Should the Methodist Church Accept Gay People?

methodist and lgbt

By Kleigh Stancill  The divisn over whether to allow same-sex upl to marry or have an openly gay clergy has been a pot of ntentn for The Uned Methodist Church for que some time now.

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UNED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNC PROPOSAL TO SPL OVER GAY MARRIAGE

The Uned Methodist Church, wh an timated 10.4 ln members, has current polici that are strongly agast the LGBTQ muny. However, many church lears, cludg lol pastors, wele gays and lbians as church members and support their basic human rights. * methodist and lgbt *

The Church “implor fai and church not to reject or nmn lbian and gay members and iends. Homosexualy was first openly bated at General Conference 1972, four years after the formatn of The Uned Methodist Church, rultg the addn of first statement on homosexualy. While affirmg belief that persons of homosexual orientatn are persons of sacred worth who need the mistry and guidance of the church, the statement add that the church “do not ndone the practice of homosexualy and nsirs this practice patible wh Christian teachg.

Sce that time, the church has mataed the posn that “the practice of homosexualy is patible wh Christian teachg. Based on the posns about homosexual practice and marriage, the Church has also mataed rtrictns regardg clergy.

LGBTQ UNED METHODIST LEARS GUTTED BY CHURCH'S ANTI-GAY CISN

David Gura speaks wh Rev. Kimberly Stt about last week's meetg of the Uned Methodist Church's Council of Bishops and s impedg vote on whether to orda gay pastors. * methodist and lgbt *

Pastors may not be “self-avowed, practicg homosexuals” and may not nduct ceremoni that celebrate same-sex weddgs or unns. Wh a body of over 12 ln members globally, Uned Methodists are not of one md about how to be mistry wh lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer people. Some members feel strongly that the church should uphold s current stanc regardg gay clergy and marriage.

METHODISTS STRENGTHEN STANCE AGAST GAY MARRIAGE AND OPENLY LGBT CLERGY

* methodist and lgbt *

While the church has official statements regardg homosexualy, all members n disagree wh the church’s posns and n advote for change policy. In 2019, a special ssn of General Conference met specifilly to addrs ongog, unrolved divisns regardg homosexualy. Its cisns strengthened rtrictns on ordatn (broang the fn of "self-avowed, practicg homosexual" the footnote to ¶304.

One was to clare an abeyance (lay) on submtg or procsg plats related to homosexualy until after a procs for separatn had been approved and the nomatns that may rult om uld hold their first post-separatn General Conferenc. The agreement about abeyance, though, beme effective immediately among s signers, and many other bishops the Uned Stat have likewise agreed to hold homosexualy-related plats agast clergy abeyance until after a post-separatn Uned Methodist General Conference 2028 term what new polici, if any, will be.

UNED METHODIST NSERVATIV TAIL BREAKAWAY PLANS OVER GAY CLN

The Uned Methodist Church moved toward beg more progrsive and LGBTQ-affirmg durg U.S. regnal meetgs this month that clud the electn of s send openly gay bishop. Conservative * methodist and lgbt *

The impasse over homosexualy has led to uncertaty about the Church’s future. A rabow gay pri flag fli below the U. S., 60% of Uned Methodist members say homosexualy should be accepted, acrdg to a 2014 survey by the Pew Rearch Center.

Meredh is gay and has been married sce 2016.

" He says the plan don't acknowledge the historil legacy of homophobia the church, though he poted to the plan's allotment of $39 ln over four years to "support muni historilly margalized by the s of racism" as a step toward such an acknowledgement.

The Uned Methodist Church recently strengthened s ban on openly gay clergy and same-sex marriag. * methodist and lgbt *

However, many church lears, cludg lol pastors, wele gays and lbians as church members and support their basic human rights. The church’s 2016 Book of Disciple regniz the “sacred worth” of all persons but also stat that "the practice of homosexualy is patible wh Christian teachg" and bans fancial support of LGBTQ-based groups. At a special nference Febary 2019, nvened specifilly to addrs divisns over LGBTQ issue, legat approved the "Tradnalist Plan" which affirmed the nomatn's teachg on homosexualy.

Acrdg to the Book of Disciple, “Ceremoni that celebrate homosexual unns shall not be nducted by our misters and shall not be nducted our church. Currently, "self-avowed, practicg" gay, lbian and bisexual persons nnot be ordaed The Uned Methodist Church. Acrdg to the Book of Disciple: "The practice of homosexualy is patible wh Christian teachg.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* METHODIST AND LGBT

The Methodist Church spl over gay marriage, explaed - Vox .

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