***While the issue of abortion is not likely to split the mainline Protestant denominations***
It should.
This, in and of itself, is a stinging rebuke to the passive conservatives within these monstrous "churches".
I'm one of those conservatives within the UMC.
All I can offer is that we have gradually moved the very liberal UMC to a more conservative position. This year we did even better.
Our current official, written position could best be described as "rape, incest, life of mother" (which is a vast improvement.)
As always, the liberals will violate our written church law with impunity. There's much more to do in terms of tightening up funding, and we will succeed to the glory of God.