United Methodists urge repeal of ban on same-sex marriage, openly gay clergy
United Methodists meeting in the North Alabama Conference on Friday voted to call for the upcoming international meeting of the denomination to drop all mention of homosexuality from the Book of Discipline, the book of church law.
The Book of Discipline currently says “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity,” and bans the blessing of same-sex marriage in the church and the ordination of openly gay clergy.
“The voting members of the North Alabama Annual Conference support the removal of all language pertaining to homosexuality from the Book of Discipline by the next General Conference,” the resolution said.
“Our doctrinal core as United Methodists has not changed and will not change,” the resolution says. It adds, “the current language in the current Book of Discipline on human sexuality has fostered painful division.”
The resolution passed by a vote of 236 to 151.
The proposal to recommend changing the Book of Discipline was submitted by the Rev. Brian Erickson, senior pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, and the Rev. H.N. Gibson, associate pastor of East Lake United Methodist Church in Birmingham.
Beth Curry, a lay delegate from First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, spoke against delaying a vote and in favor of the resolution. She said she is married to a woman and wants to see the church send a welcoming message that “name-calling and exclusion is not the way of Christ.”
The General Conference, the worldwide voting body of the United Methodist Church, will meet April 23-May 3, 2024 in Charlotte, after postponements caused by the pandemic.
Progressives have been trying to remove the “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” phrase from the Book of Discipline at General Conferences since it was adopted in 1972. Conservatives have cited that continuing effort as a reason to leave and join a more conservative denomination. Last year, a group of departing United Methodists launched the Global Methodist Church, which they say would maintain the stance against same-sex weddings in churches and ordaining openly gay clergy.
The North Alabama Conference, meeting at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, has been electing delegates for the upcoming General Conference, including replacing those previously elected who have left during disaffiliations.
Since last year, 330 churches have left the North Alabama Conference, leaving 305 churches currently. Churches may still disaffiliate by the end of the year under church rules.
More than 25 percent of the clergy in the conference also departed. Most disaffiliating churches are joining the Global Methodist Church, but some have joined other denominations or remained independent.
On Thursday during a committee report for the NAC3 Team, Erickson urged United Methodists to not pay attention to what the General Conference does, saying leaving the denomination because of what happens there is like deciding whether to move out of your neighborhood based on the actions of Congress.
“The debate over who is welcome in our churches or not needs to end,” Erickson said. “You are all welcome in our church.”
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