Posted on 07/02/2021 3:13:34 PM PDT by Ennis85
The Methodist Church of the United Kingdom has passed two resolutions, one officially approving the blessing of same-sex unions and the other recognizing cohabiting couples.
According to The Christian Post, in a statement on Wednesday, the Methodist Conference announced that it had passed the resolutions at this gathering in Birmingham, England.
"A report on marriage and relationships, 'God in Love Unites Us,' was received by the Conference in 2019, and the local District Synods were asked to consider the provisional resolutions and report back to this year's Conference," the statement reads.
"The Conference received a report on the results of the local conferring which showed that 29 out of the 30 Synods confirmed support for the provisional resolutions."
As a result, the London-based Conference voted 256-45 to authorize its ministers to perform same-sex marriages. The Conference also approved the use of Methodist churches for same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Regarding the resolution on cohabitation, the Conference stated that it "recognises that the love of God is present" either "through informal cohabitation or a more formal commitment entered into publicly."
"As a Church, we wish to celebrate that the love of God is present in these circumstances, even if that grace is not responded to or even discerned by the people concerned," the resolution said.
"The Church has an important calling, therefore, to point to the presence of God's love within such relationships, and to encourage people to respond to it in the renewing and deepening (by whatever means) of their commitment," it concluded.
Following debate over the resolutions, the Rev. Sonia Hicks, the Conference's new president, praised the conversations for being "conducted with grace and mutual respect."
"As we move forward together after this historic day for our Church, we must remember to continue to hold each other in prayer, and to support each other respecting our differences," she wrote.
Meanwhile, the chair of Methodist Evangelicals Together, a group that opposed the resolutions, called the effort "a very sad day for the Methodist Church."
"It's heartbreaking really to see where we've come and the way in which we've got here, and many of us have wept over it," The Rev. David Hull said in an interview with Premier Christian News.
"In spite of these votes, there are many, many Methodists who still believe that Jesus offers a unique vision for life — one that is rooted deeply in the Bible, that is better than the world has ever known, better than the world will ever know, and that includes this teaching on marriage and relationships," he asserted.
And God turns his gaze from the earth.
Sounds like the offerings are getting slim at the Methodist Church?.
And God turns his gaze from the earth.
Either the Bible is the Word of God or it is not - - either God is changeless or He is not - - either these people (and many others) are in trouble or they are not.
Be careful - be very careful . . .
How can these people claim to be Christian anymore?
So, now you can vote to override God’s word?
Interesting.
Next they will form prostitution and hard drug small groups.
Methodists are anti-gun.
All I need to know.
Recognize Co-Habiting Couples as what?
There’s a Methodist to their madness.
Do as you want....just make sure you fill the coffers. That’s what it’s all about. Anything else is against God.
I’ve thought this progression would happen for some time in the Methodist church.
They stand for not much, at all.
So, what page it that on? Is it the 11th commandment? That shall do whatever the heck I want if it feels good?
I think it’s possible that we will see schisms in major mainstream denominations over same sex marriage.
, Liberal elements in churches and denominations will push for changes, but will encounter resistance. Some will consider endorsing same sex marriage a bridge too far. And for some denominations, it will be an irreconcilable difference.
Hot digity-dog.! Free sex for all.!! Anything you want.. Come one, come all.!! How can us old and ugly guys get in on this....? /s
Those schisms have already happened in just about all major Protestant churches; Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and smaller ones in the Baptist church. Our pride friends have already destroyed the churches that helped settle this nation
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
It’s all about the money and to them, God takes a back seat again.
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