United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy

[redleghunter]

Looks like the UMC is holding firm to Biblical and historic Christian morality.

From the NYTs:

ST. LOUIS — The United Methodist Church on Tuesday voted to strengthen its ban on gay and lesbian clergy and same-sex marriages, a decision that could split the nation’s second-largest Protestant church.

After three days of intense debate at a conference in St. Louis, the vote by church officials and lay members from around the world doubled down on current church policy, which states that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” The vote served as a rejection of a push by progressive members and leaders to open the church to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Now, a divide of the United Methodist Church, which has 12 million members worldwide, appears imminent. Some pastors and bishops in the United States are already talking about leaving the denomination and possibly creating a new alliance for gay-friendly churches.

“It is time for another movement,” the Rev. Mike Slaughter, pastor emeritus of Ginghamsburg Church in Ohio, said in a phone interview from the floor of the conference. “We don’t even know what that is yet, but it is something new.”


The decision, passed in a 53 percent to 47 percent vote, is the latest eruption in the fight over the future of American Christianity and over whose views of human sexuality are enshrined as Christian.

Conservatives have left the Episcopal Church over gay rights, Presbyterians have split, and many young evangelicals are leaving their churches over the lack of inclusion of L.G.B.T. people.​

More at the link: United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy

 

[redleghunter]

This is the Christianity Today link which has more details:

United Methodists Vote to Keep Traditional Marriage Stance

 

[seeking.IAM]

Prayers for United Methodists on both sides of this divide.

 

[brinny]

Praise God!!! Amen!!

Praying!!

 

[SPF]

Let the denomination split begin!

 

[Orthodoxjay1]

Prayers from a Orthodox Christian, that the UMC don't budge on this issue of Gay Clergy and Gay Marriage, it seems to be the main issue ripping apart Churches across the board.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

I guess you have to decide what guides you.

 

[Sparagmos]

Prayers from a Orthodox Christian, that the UMC don't budge on this issue of Gay Clergy and Gay Marriage, it seems to be the main issue ripping apart Churches across the board.

There will probably be a split and the other side will take a huge amount of people with them. I have a handful of Methodist friends and they will def go with the side that supports full LGBT rights in the church.

 

[Orthodoxjay1]

There will probably be a split and the other side will take a huge amount of people with them. I have a handful of Methodist friends and they will def go with the side that supports full LGBT rights in the church.

That maybe true, yet the fact is that as western Churches decline, it is the African Churches that are booming in numbers, and also holding the line on Traditional marriage, opposition to Ordination of Gay Marriage, and so fourth. It the same thing going on in the Anglican Communion, the Africans pushed for the Episcopal Church to be punished over it LGBT stances, and the ECUSA was suspended for like 3 years. i
It will be hard for the white liberal Christians to preach to the African Christians to tell them they are "bigots, hateful" , it would be neo-colonalism in disguise to impose there will on Traditionalist Africans, if that fails the Progressive movement will use the State Department, and foreign aid (after President Trump finishes his term) to push LGBT imperialism on the African faithful.

 

[Sparagmos]

That maybe true, yet the fact is that as western Churches decline, it is the African Churches that are booming in numbers, and also holding the line on Traditional marriage, opposition to Ordination of Gay Marriage, and so fourth.I it the same thing going on in the Anglican Communion, the Africans pushed for the Episcopal Church to be punished over it LGBT stances, and the ECUSA was suspended for like 3 years. i
It will be hard for the white liberal Christians to preach to the African Christians to tell them they are "bigots, hateful" , it would be neo-colonalism in disguise to impose there will on Traditionalist Africans, if that fails the Progressive movement will use the state department, and foreign aid (after President Trump finishes his term) to push LGBT imperialism on the African faithful.

A split isn’t a decline. As more churches split over this issue, more people will flock to the churches that support LGBT rights. I’m not an expert on churches in Africa, but in the U.S., I think churches that support full rights for LGBT people are going to grow, while those that don’t shrink. Young people overwhelmingly suppirt LGBT rights.

 

[Orthodoxjay1]

A split isn’t a decline. As more churches split over this issue, more people will flock to the churches that support LGBT rights. I’m not an expert on churches in Africa, but in the U.S., I think churches that support full rights for LGBT people are going to grow, while those that don’t shrink. Young people overwhelmingly suppirt LGBT rights.

If that was the case the ELCA should be growing, it is not, same with the Episcopal Church, and same with the PCUSA, Homosexuality killed Mainline Protestantism.

 

[mark kennedy]

That's great news, I've been trying to follow this, appreciate the update.

 

[Dave G.]

A split isn’t a decline. As more churches split over this issue, more people will flock to the churches that support LGBT rights. I’m not an expert on churches in Africa, but in the U.S., I think churches that support full rights for LGBT people are going to grow, while those that don’t shrink. Young people overwhelmingly suppirt LGBT rights.

Yes people will go to where their itching ears are pleased, leaving true doctrine behind. It's prophecy, it will be this way according to scripture in the end time, in fact is a sign of the end times.

 

[Dave G.]

That's great news, I've been trying to follow this, appreciate the update.

I'm very glad to hear this as well, I have relatives in the Methodist church, long standing members, multi generations and I'm sure they didn't want to part of an apostate movement in their church.

 

[redleghunter]

There will probably be a split and the other side will take a huge amount of people with them. I have a handful of Methodist friends and they will def go with the side that supports full LGBT rights in the church.

What is defined as "full LGBT rights in the church?"

 

[redleghunter]

That maybe true, yet the fact is that as western Churches decline, it is the African Churches that are booming in numbers, and also holding the line on Traditional marriage, opposition to Ordination of Gay Marriage, and so fourth.

As in they are following the morals set forth by God in His Word and practiced by the Church since Pentecost. I imagine Western Protestant denominations did not see that coming...those they evangelized rebuking them generations later.

It will be hard for the white liberal Christians to preach to the African Christians to tell them they are "bigots, hateful" , it would be neo-colonalism in disguise to impose there will on Traditionalist Africans

The white liberals will just demographic them to death by grouping the African Christians into militia groups which need to be put on the worldwide terrorist watch list. It's already happening if you read some posts over the years on the "other side" of CF.

if that fails the Progressive movement will use the State Department, and foreign aid (after President Trump finishes his term) to push LGBT imperialism on the African faithful.

Already happening...It's called the UN.

 

[redleghunter]

Let the denomination split begin!

This time it will be the liberal wing of the denomination which will have to figure out the financial and property issues.

 

[redleghunter]

A split isn’t a decline. As more churches split over this issue, more people will flock to the churches that support LGBT rights.

We will just have more organizations called churches devoid of Biblical truth.

I’m not an expert on churches in Africa, but in the U.S., I think churches that support full rights for LGBT people are going to grow, while those that don’t shrink.

Wide is the road comes to mind.

Young people overwhelmingly suppirt LGBT rights.

I believe they do for civil purposes but not for acceptance of unrepentant sin inside their own churches.

 

[redleghunter]

That's great news, I've been trying to follow this, appreciate the update.

I know you mentioned in another thread the financial and property issues arising from denominational splits.

 

[redleghunter]

I'm very glad to hear this as well, I have relatives in the Methodist church, long standing members, multi generations and I'm sure they didn't want to part of an apostate movement in their church.

I am really scratching my head on this one.....

The church which hails from John Wesley and the Holiness Movement is actually debating homosexuality acceptance.