BOOM policy on Human Sexuality

The Baltimore-Washington Board of Ordained Ministry has served on behalf of all persons across the Conference called to representative ministry of the Church as licensed, commissioned and ordained persons. This year, BOOM has sought to strengthen its work by engaging in several initiatives which have included working throughout the year to continue to clarify and affirm our values in light of the stated values of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and The United Methodist Church.  Additionally, the Board’s Human Sexuality Task Force has worked to help clarify Board policy and practices with regard to the diversity among those we serve on behalf of the Church. 

An important part of the Board’s work, in accordance with paragraph 635 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, involves serving as stewards of the process of supporting, evaluating and examining persons who have offered themselves as candidates for ordained ministry as Deacons and Elders. In October 2017, a proposal from the Board’s Task Force on Human Sexuality was approved by the full Board, which has served as a framework for the evaluation of candidates for ordained ministry. Their overarching goals have remained to discern ways that together the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference  can continue to engage in ministry that is faithful and fruitful toward the end of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of our communities and the world.

The rationale and policy affirmed and adopted by the Baltimore-Washington Conference Board of Ordained Ministry in October 2017 states that:

One of the primary purposes of the Board of Ordained Ministry is “to examine applicants and assess their fitness for ministry.” We understand the Judicial Council’s most recent rulings to encourage a full and thoughtful inquiry of all persons who come before us, using the range of questions and standards found in paragraphs 310, 324, 330 and 335 of the Book of Discipline for provisional membership, Deacon or Elder respectively. We write in response to these rulings’ specific mandate to not ignore in the inquiry a candidate’s self-disclosure of sexual orientation. We respectfully disagree with these rulings, acknowledging that the following policy is not compliant with the Book of Discipline.

The Board of Ordained Ministry will examine and assess all candidates who come before us. Knowing each of us is a child of God, made in God’s image, and a recipient and vehicle of God’s grace, we do not view race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or age as a barrier to ministry. We will not consider or evaluate sexual orientation or gender identity nor see them to be sufficient reasons to deny a candidate’s ability to live up to our United Methodist standards. We will utilize our denomination’s expectation of faithfulness in marriage and celibacy in singleness within our examination and expect not only high moral standards but also a strong sense of self-awareness about one’s relational life. Our aim is to promote well-grounded, Spirit–led, equipped ministers of the Gospel who live up to the high standards for fitness, readiness, and effectiveness in ministry. 

We acknowledge that The United Methodist Church is not of one mind around issues of human sexuality, and affirm the ongoing work of the Commission on a Way Forward. We believe this policy upholds the expectation of a full inquiry and high moral standards of all candidates.  It also reflects some of our core values as a Board, including openness to the Holy Spirit, deep listening to one another, and a commitment to justice for all. We affirm the right and responsibility of all Board members to engage in holy conferencing during deliberations and to vote their conscience following a fair examination of all candidates.