United Methodist Connections
Hamline University has a long history with the United Methodist Church. From our founding in 1854 through a gift by Bishop Leonidas Hamline, we have always sought to live up to John Wesley's vision to "do all the good you can." However, while embracing the values of the Methodist tradition, we do not want to exclude members of our community in the process. In fact, our United Methodist tradition is to be a connectional community! As such, we are a United Methodist related university and also multi-faith in our programs.
Love Boldly campaign
Love Boldly is a Minnesota United Methodist Church (minnesotaumc.org) campaign for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in response to the decisions made by the global United Methodist Church. In February 2019, the church reaffirmed their stance that “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teachings.” The church voted against LGBTQ+ individuals becoming clergy and getting married within the church. As a Methodist affiliated institution, Hamline and the Wesley Center is working to institutionalize the Love Boldly campaign into our campus framework to put into action the “do no harm” legacy championed by John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement. Love Boldly seeks to demonstrate to the wider body of the UMC that we will not be complacent in the harm of these policies. We invite you to show your support for the inclusivity movement by attending Love Boldly events and engaging in promotional materials when you come across them.
For more information: Contact Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray at kfigueroaray01@hamline.edu and Love Boldly student staff at loveboldly@hamline.edu.