Some Methodist Ministers are trying to block George W. Bush from building his Presidential library at Southern Methodist University in Texas:
Some Methodist ministers are making a final yet improbable attempt to stop George W. Bush's presidential library, museum and public policy institute from being built at Southern Methodist University.
They say United Methodist law requires approval from the church's South Central Jurisdiction, whose 290 delegates meet in July. The opponents say at least one-third of the delegates are against the Bush institute because it will promote his administration's policies that they feel conflict with church teachings.
"Let it be a topic of discussion and debate, and let the decision be made at the jurisdiction meeting," said the Rev. Kenneth Hicks of Little Rock, Ark., a retired bishop who opposes the institute. "Whichever side of the Bush library issue you're on, it would be more appropriate to do it in this democratic fashion."
SMU officials said the church already gave its blessing when the Methodist mission council in March authorized the university to lease some land to the Bush Foundation, which will manage construction and raise money for the project. The South Central Jurisdiction owns the land that SMU plans for the library, museum and institute buildings.
"We relied on the mission council's authority to grant us permission to lease the land, and we have continued negotiations with the Bush Foundation," said Brad Cheves, SMU's vice president for external affairs and development.
The jurisdiction's upcoming vote to approve the council's actions is just "a technicality," said the Rev. Scott Jones of Wichita, Kan., president of the church's College of Bishops and an SMU trustee who supports the library project.
He said the delegates—ministers and members of churches in eight states—had never failed to ratify any decisions by the mission council, a smaller body that votes on important issues cropping up between the jurisdiction's meetings every four years. If that were to happen over the Bush library issue, the bishops—who preside over such meetings—would make a final decision, Jones said.
Earlier this month, after the Bush Foundation asked for clarification, the College of Bishops sent a letter saying that the only approval SMU needed was from the council, Jones said.
I wonder what these so called ministers think of their denomination supporting organizations that foster homosexual behavior, and are pro-abortion? Last time I looked, those things were as abhorred in the Bible as anything GW Bush has done or instituted. This is another sad case of liberals infiltrating the church and using the pulpit for THEIR agenda, as opposed to winning souls for the kingdom of God. I am ashamed to say I am a Methodist with people like this, as well as people who abuse the Discipline of the church like former Bishop and pro-abortion and pro homosexual advocate Judith Craig. I am disgusted with a denomination that cannot see that we are in a war for civilization. I am disgusted with a denomination that is more about building megachurches and being the church of no values and commisseration rather than being a Spirit filled group of believers. They use these catchphrases of "radical hospitality" and use cute program names, but they really are about being a big corporate entity, and lining their own projects. Is it any wonder Methodist churches and the other "organized" denominations are for the most part, losing members right and left?
