The United Methodist Church has been present process a significant upheaval as greater than 7,000 congregations throughout the nation, one quarter of the entire, determined whether or not to go away the denomination or stay United Methodist. This splintering resulted from a long-simmering debate over theological variations and the position of LGBTQ folks within the church.
WHY IS THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SPLINTERING?
For many years, the denomination has been mired in intractable debates over theology and the position of LGBTQ folks within the church. The UMC bans same-sex marriage and brazenly LGBTQ clergy.
However amid elevated defiance of these bans in lots of U.S. church buildings, a number of conservatives determined to launch the separate International Methodist Church. Progressives who stay within the UMC are anticipated to advocate for eradicating the bans on the denomination’s subsequent Normal Convention, within the spring of 2024.
WHEN DID CONGREGATIONS START LEAVING?
The departures started in 2019 however ramped up throughout this yr’s just-completed spherical of standard and particular conferences of the denomination’s annual conferences, or regional governing our bodies.
WHAT TRIGGERED THE START OF THE CHURCH DEPARTURES?
In 2019, a particular legislative Normal Convention voted to tighten United Methodist guidelines banning same-sex marriage and ordaining LGBTQ clergy. It additionally gave a five-year window for church buildings to go away with their property after making some funds. Conservative church buildings ended up departing in giant numbers as a result of they noticed the UMC as not imposing its personal guidelines.
WHICH CHURCHES ARE LEAVING?
Some regional conferences have misplaced hundreds of churches, together with giant ones. The difficulty isn’t solely dividing conferences. In some instances, the divisions go right through the pews of particular person church buildings, separating Methodists who’ve lengthy worshipped collectively.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING?
Many departing congregations are becoming a member of the International Methodist Church, a conservative denomination that launched more than a year ago. Others are becoming a member of smaller denominations, going unbiased or weighing their choices. Different church buildings in Europe and Africa are additionally becoming a member of the GMC.
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