Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

United Methodism Moves toward Separation (Denominational Split becomes more certain)
Institute of Religion and Democracy ^ | 3 Jan 2020 | Mark Tooley

Posted on 01/03/2020 10:42:52 AM PST by xzins

United Methodism moved closer to formal schism with a new proposal released today negotiated with liberal and conservative groups, including bishops. The plan would divide the nearly 13 million member global denomination into separate conservative and liberal communions.

The mediator for these negotiations was Kenneth Feinberg, the Washington, D.C. attorney best known as Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Under this plan, conferences (Methodism’s version of dioceses or presbyteries) could vote by 2021 to join the conservative denomination by a 57% vote. Local churches by 2024 could vote by majority. The conservative denomination would get $25 million from current denominational assets.

If the quadrennial General Conference approves this plan in May, when it meets in Minneapolis, the two separate denominations would start there immediately, with separate General Conferences. The liberal church of course would delete United Methodism’s current affirmation of sex only within male/female marriage.

This denominational schism would be historic and largely the first of its kind since the 1840s when Methodists and Baptists divided regionally over slavery.

It’s likely the General Conference, even if it approves this plan, will amend it.

My prediction: General Conference will approve a version of this plan. During several subsequent years of sorting, United Methodism’s current 6.7 million members in the USA will drop to about 6 million. About 2.5 million will join the conservative church, and about 3.5 million will be in the liberal church. Nearly all the 5.5 million overseas members, mostly in Africa, will join conservative church, so the conservative denomination will have about 8 million members globally.

This process will be messy and often tragic. Many local congregations will divide and die. But United Methodism is already dying in America. This division will allow evangelistic-minded Methodism to plant new congregations and grow. American Christianity and society desperately need a theologically cohesive rejuvenated Methodism.

I’m looking forward to participating in a Methodist revival!


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; belongsinreligion; faithandphilosophy; gayagenda; genderdysphoria; globalwarminghoax; greennewdeal; homosexualagenda; infanticide; medicareforall; methodists; notanewstopic; obamacare; split; umc; unitedmethodist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-135 next last
To: xzins

I would imagine the conservatives get to keep their churches, so lm all for it.


41 posted on 01/03/2020 1:17:07 PM PST by circlecity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Excellent charts. I too pray for a 3rd Great Awakening.


42 posted on 01/03/2020 1:29:14 PM PST by MacNaughton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: xzins

Better a division than having the Satanic Fag Party within the Methodist Church rule over the faithful Christians.


43 posted on 01/03/2020 1:30:51 PM PST by WashingtonSource
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

I hope you find your way back to a biblical church. Not good to be alone.


44 posted on 01/03/2020 1:32:53 PM PST by MacNaughton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy; armydawg505; bigbob; Bryanw92; CaptainMorgantown; chajin; clee1; Clutch Martin; ...
Methodist / former Methodist ping!

To be added to or dropped from this list, freepmail Albion Wilde

45 posted on 01/03/2020 1:36:29 PM PST by Albion Wilde (It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. --Douglas MacArthur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

Sounds like Methodism struck out bad in your case. I’m truly sorry.


46 posted on 01/03/2020 1:45:27 PM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: itsahoot; TiGuy22


”The Long March” (Chinese Civil War, 1927-1937, paused for WWII, then resumed 1946-1949) was a series of retreats by Mao Zedong and elements of the Red Army of the Communist Party of China, the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1934-35 from Chiang Kai-shek and the pursuing Nationalist armies. The communists trekked 6,000 miles over 370 days. Only 8,000 made it to the stronghold out of the 100,000 people who started. However, because they had survived such a difficult trial together the survivors were very dedicated and created a more cohesive group. The Long March began the ascent to power of Mao Zedong, whose leadership during the retreat gained him the support of the members of the party. It came to represent a significant episode in the history of the Communist Party of China, and would seal the personal prestige of Mao Zedong and his supporters as the new leaders of the party in the following decades.


THE 45 COMMUNIST GOALS AS READ INTO THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, 1963

The 45 current communist goals were read into the Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35 on Thursday, 1/10/1963, by U.S. Rep. A.S. Herlong Jr. (D-FL) at the encouragement of 1 of his constituents, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, FL, 2+ months after the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, 10/16-28/1962.


The Long March Through the Institutions

47 posted on 01/03/2020 1:47:14 PM PST by MacNaughton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: xzins
Note that conferences have to vote 57% to join the conservative spinoff, reducing the attrition from the current church. It should really only by 51%, to be fair.

In any case, the faithful Christians in America will build a strong church from their 2.5 million and eventually be a major force for Christ in American life, joined with 5.5 million overseas (all the overseas churches).

Meanwhile the liberal church in America, even with 3.5 million, will wither away and die, just like the dummpkof liberal basket case known as the Episcopal Church.

48 posted on 01/03/2020 1:49:28 PM PST by WashingtonSource
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego

I think it is about more than homosexuality. It is about accepting all of the sexual revolution - basically Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Philosophy with a bit of religious language thrown in. It is also a revolt against the idea that anything has a nature - instead everyone can do anything and identify as anything. One’s subjective feelings take precidence over reality - it is rather a moral imperative to deny reality.


49 posted on 01/03/2020 1:50:30 PM PST by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

He believes in the basic doctrines of original Methodism and thinks they are Godly.

Free Will
Holiness
Universal Atonement


50 posted on 01/03/2020 1:51:09 PM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: circlecity

They do, so it’s exciting


51 posted on 01/03/2020 1:51:38 PM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: WashingtonSource

Amen


52 posted on 01/03/2020 1:52:00 PM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: xzins
He believes in the basic doctrines of original Methodism and thinks they are Godly.

Free Will
Holiness
Universal Atonement

If Methodist numbers are already shrinking with that doctrine why will a schism cause that to change?

53 posted on 01/03/2020 1:55:50 PM PST by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: xzins

The plan has the shoe on the wrong foot.

Any plan would require the concurrence of the full existing general conference of the entire UMC. Conservatives - U.S. Conservatives with the non-U.S. conferences, have the upper hand there. The “UMC” should remain “theirs”, with Liberal conferences required to vote to agree to exit and form someother denomination. Assets of the UMC and its HQ offices & agencies should be divided by proportional representation in the current global UMC general conference, not that which is of the U.S. conferences alone.


54 posted on 01/03/2020 1:58:28 PM PST by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elpadre

Amen


55 posted on 01/03/2020 1:59:39 PM PST by petitfour (APPEAL TO HEAVEN)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: crusher

Bingo.


56 posted on 01/03/2020 2:01:55 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: CaptainMorgantown

Great questions.

Especially considering...as this article mentions....conservatives will hold a majority, globally.


57 posted on 01/03/2020 2:09:43 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Wuli; xzins

Agree, Wuli!!

How do your ideas get approved??


58 posted on 01/03/2020 2:11:13 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: xzins

All mainstream protestant churches are going to fall simply because they’ve all left their first love.


59 posted on 01/03/2020 2:11:35 PM PST by DouglasKC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane Long

I have no idea, other than someone sharing the idea with UMC Conservatives who may have a role in the process in some way, which is not me, as I only know some (Liberal) UMC people but am not a member of the UMC.


60 posted on 01/03/2020 2:14:10 PM PST by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-135 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson