United Methodists prepare for votes on lifting LGBTQ bans and other issues at General Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church’s longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.
After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday
They’ve already begun making historic changes: On Thursday, delegates overwhelmingly endorsed a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.
That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.
Related articles
'Constantly learning' Imanaga off to impressive start with the Chicago Cubs
CHICAGO (AP) — The road for Shota Imanaga from Japan to the major leagues included at least one shar2024-05-21Multiple indicators signal upward trend in Chinese economy
(ECNS) -- The bustling Qingming holiday, resurgence in the manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index2024-05-21Japan draws up whitewash plan to salvage image
Environmental activists in Seoul pour Japanese beer into a barrel resembling radioactive waste as th2024-05-21EU unveils 'remedy' for migrants
Migrants embark on a ferry in Lampedusa Island, Italy, on Sunday. About 11,000 irregular migrants ar2024-05-21Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Maryland ban on rifles known as assault weapons
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday declined, for now, to hear a challenge to a Maryland l2024-05-21- (ECNS) -- The east route of the China-Europe freight rail line, consisting of the Manzhouli, Suifenh2024-05-21
atest comment