By Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service. The United Methodist Church General Conference convenes once every four years to make policy decisions and set the direction for the denomination. Beginning Tuesday (May 10), 864 delegates, half of them clergy, will converge on the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., for 10 days for the General Conference. More than 40…
By Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post. A United Methodist body approved proposed legislation that would, among other things, allow clergy to perform gay marriage ceremonies and local conferences to ordain non-celibate homosexuals. The Connectional Table voted 26 to 10 in favor of proposed legislation that would allow clergy to perform gay weddings without concern of…
By Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post. The United Methodist Church is considering a new process for proposals given at General Conference for agenda items pertaining to the debate over the denomination’s stance on homosexuality. The Commission on General Conference, which plans the regular Church legislative gathering, proposed something called a “Group Discernment Process,” according to…
By Mark Tooley, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy’s blog Recently United Methodist Bishop Scott Jones helpfully compiled a list of the various proposals aimed at solving our denomination’s more than 40 year debate over sexual ethics. What is striking is the implausibility of nearly all of them. First they are nearly all politically…
By Heather Hahn Editor’s note: This story now includes more details about the Connectional Table’s vote on the motion to reconsider. The Connectional Table, one of The United Methodist Church’s governing bodies, has decided to draft legislation that could change church law “to fully include LGBTQ persons in the life and ministry of the church.”…
By Ben Witherington I am a life long Methodist. I was a cradle Methodist and some day I shall be a grave Methodist. I have lived through the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and now the nascent 21rst century and I have preached and taught all over this church, and in Methodist contexts around the…
By Ivey DeJesus During the mid-19th century, the American Methodist church was so split over the issue of slavery that it splintered into two groups. Almost 100 years would pass before the two sides reconciled under one church. Now, another acrimonious debate threatens to do the same. The issue this time: gay marriage. Over the…