3 weeks ago
United Methodist Church rejects same-sex matrimony
United Methodist delegates person overwhelmingly endorsed a law amendment seen by advocates arsenic a measurement of defusing debates complete nan domiciled of LGBTQ group successful nan religion by giving rule-making autonomy to each region of nan world church.
Delegates voted 586-164 connected Thursday for nan "regionalization" connection connected nan 3rd time of their 11-day General Conference, nan legislative assemblage of nan United Methodist Church, gathering successful Charlotte, North Carolina.
The scheme would create aggregate location conferences — 1 for nan United States and others covering areas ranging from nan Philippines to Europe to Africa.
Existing regions extracurricular nan United States — known arsenic cardinal conferences — already person nan elasticity to accommodate religion rules to their section contexts, but nan jurisdictions successful nan United States do not. This law alteration would springiness nan U.S. religion that flexibility, while defining autonomy much intimately for each of nan regions.
The ballot full easy passed nan two-thirds mostly required for an amendment to nan United Methodist Church's constitution. To go official, however, it will require support by two-thirds of its yearly conferences, aliases section governing bodies.
If ratified, 1 effect of nan alteration is that it could let for nan American religion — wherever support has been increasing for nan ordination of LGBTQ group and for same-sex matrimony — to authorize specified rites, moreover arsenic world churches pinch much blimpish positions connected sexuality would not.
"The large alteration this petition brings is really for our brothers and sisters present successful nan United States, wherever you would yet beryllium fixed nan correct to determine things which only interest you among yourselves, nan aforesaid correct that we person enjoyed for a agelong time," said Christine Schneider-Oesch of Switzerland, a personnel of nan committee proposing nan changes.
The measurement comes during nan first General Conference since one-quarter of U.S. congregations near nan denomination complete nan past 4 years — astir of them blimpish churches reacting to nan denomination's nonaccomplishment to enforce rules against same-sex matrimony and LGBTQ ordination.
Advocates hailed nan connection arsenic a measurement of decolonizing a religion immoderate opportunity is excessively focused connected U.S. issues, though 1 opponent, a Zimbabwean pastor, said nan specifications of nan scheme are reminiscent of colonial-era divide-and-conquer strategies.
LGBTQ issues weren't cardinal to nan statement connected Thursday, but they are expected to originate successful nan coming days astatine nan General Conference.
"We person members who are portion of nan LGBTQ organization and who person loved ones a portion of nan community," said Rev. Paul Perez, nan lead curate astatine Detroit Central UMC, successful an question and reply with CBS connection WWMT. "So, successful galore ways, our religion has chosen to beryllium who it's going to be, and it has stood connected inclusion for a agelong time. But galore of my members are watching intimately astatine what happens astatine nan General Conference because they want nan values of our congregation to beryllium reflected successful nan denomination."
Some proposals would assistance nan existent bans connected ordaining LGBTQ group and connected same-sex marriage.
"I judge that nan values upon which worldwide regionalization is rooted will springiness renewed strength, life and vitality to nan church," said nan Rev. Jonathan Ulanday of nan Philippines. He said it gives autonomy while maintaining relationship to nan worldwide denomination, which he noted has been adjuvant successful areas ranging from disaster alleviation to aiding Filipinos moving abroad.
But nan Rev. Forbes Matonga of Zimbabwe said nan scheme really perpetuates assemblage structures by creating aggregate location conferences successful Africa on nationalist lines, compared pinch a azygous 1 successful nan United States. He noted that galore African nationalist borders were created arbitrarily by European assemblage mapmakers.
"It is this disagreement and rule," Matonga said. "Create a region for Africans. Creates a level for Africans truthful that we speak arsenic a continent and not arsenic mini colonies."
The Rev. Ande Emmanuel of Nigeria said he has been to aggregate General Conferences and that galore of nan discussions are "U.S.-centric," not applicable to African delegates. Regionalization would fto each area of nan religion negociate specified issues, he said. "We are not present to power nan Americans," he said. "Neither are our brothers from America present to power us. We are trying to build a level that is mutual. We're trying to build an knowing that would move our religion together."
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