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January 19, 2007 Statement of Southern Methodist UniversityThe opportunity for a group of United Methodist ministers to circulate a petition reflects the tradition and values of the Church for open dialogue on important issues. Embracing those same values, we at SMU respect their right to express their views. As we have indicated, the presence of the Bush Library and Institute at SMU would support education, research and discussion on the important issues of this era—all activities that reflect the United Methodist heritage in higher education. The church itself has more than 8 million members. The South Central Jurisdiction of the Church organized SMU as a Texas non-profit organization under the management and control of a Board of Trustees. Fifty percent of the Board’s membership is United Methodist, including three bishops, the senior pastors of two of the Church’s largest congregations, and the former dean of the Yale Divinity School. The Board of Trustees has unanimously supported the pursuit of the Bush Library and related Institute. Related Link: # # # |
