The United Church of Christ is a Christian denomination. Periodically, bodies within the United Church of Christ issue resolutions for various reasons. These statements may or may not be representative of the United Church of Christ. This article documents notable resolutions from the various formal bodies of the United Church of Christ.
Resolutions about denominational statements The 2001 "Mutual respect within the faith community " General Synod XXIII Resolutions: Mutual respect within the faith community resolution passed by General Synod XXIII "calls upon all levels of the United church of Christ, the national covenanted ministries, conferences, associations, and individual congregations of the denomination to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of a church with such a diverse population and difference of theological beliefs and to identify representatives or groups issuing statements to indicate that they speak only on behalf of themselves or their groups and not on behalf of or for the entire 1.4 million members of the United Church of Christ."
A proposed resolution being submitted by the Faithful and Welcoming Renewal group to General Synod XXVI "seeks to "address the concerns of congregations that may be considering withdrawal from the United Church of Christ by reaffirming our classical and centrist theological heritage and by explicitly including in our extravagant welcome those members and churches considering themselves to be evangelical, conservative, orthodox, or traditional in theological outlook" This resolution "acknowledges the existence of a broad spectrum of thought on contemporary issues of theology and ethics, and advocates fair representation of ECOT and centrist points of view alongside liberal and progressive points of view in all settings of the United Church of Christ, including official gatherings and publications" and "calls upon all settings of the church to consider prayerfully its policies and statements in terms of their impact on the unity and future of local churches, associations, and conferences in the UCC."
General Synod resolutions The denomination's churchwide deliberative body is the General Synod, which meets every two years. The General Synod is composed of delegates elected from the Conferences (distributed proportionally by conference size) together with the boards of directors of each of the four covenanted ministries (see below, under National Offices).
While General Synod provides the most visible voice of the "stance of the denomination" on any particular issue, the covenantal polity of the denomination means that General Synod speaks to local churches, associations, and conferences, but not for them. Thus, the other settings of the church are always allowed to hold differing views and practices on all non-constitutional matters.
General Synod considers three kinds of resolutions: Pronouncements: A Pronouncement is a statement of Christian conviction on a matter of moral or social principle and has been adopted by a two-thirds vote of a General Synod. Proposals for Action: A Proposal for Action is a recommendation for specific directional statements and goals implementing a Pronouncement. A Proposal for Action normally accompanies a Pronouncement. (See link above regarding Pronouncements.) Resolutions and Other Formal Motions Which may consist of the following three types: Resolutions of Witness: A Resolution of Witness is an expression of the General Synod concerning a moral, ethical, or religious matter confronting the church, the nation, or the world, adopted for the guidance of the officers, Associated, or Affiliated Ministries, or other bodies as defined in Article VI of the Bylaws of the United Church of Christ; the consideration of local churches, Associations, Conferences, and other bodies related to the United Church of Christ; and for a Christian witness to the world. It represents agreement by at least two-thirds of the delegates voting that the view expressed is based on Christian conviction and is a part of their witness to Jesus Christ. Prudential Resolutions: A Prudential Resolution establishes policy, institutes or revises structure or procedures, authorizes programs, approves directions, or requests actions by a majority vote. Other Formal Motions
2015 - Thirtieth General Synod held in Cleveland, Ohio Minutes
Full Communion Relationship Between the United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada Commemorating 100 Years Since the Armenian genocide Resolution Urging Socially Responsible Investment Practices: Resolution to Change the Racially Demeaning Name, Mascot and Imagery of the Washington National Football League Team: General Synod Archive Resolution Marking the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Just Peace Pronouncement by Recommitting Ourselves to be a Just Peace Church: Developing Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged Congregations for Mental Health: A Just and Compassionate Response in the Wake of the Shootings at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina: this resolution also called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina State Capitol. Dismantling Discriminatory Systems of Mass Incarceration in the United States: Dismantling the New Jim Crow: A Call for Peace, Justice and Reunification in the Korean Peninsula: A Call for the United Church of Christ to Take Actions Toward a Just Peace in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: this resolution endorsed Kairos Palestine and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, proving globally controversial and provoking negative responses from the Israeli government and media. Responsible Stewardship of the Outer Space Environment: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Full Equality for Persons of Any Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity of Gender Expression: Transition from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy:
