THE CHURCH. EVAN. THAT’S RIGHT. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAS REALLY BEEN AT A CROSSROADS OVER THIS ISSUE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. HOW THE CHURCH WILL HANDLE LGBTQ CLERGY AND SAME SEX MARRIAGES. IT’S SOMETHING THAT EVEN SPLINTERED THE CHURCH LAST YEAR. WELL, NOW, SOME SAY THAT THIS IS A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE UMC. IT’S TIME. SO IT’S UNSUSTAINABLE. DELEGATES WITH THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH REMOVING A RULE THAT FORBID LGBTQ CLERGY FROM BEING ORDAINED MINISTERS. THE 692 TO 51 VOTE TAKING PLACE AT THEIR GENERAL CONFERENCE, WHICH IS HELD EVERY FIVE YEARS. IT’S AN OVERWHELMING SHIFT AFTER YEARS OF CONTENTION, IT WENT THROUGH WITH SUCH LITTLE, UM, DISCUSSION AND CONTROVERSY. IT WAS SO STRIKING HOW DIFFERENT THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW. REVEREND TRINA BOSE, NORTH IS THE MINISTER AT CROWN HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN OKC AND IS AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. IN THESE DECADES SINCE WE HAVE DONE SO MUCH HARM TO GAY PEOPLE WHO’VE BEEN CALLED BY GOD AND HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY BY THE CHURCH, THE CHANGE DOES NOT MEAN THE UMC AFFIRMS LGBTQ CLERGY, BUT RATHER THE CHURCH CANNOT FORBID THEM. IT’S A MORE NEUTRAL STANCE. THIS ISSUE FORCED MANY CONSERVATIVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCHES TO LEAVE THE DENOMINATION LAST YEAR WE SPOKE WITH BOSE NORTH LAST FEBRUARY. I THINK THAT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS IN A CRISIS, AND NOW IT REALLY FEELS LIKE A NEW DAY IN THIS DENOMINATION. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE ALSO EXPECTED TO ALLOW MINISTERS TO PERFORM SAME SEX MARRIAGES. ANOTHER MONUMENTAL SHIFT IN OKLAHOMA. WHAT THIS IS SAYING TO LOCAL CHURCHES IS THAT LOCAL CHURCHES HAVE THE CHOICE TO DECIDE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GAY MARRIAGES WITHIN THEIR CHURCH OR NOT. NOW, THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE VOTE HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE YET. THAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN SOMETIME TOMORROW. BOSE NORTH SAYS THAT IT IS EXPECTED TO PASS WITH EASE, SIMILAR TO HOW TODAY’
United Methodist Church repeals longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy
The issue of how the church will handle the issue of LGBTQ members and clergy has previously splintered the denomination
Updated: 10:14 PM CDT May 1, 2024
Historic changes were made to one of Oklahoma’s largest religious denominations as the United Methodist Church repealed its longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy. The UMC has been at a crossroads for the past few years. The issue of how the church will handle the issue of LGBTQ members and clergy splintered the denomination.
