Votes at United Methodist conference may pave way for LGBTQ+ clergy, weddings in US: 'This is God's vision'



As it normally does every four years, the global United Methodist Church is currently holding a general conference to vote on church matters and policy. However, unlike recent conferences, this year's delegates have signaled a desire to revamp the church's policies regarding human sexuality.

This year's conference is underway in Charlotte, North Carolina. And while there are still several days left in the conference, delegates have already approved measures that will have a major impact on the church.

One of the most significant measures involves regionalization. The measure would give the region of the United States greater autonomy to establish and enforce policies, especially in regard to LGBTQ issues. The regionalization measure passed with 78% of the delegate vote, but it still must be approved by local annual conferences, which are expected to consider it within the next year, NPR reported.

Many United Methodist congregations in other parts of the world, such as Africa and the former Soviet Union, still strongly believe that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman. However, many of its U.S. churches have moved radically in the other direction, refusing to enforce bans on gay clergy and marriage.

"I celebrate that this is a beginning of a new way of being a worldwide church, where our voices are actually heard, and we can begin to listen to one another in new ways," said Rev. Deanna Stickley-Minor, the executive director for mission engagement.

Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of Ohio, who celebrated that the vote "decenters the U.S." and "dismantles colonialism," was even more exuberant. "I had to contain myself," she said after the vote to approve the regionalization measure. "We get to be the workers in the vineyard, but this is God's vision."

Another vote gave LGBTQ activists even more hope. In a staggering 667-54 vote, the United Methodist General Conference delegates decided to upend rules and policies that favor traditional marriage and heterosexual clergy and that denied funding for gay ministries, the AP reported. Now, church leaders may soon be able to consider openly gay individuals for ordination or positions on church boards.

Later this week, delegates will also vote on whether to change church law and policy to include gay clergy and same-sex weddings. Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, is hopeful.

"If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way," she said earlier this month. "And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve."

These votes demonstrate a marked shift in United Methodist congregants' views on sexuality and marriage. Just four years ago, delegates reaffirmed traditional marriage by voting to penalize clergy who performed same-sex weddings.

But in the years since, many congregations — particularly in the U.S., where United Methodist was once one of the largest denominations — broke away, appalled at the progressive direction the church appeared to be headed. This same movement to break away in favor of a more conservative denomination then likely played into the hands of their more liberal counterparts. Without conservative voices — and conservative delegate votes — at the 2024 conference, the progressive measures have sailed through easily.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the church's website still promotes traditional marriage and family among its social principles. "We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman," the website says.

It also claims that "sexual relations are affirmed only with the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage" and calls the practice of "homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching."

Whether those social principles will change by the end of this week remains to be seen.

The following video provides a brief summary of the conference's agenda on Tuesday, highlighting a group confession against sexual harassment and a ceremony to affirm dozens of deaconesses and female home missioners:

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'To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you': Candace Cameron Bure responds to backlash after saying network 'will keep traditional marriage at the core'



Actress Candace Cameron Bure has issued a statement explaining that she loves everyone, including people who attack her online and attempt to smear her character.

Bure recently came under fire after telling the Wall Street Journal that Great American Family, a media network she is involved with that produces family-friendly content, will focus on traditional marriage.

When asked whether she anticipates the cable channel featuring homosexual couples as leads in holiday films, Bure said no, according to the outlet. "I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core," Bure said, according to the Journal, which reported that the actress is the chief creative officer of Great American Family.

"It's certainly the year 2022, so we’re aware of the trends," Great American Family CEO Bill Abbott said. "There's no whiteboard that says, 'Yes, this' or 'No, we'll never go here.'"

Hilarie Burton Morgan accused Bure and Abbott of being bigots and called them both "disgusting."

Bure issued a lengthy statement responding to the uproar about her comment regarding Great American Family content.

"All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people," Bure said in the statement. "It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone."

The actress said that she loves everyone, including those who besmirch her.

"I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately. My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God's huge love for all of us," Bure noted.

"To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway. To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you," she said in the statement.

"I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. I am grateful to be an integral part of a young and growing network. I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support," Bure noted.

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Christian university fights back: Seattle Pacific University sues Washington AG for violating its First Amendment rights



Seattle Pacific University, a Christian university affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, has filed a lawsuit against the attorney general of the state of Washington, Bob Ferguson, for intruding on its private religious convictions, private communications, and hiring practices.

On Wednesday, SPU filed a lawsuit at the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington, alleging that Ferguson had violated its constitutional rights when he initiated an investigation into the school's hiring practices after receiving complaints that the school had discriminated against gay applicants.

Early last month, Ferguson had sent a letter to SPU's attorney, claiming that he had "learned of information that suggests that the University may utilize employment policies and practices that permit or require discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, including by prohibiting same-sex marriage and activity."

Ferguson then demanded that members of SPU provide to him all SPU documentation regarding its policies about sexual orientation, any instances in which gay applicants had been denied employment or terminated based on sexual orientation, any complaints lodged in connection to policies regarding sexual orientation, and the job descriptions of all positions at SPU, both faculty and staff.

Ferguson then gave SPU until June 22 to furnish his office with the solicited documentation. Rather than comply, however, SPU filed the federal lawsuit against Ferguson.

