What’s next for the
United Methodist Church?
Every four years, the United Methodist Church [UMC] meets as its governmental body called General Conference [GC]. The 2020 pandemic postponed that gathering. It was to be a historical meeting. And it still will be, just delayed until 29 August through 7 September 2021. Whoops! It has been delayed again a second time till 29 August through 6 September 2022, in Minneapolis.
For more than two centuries, GC has met at least once every four years. Outside forces left their mark. In 1800, church leaders moved the gathering to the spring to avoid fall yellow fever outbreaks. In 1862, Southern Methodists shortened their session to two days because of the U.S. Civil War. But until COVID-19, UMC and its predecessors have never delayed the church’s top lawmaking assembly by more than a year.
There is another historical mark.
UMC has been at odds with itself for almost half a century of wrangling over its official policy holding homosexual practice to be “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Since 1972, every meeting has spent more and more time questioning about the LGBTIQ community’s place within the UMC.
In those early years, many in United States culture questioned the morality of LGBTIQ people. As biblical scholars shared the history and interruption of the Bible of their finding that homosexuality is not expressed in a negative way than one might think.[1] In fact, Jesus said nothing about this subject.
During those scores of years till today, the scholars educated people to be enlightened Christians. But it did not change everyone’s mind. According to polls, there is a minority of United Methodists whose faith believe that homosexuality is a sin.
More and more time was spent at GC on the homosexual topic. This issue was taking time away from other UMC administrative dealings. After close to 50 years of trying to bring the UMC closer on this matter with studies, prayers, and convocations, there was one last attempt made: A decide-for-all special GC. This GC was held in 2019 before the usual 4-year GC in May 2020. Only thing on this GC agenda. The vote was 438 [53%] to 384 [45%] to unwelcome the LGBTIQ people. This vote sharply tightened church policies against same-gender marriage and ordaining LGBTQ persons as clergy.
There was no seemingly way to move forward other than the UMC is to be split into two separate churches.
The process of this schism was to start with the GC in 2020. Nevertheless, the 2020 GC has been postponed until it is safe to meet in-person when the pandemic is under control. Then formal divisions will begin.
An ad hoc group of United Methodists say they’ve formed a new denomination based on “radical hospitality” for LGBTIQ persons, people of color and anyone who has felt rejected by the church.
The Liberation Methodist Connexion, or LMX as it’s being called, announced its formation last November 2020 with an online worship service, an introductory panel and an “after party” to celebrate the new denomination. The organization emerged from 18 months of discussions that began in May 2019 after the UMC’s special GC.
Although other unofficial groups are attempting to reform The United Methodist Church from within, many see the Liberation Methodist Connexion as the final capitulation. This group’s organizers have focused on including persons of color, economically poor people, youths and young adults, and anyone who has felt excluded by the church. Currently the UMC membership is as 98% white, middle-to-upper-middle class with two-thirds of its members over the age 50.
With its theology of liberation, LMX could be considered the “anti-UMC.” Fully embracing its grassroots development yet claiming heritage as John Wesley’s spiritual heirs, LMX has formed with a minimal amount of structure. According to its website, “We are journeying toward a new way of being followers of Christ that refutes the imbalance of powers, principalities and privileges that has plagued Methodism: colonialism, white supremacy, economic injustices, patriarchy, sexism, clericalism, ableism, ageism, transphobia and heteronormativity.”
As anyone knows about life and the UMC ‘s outcomes, there is still much work to be done before any real stature of the new denomination is finally formed. LMX is just steps ahead of other ad hoc groups.
[1] Except in the Book of Leviticus – “A man shall not lay with another man.” The scholars’ teaching that as Christians this book is written for its understanding the science of that time stating things like:
not wearing clothing made of two materials; [2]
not eating pork or seafood; [3]
not to loan money with interests [4];
no interacting with menstruating women for they are unclean. [5]
Biblical scholars then ask Christians who and why get to choose which rules to follow or not to follow in the Book of Leviticus? As Christians, we believe that if an Hebrew Scriptures law is also found in the teachings of Christ, then it is binding on us today—not because it is, say, found in Exodus or Leviticus, but because it is found in the New Testament.
[2] Leviticus 19:19 [NRSV].
19 You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your animals breed with a different kind; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall you put on a garment made of two different materials.
[3] Leviticus 11.
[4] Leviticus 25:35-37 [NRSV].
35 If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you, you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. 36 Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you. 37 You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit.
[5] Leviticus 15.