2013 - Twenty-ninth General Synod held in Long Beach, California Calling for the United Church of Christ to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery Which Authorized the Genocide of Native People and the Theft of Native Lands: Resolution Supporting Compassionate Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the Protection of the Human Rights of Immigrants: To Recognize the Need for Compassionate Care and Healing to Our Veterans: A Resolution on Ecumenical Relationship Between the United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada: Restructure of Conference Boundaries: Resolution Urging Divestment - Along With Other Strategies - from Fossil Fuel Companies to Address Climate Change : On Making UCC Church Buildings More Carbon-Neutral: Resisting Actions Seeking to Undermine the Status of Women in Society: this resolution not only called for gender equality within the UCC but also endorsed equal pay for equal work, women's reproductive rights, Title X, and the work of Planned Parenthood. Calling for an All Church Offering for Supporting the Educational Expenses of Members in Discernment Preparing for Authorized Ministry of the United Church of Christ: A Resolution in Support of Outdoor Ministries of the United Church of Christ: The United Samoan Ministries of the United Church of Christ Request to be Recognized as a Historically Underrepresented Group and Member of the Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries: Resolution Against Bullying and Discrimination: Resolution on Advocating for Funding to Construct Quality Affordable Housing: Advocating for Tax Reform as Christian Stewardship and Public Duty: This resolution endorsed several left-liberal tax reform policies and the creation of a more "progressive, fair, neutral, adequate, and redistributive" tax system. A Call to Respond to Violence and Human Rights Violations in Honduras Resulting from Illegal Drug Trafficking and Drug Policy in the United States: Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in Appalachia: This resolution endorsed action to bring an end to controversial mountaintop removal mining.
2011 - Twenty-eighth General Synod held in Tampa, Florida Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism: An interdenominational agreement with the Roman Catholic church regarding the rite of baptism. A Call for a Reflection and Advocacy on Behalf of the Democratic Republic of Congo: This resolution called for solidarity and advocacy for "Congolese security and sovereignty" from multinational corporations and neighboring states that have hindered democratic advancements and the work of UCC ecumenical partners in the region. In Support of the Release of Puerto Rican Political Prisoners: This resolution identifies Oscar López Rivera and Avelino González-Claudio as political prisoners and advocates for their release. A Covenant for Church Youth Ministries: Putting Our Money Where Our Values Are: Evaluating Church Financial Relationships: This resolution asks that all levels of the UCC only relate with financial institutions if they "have records of fair lending, business and investing practices." Affirming Healthcare Coverage for UCC Authorized Ministers and Their Families The Right of LBGT Parents to Adopt and Raise Children: This resolution endorses the non-consideration of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in evaluating potential adoptive parents. U.S. Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Supporting International Human Rights Related to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: On Actions of Hostility Against Islam and the Muslim Community: Resolution for Mindful and Faithful Eating: This resolution calls for UCC members and settings to consider concerns of ecology, animal welfare, and "the needs and concerns of workers" in making dietary decisions. A Resolution to Form a Theological Forum: In this resolution, submitted by delegates from the Synod floor, the Synod requested a forum "to engage the widest possible diversity of perspectives within the United Church of Christ" in "theological reflection and dialogue."
2009 - Twenty-seventh General Synod held in Grand Rapids, Michigan On the Situation of Iraqi Refugees and Internally Displaced Affirmation of Partnership with the Protestant Church in East Timor Call to Reaffirm the Importance of Ecumenical Commitments and Initiatives in the UCC Calling on President Barack Obama to Revisit and Re-negotiate a More Humane, Democratic, and Ecologically Sound Version of the North American Free Trade Agreement: A Call to Awareness and Action to End the Practice of Trafficking in Persons: An Urgent Call For Advocacy in Support of Healthcare For All, as in H.R. 676: Toward Unified Governance for the National Setting of the United Church of Christ: An Economic Justice Covenant: This resolution calls upon churches to prioritize fighting economic inequality and working with social justice organizations. A Call To Be Global Mission Churches in the United Church of Christ: A Call for Study of Our Church's Involvement in the Eugenics Movement: Calling For Comprehensive HIV Prevention in Church and Community: Affirming the Accra Confession: Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth: This resolution endorsed the view, taken by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (which included the UCC) at its 2004 assembly in Accra, Ghana, that "neoliberal economic globalization" is a system that "impoverish[es] and oppress[es] people around the world and in the U.S." and must be replaced by systems "more in line with God's vision for God's world." Roles of Church and Government in Addressing the Global Food Crisis: This resolution lays out "ways in which our consumerism leads to food insecurity," and calls for study and advocacy on how to make the global food system more just and equitable.