— As African Methodist Churches Insist Imposition of Ban on LGBTQ Persons
United Methodist General Conference, the church’s global legislative body, voted to overturn every ban on LGBTQ people. The historic changes include a new definition of marriage as a lifelong covenant between “two people of faith,” rather than solely between a man and a woman, and a repeal of its ban on LGBTQ clergy.
The General Conference also struck down a 52-year-old stance on homosexuality being “incompatible with Christian teaching.”
“To hear someone, say, ‘we need to repent of the harm we’ve done.’ I didn’t realize my body was waiting for that,” said Oliveto.
The changes, which are effective immediately, open new doors for LGBTQ members. One 24-year-old, who wished to go by J.M., is working toward becoming ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church.
“We have been here and we have been fighting, and our fight has been worth it,” they said. “It shows that progress can happen and has happened.”
J.M. said they felt they needed to navigate around their identity as part of the LGBTQ community and not address it directly until the General Conference.
“Queer kids … the church once told them ‘you’re loved,’ but then made that love conditional when they started to question their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Oliveto. “They’re going to hear, ‘We love you. We want you to be who God made you to be.’ That is huge. Lives will be saved.”
The General Conference overwhelmingly supported the end of anti-LGBTQ church laws, after more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations chose to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church by the end of last year. That equates to about a quarter of U.S. Methodist churches.
Those U.S. congregations were able to leave because of a 2019 special General Conference that passed a plan for congregations that wished to depart for “reasons of conscience” regarding human sexuality.
There was widespread joy and celebration at the General Conference that concluded on Friday, but there are still global members, including those from central conferences in Africa, Europe and the Philippines, who do not stand by the new changes.
Some African delegates protested after the vote on changing the church’s stance on marriage, according to the United Methodist News Service.
Reverend Jerry Kulah, a delegate from Liberia, said at the rally, “We do not believe we know better than the Bible.”
The General Conference also passed a constitutional amendment known as worldwide regionalization, which means many congregations that disagree with the church’s new, inclusive stance on LGBTQ people will likely be able to make adjustments that fit their beliefs.
Regional conferences could customize parts of the Book of Discipline, which outlines church laws, instead of needing to conform to judgments dominated by the U.S. That includes the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ members.
The regionalization amendment must receive support from at least two-thirds of annual conference voters, who are part of local governing bodies. The votes will likely not be finalized until late next year.
Even with regionalization at play, some congregations may choose to depart the United Methodist Church.
Many congregations that left by the end of 2023 joined the Global Methodist Church, which launched in May of 2022 and has rules against LGBTQ ordination and marriage.
Keith Boyette, a former United Methodist Church member who is overseeing the Global Methodist Church during its transitional period, said the Global Methodist Church now has more than 4,500 churches, about 90% of which are in the U.S. It will hold its General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica in September.
Boyette does not think regionalization will be helpful for the United Methodist Church.
“I believe in the long run, there will be a decline in the membership of the United Methodist Church because of the decisions it has made,” he said.
But Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, the president of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church, is confident regionalization has the ability to strengthen the church.
“It allows for a more contextualized ministry in order to address the specific social and cultural contexts,” she said.
Malone recognizes that some congregations still may decide to leave following the decisions made at the General Conference. But she also believes that “others will come home,” she said. “That some were waiting and have left for a season.”
As the church moves forward, Malone said there is a renewed spirit of hope with the stance that all people are fully welcomed into the total life of the church.
As Oliveto reflects on the changes and prepares for life beyond the ministry, she said, “I feel like I’m leaving the church better than I found it.”
The vote by the UMC General Conference, follows recent report that Bishop Karen Oliveto a publicly known supporter of the LGBTQ community is retiring in a few months as a United Methodist bishop.
Oliveto was emotional saying those words aloud. As the church’s first openly gay bishop, her path was not always certain.
“Every day of my ministry, I’ve had to wonder, is this the day my ordination will be taken from me?” Oliveto said.
It is not clear what will be the decision of Liberia and other African UMC over this decision, however, in May 2023, the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Africa, under the umbrella United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF), declined to endorse homosexuality, as was affirmed by the United Methodist Church that sexuality is “God’s good gift to all persons”; as such, believes human rights and civil liberties are due all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
However, the UMC in Africa has refused to break away from the UMC, as it was predicted that they would have formed the Global Methodist Church; instead, affirmed and approved the name United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF) as an association of United Methodists that aims to promote, support and foster unity in the United Methodist Church in Africa, encouraging the Africa Central Conferences to revive the spirit of evangelism.
At its first sitting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 21—22, 2023, the United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF) upheld what is stated in the UMC Book of Discipline, paragraph 304.3, regarding homosexuality—that it is incompatible with Christian teaching.
Paragraph 304.3 of the UMC Book of Discipline reads, “While persons set apart by the Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the highest standards of holy living in the world. The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching; therefore, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”
The stance taken by UMAF is in sharp contrast to the UMC’s original belief and the constitutional principle of inclusiveness of the church. The UMC upholds the belief that “everyone is welcome to worship and actively participate in the life of our churches. Laypersons may become members and live out their faith through their local church without respect to sexual orientation or practice”.
Even though the African UMC differed with the stance on homosexuality, they resolved to support the unity of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Africa, recognizing and supporting the September 2022 African Bishops’ statement against the separation of the UMC.
On September 8, 2022, the African Bishops resolved to dissociate from any activities of the Africa Initiative, which was geared toward breaking away from the UMC and establishing the Global Methodist Church, and vowed not to allow any activities of the Africa Initiative in their areas; not to allow or entertain any activities of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, whom they said are wrongly influencing God’s people; and not to tolerate anyone giving false information about the United Methodist Church.
Earlier in 2019, the African Bishops noted that they have made two public statements to the general Church in September 2015 and September 2018, in which they are agreed as follows: “That as an African Church, we do not accept nor support the practice of homosexuality because it is incompatible with the teachings of the Scripture; that we do not accept any plan that calls for the dissolution of the church and, by default, the closure of General Agencies; that even if the United Methodist Church splits, Africa will continue to be a United Methodist Church; and that we will continue to be an evangelical, missional and Bible-focused church that is both global and connectional.”
In a press release issued April 24, 2023, the UMAF called on all United Methodists across Africa to reject the call to split and dis-unite the UMC. The forum recommended investing in agriculture, real estate, mining, transportation, partnership with corporate institutions, and tithing for the sustainability of the UMC in Africa.
In the release, the UMAF also called for the establishment and investment in relevant theological education and training to address the increasing growth of the UMC in Africa and encouraged the delegates to gather in central conferences before the General Conference to enable the African delegates to bring issues confronting Africa to be addressed together.
The UMAF also called for the UMC to address the special needs of children and youths in Christian Education, develop strategic plans that would promote the growth and sustainability of the UMC in Africa, and adopt the revised 2020 social principles.
The forum adopted an Operational Document as the tool that will be used for the operation of the UMAF and expressed support for the future of the unity of the UMC through regionalization based on the proposed Christmas Covenant Legislation to the postponed 2020 General Convention (GC) of the UMC.
The UMAF also affirmed and approved the election of the leadership team of UMAF, which includes Rev. Lloyd Nyarota as the General Coordinator, Regional Coordinators, General Secretary, Associate Secretaries, Treasurer, and Advisors.
The UMAF directed the appropriate officers of committees to take all necessary actions to implement the adopted recommendations. The forum expressed its appreciation to the committee for its diligent work and valuable recommendations.
