United Methodists are breaking up in a slow-motion schism

[mahatmakanejeeves]

United Methodists are breaking up in a slow-motion schism

By PETER SMITH
October 10, 2022

United Methodists have for generations been a mainstay of the American religious landscape — one of the most geographically widespread of the major Protestant denominations, their steeples visible on urban streets, in county seats and along country roads, their ethos marked by a firm yet quiet faith, simple worship and earnest social service.

But the United Methodist Church is also the latest of several mainline Protestant denominations in America to begin fracturing, just as Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations lost significant minorities of churches and members this century amid debates over sexuality and theology.

In annual regional gatherings across the U.S. earlier this year, United Methodists approved requests of about 300 congregations to quit the denomination, according to United Methodist News Service. Special meetings in the second half of the year are expected to vote on as many as 1,000 more, according to the conservative advocacy group Wesleyan Covenant Association.

Scores of churches in Georgia, and hundreds in Texas, are considering disaffiliation. Some aren’t waiting for permission to leave: More than 100 congregations in Florida and North Carolina have filed or threatened lawsuits to break out.

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[badhair77]

1. Thanks for posting.

It will be interesting to see where this division goes.

[Alice Kramden]

2. It's an issue of rights

The ones who are leaving are in favor of ordination for LGBTQ people, and the official stance of the church is "conservative," i.e. bigoted

[AwakeAtLast]

7. You have it bacwards

Many churches are disaffiliating because the UMC is TOO inclusive. I lost my church over the summer for this reason. I grew up in that church.

[Alice Kramden]

8. Thank you for this clarification n/t

[House of Roberts]

3. So, not so 'united' as first we were told.

I give no fucks for them.

My grandmother on my mother's side was a Methodist. I got dragged to a couple of services a year when we visited her on Sundays. As is obvious, the sermons didn't take with me.

[303squadron]

4. Not surprising

The entire history of the Protestant faith is one schism after another, because one man's interpretation is another man's hell.

[Jirel]

5. So, not "United" any more.

Good. I hope they schism into nonexistence. Why anyone puts effort into expensive organizations that fight over the best way to be crappy to others who aren’t in line with their invisible friends’ opinions, is beyond me.

[RainCaster]

6. Thanks for posting this

I was a local leader in a UMC church for a decade. I saw that same argument come up every year at state wide meetings, and every year useless proclamations were drafted and sent to the national meeting. Promptly ignored.

All the while local churches were folding, and the property was sold to other faiths. Those were always more accepting of LGBTxxx folks.