Articles
"United" Church Dividing
The United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States, made news this month, announcing a plan to officially divide into two groups. The division is over homosexuality. The plan is to create a new “traditionalist” group, consisting of those who are opposed to it, whereas the rest, operating under the “United Methodist Church” banner, will move forward in acceptance of it.
The proposal was formulated by sixteen church leaders from around the world. It will be voted on at the church’s general convention in May. If approved, local churches will decide which group they wish to align with. Much of the plan is about how the denomination’s assets will be divided. (www.npr.org/2020/01/04/ 793614135/united-methodist-church-announces-proposal-to-split-over-gay-marriage)
I hope all Methodists will take a moment to reflect. Obviously, they are not “united” with each other, but they aren’t united with Bible teaching, either. In the Bible . . .
• There is no such thing as a denomination
• There is no arrangement of groups of churches holding and distributing joint assets
• There is no general convention in which church representatives vote on policy
• Homosexuality is unmistakably condemned (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Jude 7; etc.)
