More than 600 Methodist clergy and church members are bringing formal church charges against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, invoking a rarely used church procedure to condemn the Trump administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their families at the US-Mexico border. In a June 18 statement, 640 signatories invoked paragraph 2702.3 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline to charge Sessions with child abuse, immorality (including “the use of violence against children to deter immigration”), racial discrimination, and the dissemination of false doctrine counter to Methodist teaching — including Sessions’s controversial public use of the Bible verse Romans 13 to legitimize the Trump administration’s migrant policies. Sessions is a member of Ashland Place United Methodist Church in Mobile, Alabama, and of Clarendon United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. The statement, addressed to Sessions’s Alabama and Virginia pastors, Sterling Boykin and Tracy Wines respectively, urged them to “dig deeply into Mr. Sessions’ advocacy and actions that have led to harm against thousands of vulnerable humans.” The statement continued: “As members of the United Methodist Church, we deeply hope for a reconciling process that will help this long-time member of our connection step back from his harmful actions and work to repair the damage he is currently causing to immigrants, particularly children and families.” Sessions is an active member of the United Methodist Church and has served both as a Sunday school teacher and as a church delegate to the annual Methodist General Conference. He has frequently invoked his Christian faith in support of the Trump administration and its policies. “I really never would have thought I’d be working on charges against anybody in the Methodist connection, much less a lay person,” Pastor David Wright, who organized the effort to charge Sessions, told the United Methodist Church’s news service (UMNS). He expressed hope that the charges would prompt Sessions to reconsider his views. “I hope his pastor can have a good conversation with him and come to a good resolution that helps him reclaim his values that many of us feel he’s violated as a Methodist,” he said. Technically, anyone within the Methodist Church can bring charges against any other member, and charges can theoretically lead to expulsion from the church community following an ecclesiastical trial. In practice, however, charges are extremely rare, especially against laypeople, and almost never move beyond the level of individual mediation at a local church level. “I’m not aware of any circumstance in the 50-year history of The United Methodist Church when a complaint against a lay person moved beyond the stage of its resolution by a district superintendent or a pastor,” Rev. William Lawrence, professor emeritus at Perkins School of Theology, told UMNS. David F. Watson, a professor of New Testament studies at United Theological Seminary, told Religion News Service that in the past, charges have typically been brought only against clergy who perform same-sex marriages, a hot-button issue that continues to divide the Methodist Church. (Currently, both same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination are officially prohibited by the UMC handbook, but a proposed plan would delegate authority to make decisions about celebrating LGBTQ weddings or ordinations to the church level.) Diana Butler Bass, an American church historian and scholar who focuses on the history of the American church, told Vox that there is very limited precedent for formal religious charges like these, using an ecclesiastical court system to charge a government official. “It’s historic, if you pay attention to things like this,” she said. It could, she said, pave the way for other religious groups — say, Catholics, who have a formal policy of excommunication for their members — to attempt to influence lawmakers by placing religious interdictions on those in their community. (While excommunications for Catholic lawmakers have never been carried out, the possibility of religious reprisals for Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, such as John Kerry, have been floated by senior Catholic officials in the past.) The Methodist Church is the largest mainline Protestant denomination in America, with approximately 7 million members (although these numbers, like those of other mainline Protestant denominations, are in decline). Mainline Protestant churches tend to be more progressive than their evangelical counterparts; Methodists, historically, have been only slightly more conservative than America’s general population. In 2014, 48 percent of Methodists identified as Republicans, while 42 percent identified as Democrats. While it’s unclear how many Methodists specifically voted for Trump in 2016, about 50 percent of mainline Protestants overall voted for Trump, compared to 81 percent of white evangelicals. Throughout the Trump administration, however, United Methodist Church leadership has been openly and vocally critical of Trump’s policies and language. In January, for example, church leadership issued a public condemnation of Trump’s reference to immigrants from “shithole countries.” However, the UMC’s decision to charge Sessions — an individual member of the administration — is all but unprecedented. The UMC is just one of many Christian religious organizations that have taken action to condemn Trump’s migrant policy, particularly in the wake of the White House’s assertion Thursday that it is acting “biblically.” Last week, the evangelical Southern Baptist Convention unanimously passed a resolution affirming the dignity of immigrants and condemning nativism. Attendees at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops likewise slammed Trump’s migrant policy. Even Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelical preacher Billy Graham, and a longtime Trump ally, spoke out against the policy, although he did not criticize Trump by name. The Methodist leaders’ actions, therefore, reflect a wider trend within the current Christian landscape — from historically progressive-leaning or centrist traditions to evangelical ones — as more and more leaders speak out against Trump’s migrant policy. But will these acts change the minds of Christian voters? Bass is cautious on this point. The closest analogue to the current UMC charges, she says, occurred in the 1840s over slavery. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist denomination, abhorred slavery and attempted to prohibit Methodists from owning slaves, a rule that became increasingly relaxed as the years went on, with only clergy subject to the prohibition.<doc-sep>Jack Jenkins and Emily McFarlan Miller Religion News Service More than 600 United Methodist clergy and laypeople have signed a formal denominational complaint against fellow United Methodist Attorney General Jeff Sessions, condemning his role in the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy of separating children from their parents along the U.S.-Mexico border. The charges include child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and “dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church.” The complaint was sent Monday afternoon to two churches, one in Alabama and the other in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, said to be affiliated with the chief lawyer of the U.S. government. “We, the undersigned laity and clergy of the United Methodist Church, issue a formal complaint against fellow United Methodist layperson Jefferson Beauregard Sessions,” reads the letter, which was provided to Religion News Service. “While we are reticent to bring a formal complaint against a layperson, Mr. Sessions’ unique combination of tremendous social/political power, his leading role as a Sunday School teacher and former delegate to General Conference, and the severe and ongoing impact of certain of his public, professional actions demand that we, as his siblings in the United Methodist denomination, call for some degree of accountability.” Dave Wright, an ordained United Methodist elder and chaplain at the University of Puget Sound, is the chief author of the letter. He said he hopes the complaint will result in pastoral conversations between Sessions and church leaders. “My ideal outcome is that his pastors in church leadership who know him will speak with him, and that in those conversations he will be challenged to think through the level of harm he is causing and have a change of heart — which is about as Methodist as you can get,” Wright said. Of the four charges against Sessions, the first three — child abuse, immorality and racial discrimination — are in reference to the border policy. The last, regarding the dissemination of doctrines against Methodism, follows Sessions’ attempt to defend separating families during a speech Thursday, in which he rebuked “church friends” who criticized the policy by insisting its enforcement is biblical, citing Romans 13. David Watson, academic dean and professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary, called the complaint “an extraordinary development.” Sessions did not publicly respond to the UMC complaint. It is “very unusual” for a complaint to be brought against a layperson in the United Methodist Church, Watson said. In recent history, several professors noted, most complaints have been brought against clergy who have performed or entered into same-sex marriages, as the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination has been roiled by debate over the inclusion of its LGBT members. John Feagins, an ordained UMC elder in the Rio Texas Conference who has taught church polity to pastors, said the letter sets in motion a process that allows a pastor or district superintendent to resolve the issue with the accused pastorally, possibly through a process involving a third-party mediator that United Methodists call “just resolution.” Just resolution focuses on “repairing any harm to people and communities, achieving real accountability by making things right in so far as possible and bringing healing to all the parties,” according to the Book of Discipline. The letter concluded: “We look forward to entering into the just resolution process with Mr. Sessions as we seek to journey with him towards reconciliation and faithful living into the gospel.” If no resolution can be reached, that person’s case could go to a committee on investigation or eventually a church trial. In a worst-case scenario, the court could remove him or her from membership, but the denomination’s rulebook also makes allowances for lesser punishments. That could include things like losing the ability to hold office as a delegate or teach Sunday school. Sessions, who attended the Methodist-affiliated Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala., has served as a lay leader and chairman of the administrative