For the past couple of weeks I have been thinking about the plan for separation that the United Methodist Church (UMC) will consider four months from now. On Jan 3 Mark Tooley at IRD reported the news,
Maybe the revisionists wish to continue the fight to convert the African churches to start blessing the LGBT agenda or perhaps they want to force the traditionalist African churches to split as well.
It would make more sense for the revisionists to leave and start their own denomination, but it doesn't look like that will happen just like it didn't happen in the Episcopal organization.
At least this split is more amicable than what happened to us.
"United Methodism moved closer to formal schism with a new proposal released today negotiated with liberal and conservative groups, including bishops. The plan would divide the nearly 13 million member global denomination into separate conservative and liberal communions...Revisionist Americans in the UMC have been pressing for same-sex marriages and openly LGBT ministers for years but have been stimied by their structure in which traditionalist Methodists in Africa hold the majority vote. Once the UMC in America splits, it appears that the revisionists will retain the name, UMC, but will they still be affiliated with the greater UMC that includes the traditionalists in African churches?
Under this plan, conferences (Methodism’s version of dioceses or presbyteries) could vote by 2021 to join the conservative denomination by a 57% vote. Local churches by 2024 could vote by majority. The conservative denomination would get $25 million from current denominational assets."
Maybe the revisionists wish to continue the fight to convert the African churches to start blessing the LGBT agenda or perhaps they want to force the traditionalist African churches to split as well.
It would make more sense for the revisionists to leave and start their own denomination, but it doesn't look like that will happen just like it didn't happen in the Episcopal organization.
At least this split is more amicable than what happened to us.
As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?… 2 Corinthians 6:13-15
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According to comments at Juicy Ecumenism, United Methodist structures are so top-heavy and loaded with revisionists that the Traditionalists are better off jettisoning the whole thing and starting over (assuming they can actually get the $25 million). Surely the vast majority of African conferences will align with the Traditional wing.
ReplyDeleteI predict that the UMC revisionist churches will lose members at the same rate as the Episcopal organization. Maybe the two will merge to stave off extinction.
DeleteI've already heard talk about which Raleigh-area Methodist churches will go Traditional, and how many people will leave if they don't.
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