The Methodists appear to be on a verge of a Schism over issues of homosexuality.
I know denominations have had schisms in recorded history over various issues.
I never thought that acceptance of homosexuality would ever be such an issue with regard to religious denominations. But yet, that is where we are.
It’s not just the acceptance of homosexuality in the UMC. It’s the celebration of the acceptance of homosexuality in the UMC and the “good riddance” they give to the Methodists who have separated from the UMC.
I’ve never seen such celebration of sin in a “church.” If homosexuality is just fine with God, then so is womanizing, affairs, premarital relations, casual sex, pedophilia, etc.
Yes, I am equating homosexuality to all sexual sin. Yes, I am equating sexual sin to all other sin.
>> The Methodists appear to be on a verge of a Schism over issues of homosexuality.
Not on the “verge” — it’s already happened. 25%-30% of congregations exited with their property. (The UMC holds essentially all church property in trust but for a brief time congregations could exit with their property if they paid enough ransom, the amount of which varied depending on the annual conference a congregation was in.)
Many of the departing congregations joined into the “Global Methodist Church” — a conservative denomination with Wesleyan Methodist bent. Others went independent or joined one of the other Methodist denoms (Nazarene, Free Methodist, etc.)
Now that the “+/- free exit” time is passed, the UMC will make it VERY costly for a church to exit with its property.
But look for a flood of individuals — and some clergy — to leave the Baal-worshipping UMC and find another church home in the next few years.
The UMC, graying as it is, will be a mere shadow of its former self, essentially dead within a decade.
The article is from the Bee but in reality-land, African Christians should send missionaries to Europe and America. They might start with Hollywood, Stockholm, Oxford, and Chapel Hill, NC.
The Methodist schism has already occurred. The Epworth Congregation in Phenix City, Alabama voted 190 to five to disaffiliate from the UMC and now they have settled into life without the corrupted higher-ups. Of the thousands of congregations that have left, many were the most dynamic that the UMC had. There were other issues as well such as the theology of liberation movement that subverted many Roman Catholics as well as Protestants.