The change doesn't mandate or even explicitly affirm LGBTQ clergy, but it means the church no longer forbids it.
United Methodist delegates repealed their church's longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate on Wednesday, removing a rule forbidding"self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from being ordained or appointed as ministers.
The change doesn't mandate or even explicitly affirm LGBTQ clergy, but it means the church no longer forbids them. It's possible that the change will mainly apply to U.S. churches, since United Methodist bodies in other countries, such as in Africa, have the right to impose the rules for their own regions. The measure takes effect immediately upon the conclusion of the General Conference, scheduled for Friday.
That measure further removes scaffolding around the various LGBTQ bans that have been embedded in various parts of official church law and policy. On Tuesday, delegates had begun taking steps to dismantle such policies.
Last week, the conference endorsed a regionalization plan that essentially would allow the churches of the United States the same autonomy as other regions of the global church. That change — which still requires local ratification — could create a scenario where LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage are allowed in the United States but not in other regions.
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United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergyUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate.
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United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergyUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate.
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United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergyUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate.
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United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergyUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate
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United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergyUnited Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate. They removed a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers. Delegates voted 692-51 at their General Conference — the first such legislative gathering in five years.
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