board in his family’s church, Ashland Place United Methodist Church in Mobile, Ala. Feagins noted that ending Sessions’ membership would not be the same as excommunication, which does not exist in the United Methodist Church. “The goal of a process like this is not the expulsion of someone, but the resolution of conflict — that’s very important, because these things are about a person’s relation to the church,” Feagins said. He said that while he did not sign the letter, he did help author a resolution in his own conference with similar language that asked the attorney general to halt the policy. No Methodist politician has been similarly charged in a letter of complaint in recent history — at least not “of this nature,” said Kenneth J. Collins, a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, pointing to the sheer number of people who signed on to the complaint against Sessions. Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush are United Methodists, as is former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Both Laura Bush and Clinton also have spoken out this week against the border policy defended by the attorney general. “I think a lot of people from a variety of theological positions are very concerned about what’s going on regarding the separation of families,” said Watson. “It is really extraordinary for a public official and a layperson to be brought up in this way, but on one level, it doesn’t surprise me given the nature of what’s going on.” The letter noted that various elements of the United Methodist Church already have spoken out against the policy and Sessions’ defense. Earlier this month, Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, president of the Council of Bishops, signed on to a statement along with a number of prominent faith leaders urging the Trump administration to stop separating families. The Rev.<doc-sep>Sessions is a member of Ashland Methodist Church in Mobile, Al. A group of more than 600 United Methodist clergy are bringing church law charges against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions over a "zero tolerance" policy on U.S. immigration, which has resulted in the separation of families on the U.S.- Mexico border. Sessions is a member of Ashland Methodist Church in Mobile, Al. The group said in a June 18 statement that Sessions violated Paragraph 2702.3 of the Denominations's Book of Discipline. Sessions is charged with child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination in separating children from their parents. They also accused Sessions with "dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards and doctrine of the United Methodist Church," in reference to Sessions' quoting a bible verse to defend the "zero tolerance" policy. The Rev. William Lawrence told the United Methodist News Service that anyone in the church can bring a charge against anyone else. While complaints against laypersons in the church are not uncommon, a formal complaint bringing charges is rare. The categories listed in Paragraph 2702.3 of the Book of Discipline are all chargeable offenses for a member of the Church. A church trial and expulsion of a lay member is possible, but the process is long.<doc-sep>More than 600 United Methodist clergy and church members want to bring formal church charges against Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the Justice Department's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, which has resulted in separating families who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Sessions, a Sunday school teacher at the Ashland Place United Methodist Church in Mobile, Alabama, is accused by church members of child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and "dissemination of doctrines contrary to the established standards of doctrines" of the United Methodist Church. "While other individuals and areas of the federal government are implicated in each of these examples, Mr. Sessions—as a long-term United Methodist in a tremendously powerful, public position—is particularly accountable to us, his church," the letter read. "As his denomination, we have an ethical obligation to speak boldly when one of our members is engaged in causing significant harm in matters contrary to the Discipline on the global stage." Related: United Methodist Church slams family separations, calls Trump policy "antithetical to the teachings of Christ" The Reverend David Wright, who organized the effort to charge Sessions, told Newsweek Tuesday that these types of charges against a member of their own denomination are "very, very rare." "A week ago, I couldn't have imagined doing this," Wright said, adding that the hundreds of signatures they received were within just 24 hours. The letter, signed by 639 United Methodist clergy and laity members, said the child abuse charge was for "[separating] thousands of young children from their parents [and] holding thousands of children in mass incarceration facilities." Over the course of a six-week period, nearly 2,000 minors—roughly 45 a day—were separated from their parents. Members cited the immorality charge for "oppression of those seeking asylum" and cited racial discrimination for "attempting to criminalize Black Lives Matter and other racial justice activist groups," among other things. The letter also cited Sessions's use of Romans 13 last week to defend the administration's policy of separating families and said it was in stark contrast to "supporting freedom of