Not surprisingly, some actions taken by The United Methodist Church’s General Conference last week are being characterized as unbiblical by those who believe they alone hold the only correct interpretation of the Bible. We’ve heard this argument before, and it…
UMC delegates remove ban on LGBTQ clergy by consensus vote
After 40 years of wrangling and rancor, delegates to the postponed 2020 United Methodist General Conference overwhelmingly removed the ban on ordaining “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” as clergy. The vote was 692 for and 51 against to approve the consent calendar…
UMC General Conference removes much of LGBTQ restrictions in consensus vote
The 52-year battle over the exclusion of LGBTQ people from full participation in The United Methodist Church turned a major corner April 30 through a parliamentary move designed to adopt measures that have broad consensus from legislative committees. The battle…
UMC gives first approval to restructuring plan
The United Methodist Church is one step closer to restructuring its worldwide body to give greater latitude to each region to shape its faith and traditions. Delegates to the thrice-delayed General Conference voted 586 to 164 for an amendment to…
As delegates prepare for UMC General Conference, advocates outline their appeals
As delegates pack their bags to attend The United Methodist Church’s first comprehensive General Conference in eight years, church bureaucrats and special interest groups are unpacking their respective legislative campaigns via press releases, op-eds, email, social media, videos and online…
Love Your Neighbor Coalition to bring hospitality, human rights focus to UMC’s General Conference
While many parts of The United Methodist Church see the coming General Conference focused on “3 Rs” — regionalization, Revised Social Principles and removal of LGBTQ bans — the Love Your Neighbor Coalition is bringing attention to two “Hs” —…
Top issues for United Methodists’ Global Assembly taking shape
Delegates to United Methodists’ first worldwide legislative assembly in five years will consider three major issues known as “the three Rs” — regionalization, Revised Social Principles and removal of “harmful language” against homosexuality. This General Conference — technically considered the…
Marking a century on Capitol Hill, the United Methodist Building guards against political violence
The United Methodist Church’s premier edifice has stood for 100 years as a symbol of Christian social witness for peace and justice in the U.S. capital city. Now as they mark its centennial, trustees and tenants of the United Methodist…
One quarter of U.S. United Methodist churches have disaffiliated
Final statistics for churches exiting The United Methodist Church show more similarities than differences between congregations that left the denomination and those that stayed, along with sustained identity trends among 7,600 departing churches — 25% of the UMC’s 30,000 churches…