Conservative Christians Just Retook the United Methodist Church The mainline denomination voted on Tuesday to toughen its teachings against homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ clergy. It must now decide whether it will stay together. Emma Green Feb 26, 2019 The United Methodist Church has fractured over the role of LGBTQ people in the denomination. At a special conference in St. Louis this week, convened specifically to address divisions over LGBTQ issues, members voted to toughen prohibitions on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. This was a surprise: The denomination’s bishops, its top clergy, pushed hard for a resolution that would have allowed local congregations, conferences, and clergy to make their own choices about conducting same-sex marriages and ordaining LGBTQ pastors. This proposal, called the “One Church Plan,” was designed to keep the denomination together. Methodist delegates rejected its recommendations, instead choosing the so-called Traditional Plan, which affirmed the denomination’s teachings against homosexuality. This is a consequential vote for the future of the United Methodist Church: Many progressive churches will now almost certainly consider leaving the denomination. It’s also a reminder that many Christian denominations, including mainline groups such as the UMC, are still deeply divided over questions of sexuality and gender identity. While the UMC in the United States is roughly evenly divided between those who identify as traditionalists and those who identify as moderates and liberals, it is also a global organization. Many of the growing communities in the Philippines or in countries in Africa are committed to theological teachings against same-sex relationships and marriages. Self-described traditionalists in the United Methodist Church got the outcome they’ve been fighting for. Still, “I think there’s a lot of grief on all sides,” said Keith Boyette, the head of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and a main proponent of the Traditional Plan, in an interview on Tuesday. Methodists are in mourning for a United Methodist Church that may be on the brink of a mass exodus. Click here for the rest of the article: https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...ethodists-fracture-lgbt-plan-rejected/583693/
This is important news, but really doesn't resolve anything. Schism is both necessary and inevitable. The majority of the leadership, as I understand it, supported the pro-gay faction. Also the vote was relatively close any way; a divided house cannot stand. What will happen is that most of the pro-gay faction will stay and thumb their noses at the new plan, just as they have up to this point. With most of the bishops on their side, disciplining those who refuse to abide by the rules will be extremely problematic. What you have here is a heavily divided church. The sooner they part ways the better.
Something not completely unheard of, since it was a combination anyway. I do believe schism is coming to the UMC, and I think it will be along the lines of "woke westerners" and traditionalist internationalists/ Methodist Global South.