LGBT group proposes dissolving UMC into 4 new denominations.

seeking.IAM · Oct 17, 2019

seeking.IAM said:
I understand why the UMC finds the LGBT-Q issue too divisive and might split over it, but I fail to understand why traditionalist, moderate, & liberation theology folks can't stay in fellowship with worship with each other?

hedrick said:
The reason this won't work is that traditionalists are unwilling to be in a church where anyone, anywhere ordains or marries gays. There are a number of proposals. The one in the thread title is only one. Most assume (correctly, I think) that everyone except the traditionalists can coexist in the same denomination.

You pose an interesting different point of view about my post. While you're groupings are different than mine, the question remains valid. If 3 trends of Methodism are able to co-exist and tolerate differences, why wouldn't they? How is fracturing the church into more pieces better?

hedrick · Oct 17, 2019

Albion said:
That is the theory. However, once the liberals have sufficient control, regardless of how that would come about, the tolerance you are referring to vanishes.

That has been the experience with other of the mainline denominations and I see no reason to think that the UMC would be immune to it, especially since authority is not vested in the local congregation among Methodists.

In the PCUSA and ELCA no one is forced to do gay marriage or ordain gays.

Arcangl86 · Oct 17, 2019

hedrick said:
In the PCUSA and ELCA no one is forced to do gay marriage or ordain gays.

Same is true with the Episcopal Church.

Albion · Oct 17, 2019

hedrick said:
In the PCUSA and ELCA no one is forced to do gay marriage or ordain gays.

Maybe not, but I am correct when it comes to other policies. Yes indeed. The traditionalists were slammed, promises to them broken, and worse.

seeking.IAM · Oct 17, 2019

All I know is that is my Episcopal Church we have those on both sides of the LGBT-Q issue sitting in the same pew, passing the peace, kneeling at the same rail, and sharing the same cup. It's possible.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. As an old straight guy I need to be worried about old straight guy sins and leave the LGBT-Q folks to work out whatever they need to with God.

Aussie Pete · Oct 18, 2019

PloverWing said:
I don't think this is a fair assessment of the United Methodists. What I see in the document is an acknowledgement that Methodists have strong passions to follow Christ, but in different directions. Some are passionate about evangelism. Some are passionate about caring for the poor. Some are passionate about compassion and justice for members of marginalized groups. I may disagree with them about whether schism is necessary to carry out these varying missions successfully, but I'm not seeing apathy here. I'm seeing people strongly committed to living the gospel, just in disagreement about what that looks like in practice.

Disunity is a curse, not a blessing, under any circumstances. There are about 35,000 denominations. In God's view, there are none. "A house divided will surely fall". Remember who said that? I've observed the decline of the church, especially in the West, for nearly 50 years. Thank God for the Christians in the Middle East, China and other places where Christians pay a price for believing. They put the West to shame.

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LGBT group proposes dissolving UMC into 4 new denominations.

seeking.IAM

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hedrick

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Arcangl86

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Albion

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seeking.IAM

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Aussie Pete

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