CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church’s longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy. After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday They’ve already begun making historic changes: On Thursday, delegates overwhelmingly endorsed a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations. That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans. |
Analysis: IndyCar cheating scandal risks sullying Roger Penske's perfect imageFormer teacher at New Hampshire youth detention center testifies about bruised teensTesla's stock leaps on reports of Chinese approval of driving softwareSeattle Kraken fire coach Dave Hakstol after leading the franchise for its first 3 seasonsBruins, Hurricanes, Canucks and Avalanche look to advance to second round of the NHL playoffsTigers and Cardinals rained out, will play a traditional doubleheader on TuesdayA retired Roman Catholic bishop who tried to mediate between cartels in Mexico has been kidnappedCJ Abrams homers as Nationals complete 4Revealed: Billy Vunipola was TEETOTAL for almost two yearsQueen Camilla appears in high spirits as she hosts the first female crew to win an around