The United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops had ended a five-day meeting acknowledging the inevitable breakup of their denomination.
FILE - A gay pride rainbow flag flies along with the U.S. flag in front of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Prairie Village, Kan., on April 19, 2019. The United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops, ending a five-day meeting on Friday, April 29, 2022, acknowledged the inevitable breakup of their denomination, which will gain momentum during the weekend with the launch of a global movement led by theologically conservative Methodists.
Bishop Thomas Bickerton, who became the Council of Bishops’ new president Friday, described the launch of the new movement as a “sad and sobering reality.” Bickerton said he regrets any departure from the UMC and values the denomination’s diversity of thought. Bickerton, who heads the UMC’s New York City region, succeeded Louisiana-based Cynthia Fierro Harvey as president of the bishops’ council.
Its transitional doctrine includes a belief that marriage is between one man and one woman, and clergy must adhere to it – a core point of division in the UMC for decades. It is easier for clergy to leave the UMC than an entire church, which has to follow a layered process. As a result, Boyette expects the ranks of the Global Methodist Church will grow over time, noting that some who want to join will wait until after the UMC's 2024 General Conference – and the possible passage of a protocol that spells out details for the breakup.
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