"By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism"

As a matter for understanding United Methodist polity, arguably the most interesting, informative, and significant resolution in The 1996 Book of Resolutions is the one entitled, "By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism." Though it is the result of an eight year study by the Baptism Study Committee and approved by the General Board of Discipleship and the 1996 General Conference, the Judicial Council recently struck down the legislation that enabled its recommendations. The Judicial Council ruled that the distinctions made between "baptized membership" and "professing membership" are unconstitutional and invalid, and directed local congregations to return to the pertinent paragraphs of the 1992 BOD as the governing cannon of the United Methodist Church. The result is that the categories of "preparatory membership" and "full membership," remain as law. While the enabling legislation of this resolution was rejected, its theological substance was not. It ...