The Methodists accept reality.
The United Methodist Church is expected to split into more than one denomination in an attempt to bring to a close a years-long and contentious fight over same-sex marriage.
The historic schism would divide the third-largest religious denomination in the United States.
Leaders of the church announced Friday they had agreed to spin off a “traditionalist Methodist” denomination, which would continue to oppose same-sex marriage and to refuse ordination to LGBT clergy, while allowing the remaining portion of the United Methodist Church to permit same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy for the first time in its history.
The writers of the plan called the division “the best means to resolve our differences, allowing each part of the Church to remain true to its theological understanding, while recognizing the dignity, equality, integrity, and respect of every person.”
It's there and you can't negotiate your way around it. The idea that any organization, particularly any Christian church, can or ever should allow two contradictory opinions to be held by its members at the same time is understood by most intelligent people to be patently idiotic.
You will recognize this at some point. The only question is when.
8 comments:
I have Methodist relatives. Will be interesting to see what they do.
It seems that the two sides aren't going to try to steal each other's property. How refreshing; how un-Episcopalian.
Katherine,
We'll see.
What's strange about this "deal" is that it's the liberal minority (of the world-wide UMC) that gets to keep the farm, and the conservative majority that has to leave, albeit with $25 million in alimony. Read this article, and especially the comment thread
https://juicyecumenism.com/2020/01/03/united-methodism-moves-toward-separation/
for more information about this strange deal.
I don't see a good way out of this, Prof. The two sides could go the "legal" route, I guess, and bleed each other white. Or they could just admit what everybody already knows. This can't be fixed and we shouldn't waste time trying.
On the Juicy Ecumenism thread are comments by someone called "Brother Thom." He says the central denominational assets are in trouble; for instance, the fund which pays the bishops is going bankrupt. The liberals are in the majority here in the US, they think, but of course aren't in the world movement. So the conservatives are getting out without failing financial obligations and with $25 million to set up a better organization. I hope that's the case, anyhow. Brother Thom also thinks the liberals have underestimated how many congregations will simply leave -- that takes a majority in each one, rather than a 57% vote of the conference (like a diocese). The liberals will have the structure, but it may be more than half empty.
The Methodist Church also split over the issue of slavery in 1844; more specifically, over bishops who were slave owners (often by inheritance from their wives) and whom Northern/free state congregations refused to recognize. History repeating itself, or at least rhyming...?
"The liberals are in the majority here in the US, they think, but of course aren't in the world movement. So the conservatives are getting out without failing financial obligations and with $25 million to set up a better organization. I hope that's the case, anyhow."
Well, I remember CJ's comment after the Episcopal split when the libs expected throngs of the disenfranchised packing the church: "Those throngs are either stuck in traffic, or sneaking in the church disguised as empty pews."
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