The Methodist Church of Great Britain has called on its ministers, deacons, and elders to stop using offensive terminology such as “husband” and “wife” to avoid making assumptions that are not “the reality for many people.”
The church added the changes to its “Inclusive Language Guide,” an initiative aimed at preventing the use of “hurtful language” directed at groups the Methodist Church believes have been “marginalised and/or demonised by common culture.” The church plans to update the Inclusive Language Guide every six months to avoid using language that could offend groups it perceives as marginalized.
The church wants its leaders to begin using terms such as “partner,” “child,” and “parent” as a way of recognizing that “relationships come in many varied expressions.”
“Sam McBratney, Chairman of the pro-LGBT lobby group Dignity and Worth, confirmed that ministers in the denomination would still be able to preach faithfully on biblical sexual ethics,” the Christian Institute reports.
It remains to be seen how the Methodist Church plans to deal with those who may dare preach actual Biblical sexual ethics when the church’s governing body has already overruled the Bible.