Methodist church stance on gay marriage
On 3 May , the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) — the largest Methodist denomination in the nature — removed the language of restriction on so-called “practising homosexuals” from church law. In effect, this lifts the ban on queer clergy and gay marriages in the UMC. The approach taken allows liberty of conscience at the local level, and is an attempt to keep progressives, centrists, and traditionalists in the similar tent. It is essentially the same approach that the Uniting Church in Australia has taken.
This conclusion was made possible only after around a quarter of its congregations with a more traditional stance had disaffiliated. Some of these became part of a new denomination, the Global Methodist Church (GMC), which was launched in May , after decades of acrimonious debate. Others joined smaller Methodist churches, such as the Free Methodist Church and the Wesleyan Church. A rare simply became independent.
Learning to live together with difference has been a test for the church since New Testament times, and compromise solutions such as this wi
Sexuality and the United Methodists
Others, like the Episcopals, Presbyterians (PCUSA), and Lutherans (ELCA) have taken explicit stances in aid of LGBTQ inclusion. Of course, individual members of these institutions will include diverse views on the topic, and the stance of an institution does not always indicate the stance of an individual member; The United Way Church (UMC) is a perfect example of this complexity.
The UMC is a global Protestant denomination which has significant membership in North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. While historically originating in the United Kingdom, the largest population of Methodists now lives in the United States, where it is the third largest religious group after Catholics and Baptists.
Every four years, the UMC meets at what they call the Methodist General Conference—a democratic body of representatives from across the world which gathers to produce church decisions. In , the Conference voted to include language to the church’s law, stating “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” and that lgbtq+
Methodist Church allows same-sex marriage in 'momentous' vote
Church officials hope the first same-sex weddings in Methodist chapels will take place in the autumn.
The Rev Sam McBratney, chair of the Dignity and Worth campaign group, said it was a "momentous step on the road to justice" after many years of "painful conversations".
"Some of us have been praying for this day to come for decades, and can hardly believe it is now here," he said. "We are so grateful to our fellow Methodists for taking this courageous step to recognise and affirm the value and worth of LGBTQ+ relationships.
"We reassure those who do not support this move that we want to continue to work and worship with you in the Church we all love."
However in an emotional debate, Carolyn Lawrence, a former vice-president of the Methodist Conference, warned there was a "significant minority" of Methodists who were "planning on leaving or resigning their membership" as a result of the vote.
"Today is a line in the sand for many peo
Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: The Merged Methodist Church
In May , the General Conference voted to remove longstanding bans on the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy and the celebration of lgbtq+ marriages by clergy and in churches. These changes became fully effective on January 1,
BACKGROUND
The UMC traces its origins to the Methodist movement initiated in the midth century by Anglican priest John Wesley and his brother Charles. The current structure of the UMC was established in through the union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The church is founded on three basic principles:
- Do no harm.
- Do good.
- Practice the ordinances of God, including prayer, Bible reading, worship, and the Lord's Supper.
The global church structure mirrors the United States government with legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch, the General Conference, meets every four years to set church policy. Approximately 1, delegates (half lay leaders, half clergy) assemble to consider revisions to the Book of Resolutions and the Book of D