United Methodist Church grapples with deep divides over LGBTQ issues
Leaders of the United Methodist Church meet to determine its future over LGBTQ issues and dwindling membership.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Leaders of the United Methodist Church are holding their first international conference in nearly a decade this week, tackling such divisive issues as gay marriage, ordaining LGBTQ pastors and a dwindling membership.
Many congregations have fled church over the more liberal direction the once-conservative institution has taken in recent years on LGBTQ issues. Today, the membership is deeply divided and more congregations are threatening to leave.
During the conference, leaders will vote on repealing the church's bans on same-sex marriage, ordaining LGBTQ clergy and will decide on whether to give further autonomy to congregations abroad that hold more conservatives views.
The summit, which usually gathers every four years but was disrupted by the pandemic, will be a reflection of where the church stands today as it confronts these polarizing social and political movements.
More than 7,600 congregations, or about 25%, have broken off from the larger church in the past several years over disputes about LGBTQ rights and inclusivity, such as same-sex marriage and ordaining gay pastors.
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