Prof. Christopher Evans writes about potential United Methodist schism in The Conversation
The following is an excerpt from the article “A dramatic schism over social issues? The United Methodist Church has been here before – but this time, America’s religious landscape is far different” by Professor of History of Christianity and Methodist Studies Christopher Evans (’85), published on April 8 by The Conversation US. Any views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Boston University School of Theology, its employees, faculty, or students.
The United Methodist Church’s General Conference will meet in Charlotte, North Carolina from April 23 to May 4, 2024. Originally scheduled for 2020 and delayed three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting of the church’s legislative body comes at a critical time for the United States’ second-largest Protestant denomination.
In 2022, conservative Methodists announced a break with the UMC, forming the Global Methodist Church. These leaders believed that the UMC had become too liberal, drifting away from orthodoxy. The issue at the heart of the split, however, revolves around the UMC’s long-standing battle over LGBTQ+ rights.
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