A group containing representatives from a variety of perspectives has just announced a plan for separation of the UMC. See Council of Bishops: United Methodist Traditionalists, Centrists, Progressives & Bishops sign agreement aimed at separation, and the FAQ: Council of Bishops: Frequently Asked Questions about the United Methodist Mediation Team. The plan can't by the nature of things be official, but the council of bishops announced it, and it has enough support to be taken seriously.
The assumption is that the traditionalists will withdraw. $25M is reserved to help form a traditionalist church, $39M to help groups impacted (my impression is that this is primarily Africa), and $2M in case another denomination is created.
There is a moratorium on handling complaints over LGBT issues starting immediately and lasting until after the first general conference of the post-split church. Under the Discipline there's no way to stop people from making complaints, but the bishops are agreeing to suspend dealing with them.
Annual conferences, central conferences, and individual churches (by a 57% vote) can affiliate with the new denomination. Pensions continue. Buildings and other resources move when the conference or church moves. Annual conferences agree not to enforce the trust clause in that case.
The announcement notes "The Protocol also refers to a plan that calls for a special general conference of the post-separation United Methodist Church. The purpose of the Special Session would be to create regional conferences, remove the current prohibitions against LGBTQ persons, and to repeal the Traditional Plan."
There are enough non-US representatives to the GC that it's not clear to me that a post-split Church would actually remove the prohibitions of ordaining gays, unless large parts of the Central Conferences move or agree to allow it. There were representatives of Central Conferences on the team, but my understanding is that the Central Conferences had previously strongly opposed splitting the Church. If that hasn't changed, the results may not be what the team expects.
It's also not clear whether the remaining post-split UMC will be able to survive financially.
The assumption is that the traditionalists will withdraw. $25M is reserved to help form a traditionalist church, $39M to help groups impacted (my impression is that this is primarily Africa), and $2M in case another denomination is created.
There is a moratorium on handling complaints over LGBT issues starting immediately and lasting until after the first general conference of the post-split church. Under the Discipline there's no way to stop people from making complaints, but the bishops are agreeing to suspend dealing with them.
Annual conferences, central conferences, and individual churches (by a 57% vote) can affiliate with the new denomination. Pensions continue. Buildings and other resources move when the conference or church moves. Annual conferences agree not to enforce the trust clause in that case.
The announcement notes "The Protocol also refers to a plan that calls for a special general conference of the post-separation United Methodist Church. The purpose of the Special Session would be to create regional conferences, remove the current prohibitions against LGBTQ persons, and to repeal the Traditional Plan."
There are enough non-US representatives to the GC that it's not clear to me that a post-split Church would actually remove the prohibitions of ordaining gays, unless large parts of the Central Conferences move or agree to allow it. There were representatives of Central Conferences on the team, but my understanding is that the Central Conferences had previously strongly opposed splitting the Church. If that hasn't changed, the results may not be what the team expects.
It's also not clear whether the remaining post-split UMC will be able to survive financially.
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