The Church Wal has voted to bls gay marriage. But what do the change really mean?
Contents:
- WHERE SHOULD WE, AS CHRISTIANS, STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE?
- WHAT DO THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE?
- GAY MARRIAGE: THEOLOGIL AND MORAL ARGUMENTS
- EXPLAER: WHAT THE CHURCH WAL’ LG ON GAY MARRIAGE MEANS
- UNED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNC PROPOSAL TO SPL OVER GAY MARRIAGE
WHERE SHOULD WE, AS CHRISTIANS, STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE?
After months of speculatn, the Supreme Court of the Uned Stat has led that gay and lbian upl have the right to marry all 50 stat. * what does gay marriage mean for the church *
After months of speculatn, the Supreme Court of the Uned Stat has led that gay and lbian upl have the right to marry all 50 stat. 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. Pastors may not be “self-avowed, practicg homosexuals” and may not nduct ceremoni that celebrate same-sex weddgs or unns.
WHAT DO THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE?
Where should we, as Christians, stand on gay marriage? What is a Christian rponse to the same-sex marriage bate? * what does gay marriage mean for the church *
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.
GAY MARRIAGE: THEOLOGIL AND MORAL ARGUMENTS
What do the Bible say about gay marriage / same sex marriage? Why are Christians so opposed to the ia of gay marriage? * what does gay marriage mean for the church *
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.
EXPLAER: WHAT THE CHURCH WAL’ LG ON GAY MARRIAGE MEANS
* what does gay marriage mean for the church *
The impasse over homosexualy has led to uncertaty about the Church’s future. A Christian n e at the issue of gay marriage om several different directns. To a person—Christian or not—who is an tegral, lovg part of the world, gay marriage almost mak sense.
This is the dilemma for some Christians regardg gay marriage: do we agree wh what God says or follow the wisdom of the world? The passage relat to the issue of gay marriage on two levels. The wisdom and logic of the world may very well dite that gay marriage is a basic right.
UNED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNC PROPOSAL TO SPL OVER GAY MARRIAGE
But no one who is learned the Bible n hontly say that the Bible supports homosexual relatnships. The passage also shows how gay marriage relat to the cross. Many Christians, particularly those who are theologilly and/or polilly nservative, are not encumbered wh sympathetic feelgs regardg homosexual behavr.
Gay marriage has been accepted by many untri, and that acceptance is likely to spread. The agenda to normalize homosexualy by legally regnizg same-sex marriage is well on s way. Homosexualy is a rult of the rejectn of God (Romans 1:21-25).