There is growing interest in the discrimination case soon to be launched to rescue the reputation of Britain's Methodist Church for fairness and openness.
The case will be based on the premise that the preparation, motivation and outcome for a resolution on Israel and Palestine at the denomination's conference in Portsmouth this year was discriminatory.
A carefully selected working party compiled a report which was said to have distressed Britain's Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks. One Jewish witness at the conference complained "I felt like the accused in a Nazi show trial."
Chair of the Methodist working party, Graham Carter, dismissed accusations of discrimination by telling the conference “I want to state quite clearly and categorically that there is no hint of anti-Semitism in what we have said or in what we intend. If other people want to do things like that, that is their problem. It is not our problem as a Methodist church.”
Many British Methodists seem unaware of the international concern at the Church's decision. The West Briton newspaper in Cornwall, which has a large Methodist community, reported that few Methodist leaders were prepared to support the denomination's stance.
However the story made the front page of The Jerusalem Post with strong backing to the bringing of the case from readers on their online edition. It also featured prominently in Britain's weekly Jewish Chronicle newspaper, though Methodism's own British weekly, the Methodist Recorder, has ignored the story.
Concern has also been raised by members of the US United Methodist Church who have set up a discussion board on their facebook portal. Prominent Israeli blogger Daphne Anson has also carried the story.
Meanwhile I continue to get emails of support from around the world. Thanks for your prayers and numerous offers of assistance.
Written 10/10/10. Scheduled 10.00 am 11/10/10![]()
The case will be based on the premise that the preparation, motivation and outcome for a resolution on Israel and Palestine at the denomination's conference in Portsmouth this year was discriminatory.
A carefully selected working party compiled a report which was said to have distressed Britain's Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks. One Jewish witness at the conference complained "I felt like the accused in a Nazi show trial."
Chair of the Methodist working party, Graham Carter, dismissed accusations of discrimination by telling the conference “I want to state quite clearly and categorically that there is no hint of anti-Semitism in what we have said or in what we intend. If other people want to do things like that, that is their problem. It is not our problem as a Methodist church.”
Many British Methodists seem unaware of the international concern at the Church's decision. The West Briton newspaper in Cornwall, which has a large Methodist community, reported that few Methodist leaders were prepared to support the denomination's stance.
However the story made the front page of The Jerusalem Post with strong backing to the bringing of the case from readers on their online edition. It also featured prominently in Britain's weekly Jewish Chronicle newspaper, though Methodism's own British weekly, the Methodist Recorder, has ignored the story.
Concern has also been raised by members of the US United Methodist Church who have set up a discussion board on their facebook portal. Prominent Israeli blogger Daphne Anson has also carried the story.
Meanwhile I continue to get emails of support from around the world. Thanks for your prayers and numerous offers of assistance.
Written 10/10/10. Scheduled 10.00 am 11/10/10
