Posted on 05/14/2010 5:27:38 PM PDT by SmithL
Are the United Methodists preparing to follow the lead of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in allowing gay ministers?
The ELCA spent a decade arguing over the matter before it voted last summer to recognize gay and lesbian ministers who are involved in monogamous relationships. The United Methodists aren't anywhere close to taking a similar vote; the best description of their situation is that they are thinking about thinking about it.
At its meeting next month, the Minnesota Annual Conference has agreed to accept eight petitions dealing with the church's stance on homosexuality. But conference officials aren't promising that the petitions will reach the floor. They will be debated "if there is time."
The petitions address specific clauses in church law. They include lifting the ban on gay preachers, deleting the word "heterosexual" from the definition of marriage and removing the statement, "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."
Regardless of how the petitions fare, nothing will happen soon. Church law cannot be changed on a state level, and the national conference, which meets every four years, doesn't reconvene until 2012. In fact, if the petitions fail to make it to the floor, supporters can reintroduce them at next year's state conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Shaken, not stirred.
I was raised a United Methodist. They’ve been dead to me for over 20 years. Liberalism has been their way for a long time and accepting gays will happen soon.
As a United Methodist I will assure you the General Conference will not be changing its position in 2012. I can say that in confidence for the simple reason that our growth globally is in Africa; African Christians in general, and African Methodists in particular, are very opposed to homosexual ministers.
This article is about one conference in Minnesota. There are 63 such conferences in the United States with another 59 in other countries. As the name implies, they meet annually, and each year numerous petitions are filed for changes in church law or social principals. That is not the same as action by the General Conference; no annual conference can change ordinance rules.
The Methodist governing structure provides for a court system, and we actually put ministers on trial for violations of church doctrine, including a homosexual lifestyle. How many other Protestant churches can say that?
At the same time, we consider persons with homosexual urges to be persons “of sacred worth” and children of God despite their shortcomings. We have all sinned and fallen short, and we all depend on the grace and love of God through Christ.
I’m surprised to hear this policy wasn’t already adopted by the United Methodist Church. A few years ago, a member in charge of a program at a UMC told me the church was open to marrying same-sex couples. Maybe she was wrong, but the church had put her in a leadership position, so I doubt it.
Praise God for the African Christians. They are holding the world-side expression of the church to make account for their unbiblical teaching.
The fact that this issue is even up for debate indicates the carcass of a once legitimate Church.
Great, look how the sexual deviants infiltrated the Catholic church to access little boys and undermine the church. Seems the Methodists have not a clue what to expect. Pandering to perverts is disdained in most religions, not just Chrisianity, but even in Islam. Go figure.
The northeastern UMC conferences have been promoting gay and lesbian pastors and “youth leaders” for decades. The only thing left is to acknowledge this fact.
If it weren't for GLB pastors, the northeastern conferences wouldn't have enough pastors. Garbage in, garbage out.
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Real Churches don't vote on the Sixth Commandment.
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