This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It also includes “Our Beliefs Explained” official policy documents dating back several decades. If you can't find something you think should be included, contact gcbusiness@united-church.ca.
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When the 38th General Council-the highest decision-making body of The United Church of Canada-decided in 2003 to ask the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage in the marriage legislation, it was acting on a lengthy history of earlier actions. The purpose of this paper is to describe the United Church's historical and theological understanding of marriage. Our theological understanding of marriage is informed by . people, the very neighbours Jesus has invited us to love . scripture, which grounds our faith and our understanding of the nature and purpose of marriage . history, which affirms the importance of marriage as a social institution · social expectations, which regard marriage as a contractual relationship governed by legal sanctions and customs . marriage as sacred covenant, a means of God's grace not only for the marital partners but also for their offspring and for the wider community
WHEREAS "the needs of the poor have priority over the wants of the rich" because "the way our society treats the poor and oppressed is, for us, a test of God's redeeming presence and of human justice" (30th General Council); and WHEREAS "we must ensure that advances in biotechnology respect the integrity of creation, and that such advances do not give power to the few at the expense of the many" (31st General Council); and WHEREAS "we are one Earth community, one human family and we share one destiny" and "we recognize God's call to live in harmony with this total community, to draw on the Earth's sustenance responsibly, and to care for it that all may benefit equitably now and in the future" (34th General Council); and
WHEREAS we are called "to live with respect in creation" (A New Creed), "taking care that our actions do not seriously harm the greater web of life" (38th General Council 2003); and WHEREAS "systems for approving, regulating, and monitoring genetically modified (GM) foods should clearly embody the precautionary principle" (38th General Council 2003); and WHEREAS "the process of approving, regulating, and monitoring GM foods should be based on the principles of independence, transparency, accountability, and participation" (38th General Council 2003); and Genetically Modified Foods, food crops, GM food
I. THE THEME: Following a fruitful discussion of Trinitarian language at baptism, the Canadian Roman Catholic/United Church of Canada Dialogue sought another topic of mutual interest and lively concern. Realizing that both churches were addressing issues around past failings, and involvement in sinful action, current demands for forgiveness, and the search for reconciliation, we agreed to study this reality further. The concrete events we had in mind were a) the Demand of Pardon expressed by John Paul II in the year 2000 for past faults committed by members of the Roman Catholic Church, b) the United Church of Canada’s response to past antisemitic behaviour; and c) the reactions of both churches to the Indian Residential School issue in Canada, including official apologies.
In August 2000, the 37th General Council of The United Church of Canada overturned a policy that had been on its books since 1960 which stated that homosexuality is a sin. It reaffirmed that human sexual orientations and gender identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and heterosexual) are gifts from God, calling them “a part of the marvellous diversity of creation.” This resource was developed by the Justice, Global, and Ecumenical Relations Unit of The United Church of Canada, in response to this and other resolutions of the 37th and 38th General Council which called on the church to work for the civil recognition of same-sex partnerships, and to recognize them in church documentation and services of blessing, and for the recognition of them in federal marriage legislation.
the Executive of General Council has affirmed its conviction that “a necessary step towards true peace in the region will be through the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions specifically 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948) and that these resolutions require … the withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank and Gaza including settlements
WHEREAS the Nuremberg Tribunal identified a war of aggression as a crime against humanity, calling it “the supreme international crime, differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole,” and in so doing specifically rejected arguments designed to justify a pre-emptive military attack;
Receive the report of the Adoption Task Group concerning United Church run maternity homes, and Direct the Theology and Inter-Church, Inter-Faith Committee to research and devise a position paper regarding adoption and create a United Church of Canada statement on adoption. Give consideration to other denominational statements on adoption and to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
That the Executive of the General Council endorse the legal position on the Baxter Class Action lawsuit taken by the Residential Schools Steering Committee in September 2003, and that any further legal decisions and actions be guided by the six principles in the “Building Towards Rights Relationships” document and that any subsequent modification of the legal position only occur when in the interests of the survivors of Residential Schools and with the approval of the Executive or Sub-Executive of the General Council.
That having read the “Building Toward Right Relationships” document that the Executive of the General Council affirm and adopt the six principles identified in the document as the principles that will guide The United Church of Canada at this point in its journey in its work to repair the harm done by the Residential Schools system in building right relations with Aboriginal people, and in any negotiations with government with respect to resolving the legacy of Indian Residential Schools and that we refer the information from table groups to the Residential Schools Steering Committee for their consideration.
