United Methodists edge toward breakup over LGBT policies

[left-of-center2012]

DAVID CRARY, Associated Press, APR 20, 2019

There’s at least one area of agreement among conservative, centrist and liberal leaders in the United Methodist Church: America’s largest mainline Protestant denomination is on a path toward likely breakup over differences on same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT pastors.

The differences have simmered for years, and came to a head in February at a conference in St. Louis where delegates voted 438-384 for a proposal called the Traditional Plan, which strengthens bans on LGBT-inclusive practices. A majority of U.S.-based delegates opposed that plan and favored LGBT-friendly options, but they were outvoted by U.S. conservatives teamed with most of the delegates from Methodist strongholds in Africa and the Philippines.

Many believe the vote will prompt an exodus from the church by liberal congregations that are already expressing their dissatisfaction over the move.

Traditional Plan supporter Mark Tooley, who heads a conservative Christian think tank, predicts that the UMC will split into three denominations — one for centrists, another oriented toward liberal activists and a third representing the global alliance of U.S. conservatives and their allies overseas.

“It’s a question of how long it takes for that to unfold — and of who and how many go into each denomination,” Mr. Tooley said. “A lot of churches will be irreparably harmed as they divide.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/faith-religion/2019/04/20/United-Methodists-edge-toward-breakup-over-LGBT-policies/stories/201904200061

[Major Nikon]

1. NeoGreen repost

[murielm99]

2. There is precedent for it.

They split over slavery in 1844.

[msongs]

3. their bible says adulterers should be put to death, so how many adulterers have they killed? nt

[MineralMan]

4. The splintering of Christianity into smaller and smaller groups continues.

When there is disagreement in a religious group about scripture and doctrine, the most common response is to split into two groups. Then, later, those two groups split into four, and so on and so on. That's how we now have thousands of different denominations and sects of Christianity.

All based on one iron age scripture collection. Clear as a bell, that is.

[uriel1972]

5. Judean Peoples Front anyone?

[MineralMan]

6. People's Front of Judea, I'll have you know!

[trotsky]

9. Popular People's Judean Front forever!

Heretic!

[The Genealogist]

7. Even when denominations reunite, it isn't always sunshine and lollypops

The ME and ME South churches rejoined many decades ago. I grew up in what had been an ME congregation, and down the street was what had been an ME South congregation. Even years later, there were issues between the two congregations. As the UMC was hemorrhaging members, these two congregations tried to join up for survival. They split apart again quite quickly. Now, my old congregation is still there, but the other disbanded.

I'm honestly surprised the UMC church has lasted as long as it has.

[Permanut]

8. Gonna have to change the name..

"United Methodist Church" is kind of disingenuous. Maybe "Fractured Methodist Church", or "Divided Methodist Church". "Disintegrative Methodist Church"?