conscience and resistance to unjust laws." The United Methodist Church called the policy "antithetical to the teachings of Christ." Wright said that the goal of the charges, which were sent to the attorney general's home church in Alabama, is not to force Sessions out of the congregation but rather to start a dialogue with him. "[We're] hoping for a change in Mr. Sessions's heart," Wright said. "That he will not only step back and stop the things he's doing with his social and political power that are causing such significant harm but that he would then use his power to bring repair, bring healing and reunite families." The Justice Department declined to comment for the story. In early May, Sessions announced the Trump administration would begin separating parents and children at the border, a change from previous administrations' policies—including Trump's own that allowed families to remain together. "If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you, and that child will be separated from you, as required by law." Sessions said on May 7. "If you don't like that, then don't smuggle children over our border." Update: This story has been updated to include comment from Reverend David Wright and to show that the church later clarified that 639 members signed the letter, as one of the signatures was a duplicate. Correction: The headline for this story has been corrected to more accurately reflect that it was members of the church who filed the charges rather than the church as a whole.<doc-sep>
A group of more than 600 United Methodist clergy and church members are bringing church law charges against Attorney General Jeff Sessions over the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration crackdown — chiefly the policy that has separated thousands of children from their parents along the U.S.-Mexico border. The group accuses Sessions, a fellow United Methodist, of violating Paragraph 270.3 of the denomination's Book of Discipline. He is charged under church law with child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and "dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the United Methodist Church." In a letter addressed to Session's pastors, 640 clergy members and laity urge "some degree of accountability" for the top law enforcement official in the country, who they say is affiliated with United Methodist churches in Alabama and the suburbs of Washington. "We write to you ... in the hopes that you will, as members of our connectional system, dig deeply into Mr. Sessions' advocacy and actions that have led to harm against thousands of vulnerable humans," the signees wrote in the letter. "As members of the United Methodist Church, we deeply hope for a reconciling process that will help this longtime member of our connection step back from his harmful actions and work to repair the damage he is currently causing to immigrants, particularly children and families." A spokesman for the Justice Department declined to comment on the complaint. Meanwhile, Pope Francis also criticized the policy, telling Reuters that he supported the U.S. Catholic bishops who have joined other religious leading in condemning the separation of parents and children as "immoral." "It's not easy, but populism is not the solution," Francis said. He added that populists were "creating psychosis" on the issue of immigration and said without immigrants, Europe would "become empty." Not all evangelical Christians oppose Trump's policy. Pastor Bill Sutton, of McAllen, Texas, told NBC News that his faith tells him to support the president. "I don't believe any person is in any office that God has not allowed it to be there," Sutton said. "I do care about these kids. I just don't know what to do. But I've got to put my trust somewhere. I can't solve it, so I'm trying to believe that the government will do that which is right." And Mike Jones, an evangelical Christian from North Carolina, said he questions whether the harrowing images of kids held in detention centers are even real. "I think it's all a big lie," Jones told NBC News. "I don't think that that's happening." The two churches to which Sessions is said to belong — Ashland Place United Methodist Church in Mobile, Alabama, and the Clarendon United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia — did not immediately respond to phone calls from NBC News. The signees of the letter also criticized Sessions for invoking Romans 13, a Bible verse, to justify the Trump administration policy of breaking up children and parents at the border. They said the "misuse" of that line from Scripture was in "stark contrast to disciplinary commitments to supporting freedom of conscience and resistance to unjust laws." The contents of the letter were first reported by the United Methodist News Service. The Rev. William Lawrence, an authority on Methodist history and practices, said that anyone in the church can bring a charge against anyone else, whether clergy or layperson — but that a formal complaint outlining specific charges is rare. Lawrence said the church's Book of Discipline allows, "in the most extreme circumstances," for a church-led trial and even the expulsion of a lay member. But the first step, he said, would be for the respondent to resolve the issue through "pastoral conversations" with his pastor and district superintendent. "In the 50 years of the United Methodist Church as a denomination, I am not aware of any case that moved beyond those initial stages," Lawrence said.