The Smartencyclopedia Staff & Agencies
In a significant development, the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) has approved the departure of 261 congregations due to disagreements over LGBTQ issues. This move comes as part of a broader trend triggered by the UMC’s 2019 decision to strengthen bans on ordaining gay clergy and performing same-sex weddings.
According to a statement from the North Georgia Conference of the UMC, the departure of these 261 churches is scheduled to take effect at the end of November. This decision was made possible by the UMC’s 2019 resolution, allowing congregations to leave by the end of 2023 “for reasons of conscience” regarding changes in the Book of Discipline related to LGBTQ practices.
The UMC’s decision to reinforce restrictions on LGBTQ issues in 2019 generated widespread dissatisfaction among congregations, causing thousands to contemplate leaving the church. This departure of churches is seen as a significant fracture within the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States.
Scholars and religious experts predict that the ongoing divisions over LGBTQ matters could lead to further separations across Christian Churches in the U.S. James Hudnut-Beumler, a professor of religious history at Vanderbilt University, noted, “The mainline Protestants are like the shock troops. They absorb the first body blows. But as the mainline goes, so more conservative and evangelical will go eventually,” as reported by CNN.
According to the UMC’s official website, over 6,000 congregations have been approved for disaffiliation since 2019, representing a substantial migration from the church. With nearly 30,000 UMC congregations, the departure of these churches marks a notable percentage.
The 261 churches leaving the North Georgia Conference of the UMC constitute a significant portion of its almost 700 churches, as per the conference’s website. Over 100 congregations had filed lawsuits against the North Georgia Conference, seeking the right to have their separation requests heard. A Cobb County judge ruled that a “church-level vote” had to take place before the deadline.
As part of the disaffiliation agreement, the departing churches are no longer allowed to use the “United Methodist” name or the denomination’s logo. They are also obligated to fulfill financial commitments and are barred from pursuing further legal action against the church, according to a news release from the North Georgia Conference of the UMC.