and liturgy.

2. The 31st General Council notes the concern expressed in petitions 536, 539 and 540, and urges all members of The United Church of Canada to deal sensitively both with persons who call for change in our language about god, and those who find such change to be disturbing or even offensive, and to this end requests the Committee of Theology and Faith as well as the Working Unit on Worship and liturgy of the Division of Mission in Canada in particular to develop and promote their material with this concern in mind.

3. The United Church of Canada engage its members and invite its ecumenical partners to share in a study of the biblical, theological, liturgical and ecumenical implications of the movements towards more inclusive Christian community for existing and new language for God in particular for the Trinitarian formula, and request the Committee on Theology and Faith to initiate the facilitate this study.

4. That, in order to encourage richer imaging of God and to provide experience on which study can draw, the 31st General Council formally adopt the Guidelines for Inclusive Language in General Council’s own worship, discussions, correspondence, reporting and publishing, and that it instruct its divisions and standing committees to do the same.”

GC31 1986 ROP, p. 88