In 2020, the United Methodist Church will formally divorce over gay marriage

Our First Amendment means that, even though the Supreme Court found a constitutional right to same sex marriage, that new right applies only to the government's relationship with citizens. From Obergefell forward, to the extent states and the federal government recognize traditional marriage, they must also recognize same sex marriage. Thanks to the First Amendment, though, religious institutions cannot be forced to change their doctrines to conform to the Supreme Court’s holding.

In the case of the United Methodist Church, the church opted not to recognize (or officiate at) same sex marriages. It also has refused to ordain openly gay people to the clergy. Many within the church objected to this stance, a position that led to continued debate. That debate has now resulted in a formal agreement in principle to divide the church in 2020:

The plan, if approved at the church's worldwide conference in Minneapolis in May, would divide the third-largest U.S. Christian denomination into two branches: A traditionalist side opposed to gay marriage and the ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clergy, and a progressive wing that will allow same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy.

The split would affect the denomination globally, church leaders said. The United Methodist Church lists more than 13 million members in the United States and 80 million worldwide.

In their Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation, a 16-member group of church bishops acknowledged that there was no way to reconcile the church’s differing factions, citing “fundamental differences regarding their understanding and interpretation of Scripture, theology and practice;” a failure at a February 2019 conference to resolve the differences; and the fact that the church and “its members are at an impasse, the Church’s witness and mission is being impeded,

You know, I bought the hype in 2019--and was pleasantly shocked when the Traditional Plan won.
...
On another thread, someone referred to the Progressive Clergy in the UMC as the equivalent of the Deep State. I agree.

Eh, not really Deep State. Just different locales. The big thing here is the church in these US and Europe is probably 60-40, if not 70-30, pro-homo. Which, is where most of their upper leadership and big $$ membership is sourced from. But you add the overseas church, mostly in Africa, the split is more like 5-95, and those are the poor congregations that need $$ support from here. So the US/Europe leadership doesn't represent the total membership, but the locations with all the fancy bosses and $$ is where the pro-homo groups are.

The woman has been crying for the past three days. She put on a brave face for our children but being told by her church that she’s not welcome and they *might* allow her to belong to another version of her church, has just ripped her heart out.
I’ve already accepted the fact that I’m the one who will have the long talk with Peter at the pearly gates but she’ll breeze right in.

I’ve known her for 17 years and I’ve never seen this in her eyes. It’s devestating.

I am so sorry!

She (and your family) have poured your heart and souls into what WAS your church home. Investing in time/volunteering, attending, etc., and making friends.

I pray that you find a welcoming, Christ centered church, soon...and, I pray that the UMC split allows for conservatives to have a Christ centered, bible based home, ASAP.

It is sad that this is even an issue...that the UMC has allowed itself to be infiltrated by the progs. It’s NOT just the UMC, though....other churches certainly have been infiltrated, by leftists, as well.

May the Lord hear our prayers and separate the UMC wheat from the chaff, swiftly.

May I recommend the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) to you, if your wife can abide the fact that LCMS follows the Biblical instructions for churches and do not allow women pastors (and they are doctrinally opposed to abortion, birth control, cohabitation without marriage, and gay "marriage"). You will hear sermons based on the scriptures and illuminating their deeper meanings. LCMS has a catechism written by Martin Luther, and everyone in the church receives instruction about what LCMS believes and why. Luther's goal was to return the corrupted church to its Apostolic roots, so that congregations learn what the early church learned from Christ's own disciples.

I am a female refugee from what Methodism has devolved to, which is in stark contrast to how it was prior to the 70s, and how it was intended by its founders the Wesleys. I have been so happy with the LCMS. Take note: it is NOT the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which is going down the leftist sinkhole as fast as it can.

LCMS Church locations

1. I want the separation to happen.
2. The group that met has zero decision making powers.
3. The decision and plan can be made ONLY at the denomination business meeting, the General Conference [GC] as we call it, in May of this year. No other group or agency speaks for the denomination.
4. I like the Indianapolis Plan of 5 months ago better than this plan involving a few bishops
5. There will be a lot of horse trading at GC2020 in May

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