Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
United Methodist Church Risks Split Over Position On LBTQ Ordination and Marriage
HuffPost reports that the United Methodist Church will likely break apart after a close vote yesterday at its 2019 General Conference on LGBTQ roles in the Church. As reported by United Methodist News Service, the delegates adopted the so-called "Traditional Plan" by a vote of 438 to 384. This plan continues the Church's ban on ordaining LGBTQ clergy and the prohibition on officiating at or hosting same-sex weddings. The opposing "One Church Plan" was defeated by a vote of 449 to 374. It would have allowed ordination LGBTQ pastors, and allowed, but not required, churches to host and pastors to officiate at same-sex marriages. Later, by a vote of 405 to 395, the Conference asked the Church's Judicial Council to rule on the constitutionality of the Traditional Plan at its scheduled April meeting.