Methodists strengthen stance agast gay marriage and openly LGBT clergy | CNN

Contents:

• UNED METHODIST CHURCH MOV TO ALLOW LGBT CLERGY AND GAY MARRIAGE
• UNED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNC PROPOSAL TO SPL OVER GAY MARRIAGE
• WHERE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OTHER RELIGNS STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE
• UNED METHODIST NSERVATIV TAIL BREAKAWAY PLANS OVER GAY CLN
• METHODISTS STRENGTHEN STANCE AGAST GAY MARRIAGE AND OPENLY LGBT CLERGY

UNED METHODIST CHURCH MOV TO ALLOW LGBT CLERGY AND GAY MARRIAGE

A mtee wh the Uned Methodist Church has affirmed a proposal on acceptg LGBT clergy and gay marriage. Gay clergy and same-sex marriage may be allowed at Uned Methodist Church thanks to a proposal drafted by the Connectnal Table, a rpected ternatnal body of clergy members and lay people the church. On Tuday, the mtee affirmed the proposal to remove church legislatn that punish clergy for beg “self-avowed practicg homosexuals” or officiatg gay weddgs, the Uned Methodist Church News Service reported.

If passed, clergy members would not face punishment, church trials or be ocked if they officiated same-sex weddgs or me out as gay.

This was the realy for Uned Methodist pastor Frank Schaefer, who was ocked November 2013 and restated last October after officiatg the weddg of his gay son.

UNED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNC PROPOSAL TO SPL OVER GAY MARRIAGE

While the church reversed s cisn on technil grounds, rather than those related to s posn on homosexualy, church lears saw the reversal as a signal toward full cln of s LGBT members. However, remas a small step until the church pletely remov s negative language on homosexualy. " LGBT people who are “self-avowed” and “practicg” homosexualy also are forbidn om beg ordaed.

Homosexualy has been bated by church lears for more than four s. In January, a Methodist mister om Alabama told his 560-member ngregatn that homosexualy is not a s.

WHERE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OTHER RELIGNS STAND ON GAY MARRIAGE

That special missn nclud wh 53 percent of church lears and lay people votg to tighten language on s same-sex marriage ban at a general nference last Febary, a measure sayg “the practice of homosexualy is patible wh Christian teachg. Epispalians followed su 2018, expandg the right of gay ngregants to get married all ngregatns.

Pope Francis has drawn acclaim for sayg “Who am I to judge gay people?, ” but the Catholic Church has shown no sign of changg s strict anti-LGBTQ doctre. Siarly, the Southern Baptist Conventn, the largt Prottant nomatn the US, ntu to margalize LGBTQ ngregants, wh msag that have bee culture-war talkg pots agast queer rights — like homosexualy is not a “valid alternative liftyle” and “genr inty is termed by blogil sex and not by one’s self-perceptn. 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.

UNED METHODIST NSERVATIV TAIL BREAKAWAY PLANS OVER GAY CLN

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 Supreme Court lg earlier this year legalizg same-sex marriage natnwi has ntued to raise qutns about how the cisn will affect relig groups – pecially those that rema opposed to allowg gay and lbian upl to wed.

) (not to be nfed wh the Prbyterian Church Ameri, which oppos same-sex marriage) and the Epispal Church have wrtled wh the issue for years, often as part of a larger bate on the role of gays and lbians the church. Frank Schaefer, a Methodist pastor who had performed a same-sex marriage ceremony for his gay son.

METHODISTS STRENGTHEN STANCE AGAST GAY MARRIAGE AND OPENLY LGBT CLERGY

Schaefer’s se has spl the church, wh some clergy floutg the l and marryg same-sex upl and other, more nservative members threateng to leave if the church do not hold to s current l prohibg gay marriage. Overall, a solid majory of whe male Prottants (62%) now favor allowg gays and lbians to wed, wh jt 33% opposed, acrdg to a 2015 Pew Rearch Center survey.