Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, 21 Republican-led states have passed restrictions and/or outright bans on women receiving elective abortions. The most stringent of these laws may be found in the state of Texas, whose state legislature…
United Methodists will decide realigning church’s structure, authority in 2024
For the first time in half a century, acceptance of sexual minorities isn’t likely to be the major issue coming before The United Methodist Church’s worldwide legislative assembly next spring. Instead, the looming political fight appears to be how to…
Effective social justice ministry needs relationships first, UMC pastors say
Pastors who want to inspire their congregations to social justice action will be more effective when they follow John Wesley’s model to establish relationships with church members and learn their needs, say experienced preachers. Stephanie Arnold and Kendall L. McBroom…
United Methodist bishops called to craft ‘narrative of hope’ amid harsh break-up realities
The president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops called his sibling episcopal leaders to “craft a narrative of hope” in the coming months before the 12-million-member worldwide denomination gathers next spring for its first legislative assembly since the UMC…
Unlike American evangelicals, religious bodies from Quakers to Catholics urge care for Palestinians and Jews alike
As Southern Baptists and other evangelicals rally support for Israel in its retaliatory war with Hamas, they are outliers compared to most other Christian groups in America — from Quakers to Catholics. Other denominations and religious leaders have expressed more…
‘Reaffiliation’ policy seeks to welcome home exited UMC churches
While U.S. annual conferences are going through the throes of more painful disaffiliations through the end of 2023, one regional unit’s board of trustees has set up a way for churches that have left to rejoin The United Methodist Church….
United Methodist court exonerates suspended Latina bishop on four charges
A United Methodist Church court composed of 13 clergy cleared suspended Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño of four charges after a three-day trial marked by complicated allegations of misconduct and often emotionally fraught testimony from clergy and laypeople from the California-Nevada…
Retired pastor’s book finds Methodist history ‘strangely lukewarm’ on confronting racism
If United Methodists are to fulfill the church’s current mission to dismantle racism, then its white members must come to terms with the denomination’s racist history, contends author John Elford. Elford’s conviction spurred him to write Our Hearts Were Strangely…
Clearer picture emerging of UMC’s future
Even before its official year of splintering is completed, United Methodists are carving out a clearer identity for the denomination’s future and a clearer picture is emerging of who has stayed and who has left, about clergy health and the…