The United Methodist Church made a historic decision by voting to allow LGBTQ clergy to serve, reversing a longstanding 40-year ban on “self-avowed homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as clergy members.
The pivotal decision, made during a national conference in North Carolina, saw delegates voting 692-51 to overturn the ban without any debate.
This decision was met with celebration as attendees sang hymns in response.
The conference also eased restrictions on gay marriage, preventing clergy and churches from facing penalties for either performing or declining to perform same-sex weddings.
Rev. David Meredith expressed sentiments of progress, stating that these approvals mark a step towards dismantling the church’s history of heterosexism and homophobia.
Conservative members and congregations had previously left the denomination due to disagreements on LGBTQ clergy and gay marriage, leading to a shift in the church’s composition and widespread support for policy changes.
In the past five years, there was a significant strengthening of restrictions on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy during a General Conference, which led to further dissent among conservative factions who felt these policies were not being upheld.
This resulted in thousands of members and entire congregations leaving the church. Between 2019 and 2023, over 7,600 congregations in the US disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church, according to the Lewis Center for Church Leadership.
Despite these departures, the church still boasts approximately 10 million members globally, half of whom reside in the US.
The General Conference, which convenes every four years to review various church matters, including policies and budgets, was impacted by the pandemic, causing disruptions to its usual schedule.
Source-BBC
