Corrects Photographer ID: Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball presides at a session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church on Monday, April 29, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Peter Smith)
In Charlotte, N.C., the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) is undergoing a significant transformation. Historically the third-largest religious group in the United States, the UMC is moving towards a progressive stance on human sexuality.
Delegates in legislative committees, soon to be ratified in plenary sessions, are redefining the church’s teachings on sex, which previously limited sexual relations to monogamous, heterosexual marriage. A notable 75 percent of committee members have approved a new statement affirming “human sexuality as a sacred gift,” recognizing sexual intimacy as essential to emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. The revised principles highlight the diversity of sexual expression and emphasize the rights of individuals to make personal decisions about their bodies and relationships, without mentioning marriage or monogamy.
A legislative committee has also proposed removing “immorality including but not limited to, not being celibate in singleness or not faithful in a heterosexual marriage,” along with homosexual behavior, from the list of chargeable offenses for clergy. This was somewhat expected, but the move to eliminate opposition to adultery and extramarital sex marks a dramatic shift.
These changes stem from “The Simple Plan,” which was first proposed and rejected in 2019. However, the landscape within the UMC has shifted dramatically since then. The church has been grappling with issues of sexuality since 1972, but a substantial conservative presence, particularly from African delegates, had historically prevented liberalization.
In 2019, a special General Conference aimed to resolve these debates, but conservative forces unexpectedly strengthened traditional policies. A key outcome was a policy allowing churches to leave the denomination with their property, leading to over 7,670 conservative congregations exiting and forming the Global Methodist Church.
This exodus has significantly altered the balance of power within the UMC. With many conservative U.S. delegates gone and 25 percent of African delegates unable to secure visas, progressives now dominate. They are reversing the 2019 decisions and reshaping UMC policies on sexuality and other issues, such as abortion, where longstanding language on respecting the unborn and reducing high abortion rates is being overturned.
Despite the triumph for progressives, challenges loom. The UMC’s U.S. membership has drastically declined from 11 million to an estimated 4 million. The budget has been slashed by 43 percent, and the denomination faces an aging and shrinking congregation. Council of Bishops President Thomas Bickerton has called for new purpose and energy, but the path forward remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, the conservative congregations that have departed are seeking to uphold traditional Methodist teachings through the Global Methodist Church. Their future efforts to evangelize and grow may determine if they can continue the legacy of Methodism in America.
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