United Methodist bishops say they'll uphold ban on same-sex unions

thebostonpilot.com ^ | 11/27/2011 | n/a

[massmike]

The United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops said in a Nov. 10 letter they would continue to uphold the denomination's ban on blessing same-sex unions.

"As the Council of Bishops we will uphold the Book of Discipline as established by General Conference," the denominational assembly that meets every four years and is the church's highest policymaking body, said the letter, which was addressed to all Methodists.

Paragraph 341.6 of the Book of Discipline says, "Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches." The book also calls homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching" and bans its churches from hosting, and its clergy from officiating at, "ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions."

Earlier this year, about 1,000 clergy signed a letter declaring they would bless a gay marriage if they believed the couple was sufficiently prepared. They were joined by 36 retired Methodist bishops who called on the denomination to end its ban on ordaining "self-avowed practicing" gay clergy.

In response, more than 2,500 other Methodist clergy and 11,000 laypeople signed petitions urging the Council of Bishops to uphold the gay marriage ban.

The United Methodist Church has about 7.8 million members in the United States and more than 12 million members worldwide, with 44,000 ordained clergy.

In June, one Methodist minister was suspended for 20 days and ordered to enter into a yearlong process "to restore the broken clergy covenant relationship" after being convicted by a jury of her peers, as called for in the Book of Discipline, of officiating at a same-sex marriage.

[ReformationFan]

Perhaps they should retitle their slogan “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Legs” as Mike S. Adams did in this excellent column a few years ago:

http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2007/01/31/open_hearts,_open_minds,_and_open_legs/print

[BizBroker]

Personally, I am a Methodist. I was raised in the church. However, early on I was taught that there was a significant difference between Wesleyan Methodists and United Methodists. Frankly I am surprised they did this. I stopped going to United Methodist churches years ago. Wesleyan Methodist churches are not easy to find in Arizona.

[upchuck]

Obviously I’m not a Methodist :)

Thanks for the informative history.

[sueuprising]

“Wesleyan Methodist Churches are not easy to find in Arizona”
They are almost impossible to find in New York! I, too, recognize the vast difference between a Wesleyan Methodist and a United Methodist, the latter being much more liberal. I attended a United Methodist Church for years during the time that this particular church was blessed with a spirit filled Pastor. When he retired it was impossible to replace him. The congregation was presented with either incompetents or with women ministers. They finally settled on an Asian pastor from Connecticut. But he,like most of the leadership in the modern Methodist church, lacked any kind of scriptural insight and proceeded to give the standard 15-20 minute sermonette which lacked any kind of biblical backbone. In addition, he refused to condemn either abortion or homosexuality even when a few congregants asked him to take a stand. I did leave this church with great sadness as Methodism is the doctrinal stance that I hold in life, although I now attend a Baptist church. I have searched literally for years for a Methodist church that is conservative and strictly biblically based but have never found one in my regional area (Long Island). I heard that elsewhere in the USA, Methodism is more traditional but I feel that the damage was already done back in the ‘60s when the Methodist Episcopal Church joined the United Brethren Church to become United Methodism.

[iceskater]

Your story is similar to mine. I was raised a Methodist. But the Methodist Church left me years ago.

Elian Gonzalez was one of the final straws. The UMC supporting Obamacare was the end. You may find a local congregation that is biblically based but the national level church is chock-full of liberals and refugees from the 1960’s. One member of my former church said that (regarding Obamacare) was ‘just the national church’. Well, IMHO, that’s the same mindset that has gotten us in such a mess politically.

So, no more. I attend a Baptist church now. They have welcomed me with open arms. The pastor preaches the Gospel in a way I haven’t heard in years. My soul is fed now. I didn’t realize I was spiritually starving until I was fed.

Shame on the UMC for leaving the Gospel.