With the exodus of many of its most conservative congregations, the United Methodist Church (UMC) has now fractured over the issue of LGBTQ+ inclusion, as did mainline Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches before them. The UMC fracture, however, occurred in reverse order: whereas conservative congregations departed the other denominations when they voted to ordain gays…
Category: United Methodist General Conference
Stuck
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is being drained of life by two things that have long been its strengths: theological diversity and institutional connection. Since its earliest days, Methodism has made decisions through delegated bodies, and the General Conference (GC) is the sole entity that can set policy and speak for the UMC. This process…
UMC Fracture
The last three posts have looked at the breakdown of society in this time of historic social change. They have focused on US politics, but I return now to The United Methodist Church (UMC), whose continued fracture over LGBTQ inclusion offers a perfect illustration of this moment of change. The UMC recently announced that its…
Poking the Bear
For more than 45 years, conservative United Methodists have controlled the church’s policy on LGBTQ inclusion, but the actions of the 2019 General Conference (GC2019) may have gone too far. The purpose of that special General Conference was to find a way forward as one denomination, despite internal division over sexuality. Led by the Wesleyan…
A Good Divorce
In the wake of General Conference 2019 session (GC2019) in St. Louis, bishops have issued pastoral calls for healing, congregations have gathered for worship and prayer, and both Methodist and non-Methodist friends have asked me what I think will happen. I do not have a crystal ball, but having studied the church’s historic and current…
On the Third Day
The third day is foundational for Christians, and the significance of a three-day gathering was not lost on the 2019 General Conference. In his opening sermon, Bishop Kenneth Carter reminded us that we came to St. Louis divided, but in these three days, Jesus could resurrect us into one body. During the Committee on a…
General Conference 2019, Day 3
It was a long day in the Dome at America’s Center, as General Conference delegates worked as a legislative committee to advance the petitions that it prioritized yesterday. In regular General Conference gatherings, different legislative committees review petitions in specific areas, before sending them to the plenary body for possible adoption. Because this is a…
General Conference 2019, Day 2
“For [Christ] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” (Ephesians 2:14) Bishop Ken Carter preached on this text in opening worship, reminding us that while we may have erected barriers, Christ has already reconciled us to one…
General Conference 2019, Day 1
The United Methodists have gathered in St. Louis, and the atmosphere is heavy with expectation about what the next four days will mean for our denomination. The church’s future is in the hands of 864 elected delegates, half clergy and half laity, who represent UMC membership around the world. Thousands more have gathered knowing that…