The Split Within The Methodist Church Over LGBTQ Inclusion

WAMU 88.5

Published January 8, 2020 at 9:20 AM CST

Worshippers attend Sunday morning service at the Cumberland United Methodist Church in Cumberland, Kentucky.

Leaders in the United Methodist Church are expected to announce a split in the nation’s third-largest Christian denomination over the issue of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy.

A “traditionalist” denomination would spin off from the main Methodist branch, allowing it to continue to deny LGBTQ people marriage and ordination. The plan would need to be approved in May at the worldwide Methodist conference.

If the proposal were adopted, each Methodist congregation would get to decide which branch of the church to join, whether that be the “traditionalist” denomination or any other new denominations that form as a result.

What does this mean for worshippers across the country? Has this happened before?

Produced by Danielle Knight.

GUESTS

Elizabeth Dias, National correspondent, The New York Times, covering faith and politics; @elizabethjdias

Rev. Adam Hamilton, Senior pastor, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas; @RevAdamHamilton

For more, visit https://the1a.org.