United Methodist Church Reaffirms Teaching on Homosexuality

Despite internal pressure, the United Methodist Church (UMC) has resisted calls to reform its teachings on homosexuality.

According to Catholic News Agency (CNA), the UMC gathered over 800 ministers and lay leader delegates in St. Louis earlier this month at the Special Session of the General Conference of the UMC, where debates ensued over how the church will address pressing issues like homosexuality, same-sex unions, and active homosexuals serving in the clergy.

“The debate drew out different approaches to the authority of Scripture, marriage, and sexuality, but ultimately left the ecclesial community’s official teaching unchanged,” reports CNA.

The UMC’s decision to keep its tradition intact may cause a splinter, with more progressive groups splitting off to form their own denomination, similar to what has happened with the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. The UMC is the largest mainline Protestant ecclesial community in the United States, comprising six million members. . .

“We will continue to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer persons to our churches and affirm their sacred worth,” said Jones. “I pray we, as a denomination, can now move forward, working with each other in the spirit of Christian love and joining together as one. We are stronger together in serving God’s mission as a diverse body of Christ.” (Read more from “United Methodist Church Reaffirms Teaching on Homosexuality” HERE)

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