"As part of its religious commitment, Seattle Pacific expects its faculty, staff and leadership to agree with the University’s statement of faith and to live out that faith as a model for others, including by living according to the University’s religious teachings on marriage," the lawsuit states. "Seattle Pacific relies on its faculty, staff, and leadership to provide a Christian higher education by integrating faith and learning."

"Seattle Pacific holds to traditional Christian beliefs regarding marriage and sexuality, in alignment with the Free Methodist Church," the lawsuit also states.

The lawsuit expresses the hope that a federal court will affirm SPU's First Amendment rights to operate according to the dictates of its religious faith, issue an injunction against Ferguson and the state's AG office to prevent any future interference in the private practices of SPU, and prompt the AG's office to compensate SPU for legal fees associated with this case and any "such other and further relief as the Court deems equitable and just."

The legal organization Becket, “a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute with a mission to protect the free expression of all faiths,” is representing SPU in this case.

Becket issued a statement regarding Ferguson's inquiries and SPU's lawsuit:

"Seattle Pacific University is asking a federal court to stop Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson from interfering in the religious decisions of a Christian university seeking to remain true to its faith and mission. Mr. Ferguson recently singled out Seattle Pacific because of its Christian beliefs, demanding information about the school’s religious hiring practices and employees. For years, American courts have been clear that external officials cannot dictate how religious institutions live out their faith commitments. Our laws protect religious universities from unlawful demands by governmental officials.”

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Washington National Cathedral cowers to woke mob, apologizes for letting famed pastor Max Lucado preach. His offense? Holding biblical views on sexuality and marriage.



The Washington National Cathedral took heavy fire for allowing popular evangelical pastor and author Max Lucado to preach at its virtual Sunday service last weekend. Though the church initially defended its decision as part of a move to build bridges, leadership later caved to pressure from left-wing activists and nearly tripped over themselves apologizing for the mistake of allowing Lucado to speak.

Lucado's offense? He holds biblical Christian views on sexuality and marriage.

He didn't preach on those topics Sunday — his sermon was about the Holy Spirit, the Christian Post reported — but the fact that he has a history of standing up for traditional biblical values on social issues was enough to have him silenced, the woke mob said.

What happened?

After the Episcopal Church's Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Paul in the City and the Diocese of Washington invited Lucado to speak at the cathedral in Washington, D.C., LGBT activists were livid.

The reliably liberal denomination known for its left-wing views on marriage and sexuality had betrayed the gay community by inviting a nondenominational evangelical pastor like Lucado who follows traditional Christian teachings on marriage and sexually, and the woke mob couldn't have that.

So they did what mobs do: sought to intimidate their target into compliance and force their opponent to be silenced.

Activists launched a petition days before Lucado's sermon demanding that the church rescind its invitation to Lucado, claiming that his "teaching and preaching inflicts active harm on LGBTQ people."

They accused him of pushing "[f]ear-mongering and dehumanizing messages" and preaching "the kind of dangerous theology that promotes oppression of and violence toward the LGBTQ community."

According to the petition, "Lucado has inflicted serious harm" and should not be given a platform.

On Feb. 6, the cathedral's dean, the Rev. Randy Hollerith, sent a response to the petition. Hollerith said that he and the church have long been supporters of "LGBTQ inclusion" and that they "believe the Gospel calls us to nothing short of full embrace and inclusion." He also added that he understood why the petitioners would be concerned about Lucado's past statements on sexuality and that it "grieves" him when churches "are used as weapons against God's LGBTQ children."

But, he said, there was good reason to invite Lucado: We must find common ground, which comes by peacefully engaging with people we might disagree with.

He wrote:

Let me share why we invited Max to preach. We have to come out of our corners, find common ground where we can, and find ways to live with and see each other as the beloved children of God that we are. We have all grown too accustomed in our silos and echo chambers. In order to start the process of rebuilding, we need to hear from each other.

That does not mean we will always agree. In fact, I don't agree with Max's views on LGBTQ issues. We can still hold our convictions and cling to our values in the midst of disagreement. But the work that we cannot ignore is the vitally important task of what Isaiah called “repairing the breach." That starts, first and foremost, with those with whom we disagree. When we only engage with those with whom we agree on every issue, we find ourselves in a dangerous (and lonely) place. My hope is that all churches and faith communities will find ways to open their doors to perspectives different from their own.

And retired Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, defended the cathedral's invitation in a video Sunday morning after Lucado's sermon, saying the church should be a house of prayer for "all the people of God — all — and sometimes that includes we don't agree with much at all."

Fallout continued

But that wasn't enough for Lucado's critics. They had wanted his sermon canceled, and when it wasn't, they turned up the outrage and increased their criticism of church leaders, according to a report from the Episcopal News Service.

By Wednesday, the church leaders had had enough and scrambled to offer apologies to the mob for the horrible "mistake" of inviting someone with a record allegedly causing so much pain to speak.

Dean Hollerith blamed his "straight privilege" for failing to understand the "pain" Lucado had caused in the past and the "depth of injury his words have had."

"I made a mistake and I am sorry," Hollerith said.

Washington Bishop Mariann Budde echoed the dean's statements and offered her own mea culpa.

"I would like to apologize for the hurt caused in inviting Max Lucado to preach at Washington National Cathedral," she wrote. "I have heard from those who were not only wounded by things Max Lucado has said and taught, but equally wounded by the decision to welcome him into the Cathedral's pulpit."

Hollerith and Budde announced that they are going to hold a "listening session" on Feb. 21 for anyone who wants to share their LGBT experiences within the church.

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