Staff Reports
The United Methodist Church is facing a major rift, with thousands of congregations bolting in response to the church’s controversial stance on same-sex marriage. The modern schism started in January 2020 when UMC leaders approved a plan to allow the church to split over the issue of same-sex marriage. Progressive UMC leaders have been openly defying traditional United Methodist teachings by embracing same-sex weddings and ordaining noncelibate homosexuals, much to the dismay of conservative members.
Thousands of Churches Across US Disaffiliating from Major Denomination, Some Heartland States Seeing Hundreds Go via @WestJournalism https://t.co/QUdKqcooQv
— cindy horswell (@chorswell) December 26, 2023
In 2023 alone, a staggering 5,638 churches broke away from the United Methodist Church, causing a significant spike in disaffiliation numbers. This trend has only escalated since the 2020 vote, with a mere 57 churches leaving in 2020, which more than doubled to 123 in 2021, and then skyrocketed to 1,827 in 2022. In states like Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, over 300 churches have decided to part ways with the UMC in 2023.
Even some of the largest United Methodist congregations nationwide have made the decision to split from the church. For instance, the largest United Methodist congregation in Michigan voted overwhelmingly to leave the mainline Protestant denomination, with an astonishing 98.2 percent in favor of the move. Furthermore, the Christ United Methodist Church of Jackson, one of the largest UMC bodies in Mississippi, also voted overwhelmingly to leave the United Methodist Church.
The rupture in the United Methodist Church is causing both hope and concern among Americans. While the shift in stance is a departure from biblical teachings, it’s heartening to see many congregations standing firm in their commitment to traditional Christian values. Nevertheless, the divide raises the troubling question of whether other Protestant churches will follow suit. The prospect of significant church splits having implications for the nation at large, as history has shown that major church divisions can foreshadow wider national schisms.
It’s worrisome that religious leaders are steering their followers away from the foundational doctrines of their faith. These leaders should be guiding their members towards God, not away from Him. The push for greater tolerance of behaviors deemed sinful is an alarming departure from the teachings of Christ and threatens to erode the bedrock of Christianity.
The tenets of Christianity are not up for reinterpretation to cater to shifting societal norms. The immutable nature of Christianity offers comfort in its unwavering truth, yet the pursuit of change can inflict significant harm. Despite this, the beauty of Christianity lies in its objective truth that remains constant, unaffected by human whims.
