SCOD REPORT TO THE 2015 GENERAL CONFERENCE

Dec 20, 2016 | 2015 GC Report

The Study Commission on Doctrine (SCOD) has been pleased to serve the General Conference and the Free Methodist Church – USA throughout the past four years. In the 2011 Book of Disciple (¶ 4080A), the SCOD is charged as follows: the “Study Commission on Doctrine shall serve the General Conference by studying theological and social issues facing the church, and make recommendations to the General Conference.”

During this quadrennium the SCOD has been comprised of the following members: Bishop David Kendall, Chair; Bishop David Roller; Bishop Matt Thomas; Dr. Linda Adams; Dr. David Bauer; Dr. Bruce Cromwell; Dr. Kristina LaCelle-Peterson; Dr. Paul Livermore; and Dr. Denny Wayman.

The SCOD holds face-to-face meetings once every year and met on the following dates: February 13- 14, 2012; February 11-12, 2013; and February 24-25, 2014. We did not meet in 2015 due to General Conference.

Over the past four years the SCOD had multiple papers and issues referred to it from the General Conference. In addition, several issues arose that were deemed important to consider and address. The SCOD attempts to anticipate the dynamics facing the Church today, giving guidance to both clergy and laity as they seek to follow the Lord with faithfulness and integrity, in great love.

The following list of theological and social issues considered by the SCOD is organized by the year in which they were discussed, with several of these issues demanding multiple years of prayer, thought, study, and reflection.