Methodists splitting amid sexual and theological debates

A gay pride rainbow flag flies with the U.S. flag in front of the Asbury United
 Methodist Church in Prairie Village, Kansas. (Photo by Charlie Riedel, AP) 

Methodists are fracturing over sexuality and theology: "At the heart of the schism is a decision by the United Methodist Church to allow for the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy and for churches to host weddings and other celebrations of same-sex unions. It’s often described as a liberal-versus-conservative debate," reports Martha Quillin of the Raleigh News & Observer.

The decision pushed some congregations to leave. Last month, the church's North Carolina Conference "approved a split that clears the way for nearly a third of its churches to separate from the denomination over its more inclusive LGBTQ policies." Quillan writes. "The move, decades in the making, allows congregations that voted earlier this year to leave the United Methodist fold to join the new Global Methodist Church."

Much the same is happening elsewhere in the nation and abroad. "In annual regional gatherings across the U.S. earlier this year, United Methodists approved requests of about 300 congregations to quit the denomination, according to United Methodist News Service," reports Peter Smith of The Associated Press. "Large United Methodist congregations are moving to the exits, including some of the largest in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas."

Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the church's Council of Bishops, told AP, “The United Methodist Church is not interested in continuing sexism, racism, homophobia, irrelevancy and decline . . . What we are interested in is a discovery of what God has in mind for us on the horizon as the next expression of who we are as United Methodists.”

The Global Methodist Church was formed as "Conservatives grew impatient with the lack of clarity over the issue and launched a splinter denomination for congregations that wanted to stick with the Book of Discipline’s language on homosexuality," Quillin writes. Churches could also join another denomination "or become non-denominational."