Southern Methodist University and the regional conference of the United Methodist Church said Wednesday that the two institutions have reached an agreement to dismiss ongoing litigation over the university’s previous move to distance itself from the church.
In 2019, SMU changed its governing language to declare itself independent from the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church, prompting a lawsuit from the church saying that the university required the regional group’s approval.
In a joint statement, SMU and the conference said the two have reached an agreement for their relationship going forward. Exact details were not immediately available Wednesday.
The conference did not immediately respond to messages from The Dallas Morning News seeking clarity on the agreement. A spokesperson for SMU referred The News to the joint statement.
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According to the statement, SMU has filed “Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation reflecting the understandings reached by the parties.”
“These updates provide clarity regarding governance while preserving the historic and ongoing relationship between the University and the South Central Jurisdiction,” the statement said.
“The Board of Trustees, the University, and I are pleased we have reconciled with the SCJC, and we very much look forward to a collaborative and enhanced relationship into the future,” said Jay Hartzell, the president of SMU. Hartzell began his role in June.
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In 2019, SMU’s board of trustees voted to remove reference to the church’s South Central Jurisdiction from the university’s articles of incorporation. Previously, the document said that the school was “owned” and “controlled” by the conference.
The change occurred shortly after the larger United Methodist Church denomination voted to strengthen bans on same-sex weddings and gay and lesbian pastors.
At the time, then-SMU President R. Gerald Turner told The News the school was preemptively distancing itself from its denomination ahead of an impending split over LGBTQ issues.
The bans were later reversed in May 2024 while the litigation was still ongoing.
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In July 2025, the Texas Supreme Court ruled the conference could sue SMU for breach-of-contract claims, and the case returned to trial court.
“Both Southern Methodist University and the United Methodist Church have been shaped and strengthened by this long relationship,” said the Rev. Dr. Derrek Belase, Chairperson of the South Central Jurisdiction Mission Council. “Our shared commitments to faith, service, and community engagement continue to guide us in the work we do together.”