The United Methodist Church (UMC) overturned its four-decade-long prohibition on gay clergy, signaling a monumental shift in the church's stance on homose♐xuality.
United Methodist Church Votes Yes To LGBTQ Clergy And Same-Sex Marriage
The UMC overturned its decades-old prohibition and changed its stance on homosexuality. The church's highest legislative body passed multiple rules, including the repeal of the ban on gay clergy and the penalties associated with conducting same-sex marriages.
There were longstanding divisions within the church regarding LGBTQ inclusion, wit🐓h discussions even broaching the possibility of a schism to form two separa💃te denominations.
Dating back to 1984, the UMC enacted a ban on "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from clergy member♛ship and subsequently included the performance or celebration of same-sex unions as chargeable offenses potentially leading to church 🉐trials, according to a timeline chronicling the church's LGBTQ history.
Ang🍨ie Cox, left, and Joelle Henneman hug after an approval vote at the United Methodist Church General Conference🧸 Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C.
AP
Over the years, the Methodis🙈t community engaged in intense debates, conflicts, and prayers regarding their position on gay clergy and LGBTQ members. However, Wednesday's vote by the church's highest legislative body marked a significant departure toward embജracing acceptance and inclusivity.
With aꦬ decisive vote of 692-51, church leaders swiftly passed multiple rules, including the repeaꦦl of the ban on gay clergy and the penalties associated with conducting same-sex marriages, as reported by the United Methodist News service.
Following the vote, Hope Morgan Ward, a retired UMC bishop, offered a prayer for the church to serve as "peacemakers and servants," welcoming all inꦕdividuals into the embrace of God.
According to Methodist new🐎s sources, members expressed jubilation, tears, and embraced🍬 one another after the historic decision.
United Methodist delegates listen to a debate during their General Conference meeting Tuesday, 😼April 30, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C.
AP
Reflecting on the momentous occasio🦩n, Marilyn Murphy, an observer from the church's South Carolina conference, remarked to the news service, "We've been going on like this since the '70s and, finally, in just a brief few minutes with no debate, it was gone. And now we can get on about the business of the church."
Wit𝐆hin the church, LGBTQ advocates celebrated the decision. Matt Patrick, co-pastor at the University United Methodist Church in Tulsa, ꧒Oklahoma, expressed profound emotion upon learning of the outcome.
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