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As long as most of us can remember, the United Methodist Church has had a ban on gay and lesbian clergy members being ordained as ministers or appointed to other leadership roles. In the modern era, that led to a number of protests and internal divisions in the church, but the general conference of the United Methodist Church stood firm. They forbid «self-avowed practicing homosexuals» from holding such positions. That suddenly changed this week at the latest General Conference meeting, where almost without debate, the members voted overwhelmingly to repeal the ban by a margin of 692-51. This has sent something of a shock wave through various parts of the greater congregation, to say the least. The lifting of the ban will take effect at the end of the conference on Friday. (Associated Press)
United Methodist delegates repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate on Wednesday, removing a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being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.
Delegates voted 692-51 at their General Conference — the first such legislative gathering in five years. That overwhelming margin contrasts sharply with the decades of controversy around the issue. Past General Conferences of the United Methodist Church had steadily reinforced the ban and related penalties amid debate and protests, but many of the conservatives who had previously upheld the ban have left the denomination in recent years, and this General Conference has moved in a solidly progressive direction.
Another measure struck a neutral tone on the subject of same-sex marriages.
