Friday, March 22, 2019

On Religion: Union possible on Episcopal, United Methodist left?

From California-

Next year, delegates at the United Methodist Church’s General Conference are supposed to consider a full-communion plan with the United States Episcopal Church.

“We seek to draw closer in mission and ministry, grounded in sufficient agreement in the essentials of Christian faith and order and assisted by interchangeability of ordained ministries,” states the current text for “A Gift to the World: Co-Laborers for the Healing of Brokenness.”

This is not a merger proposal, but: “We see this relationship of full communion as a step on the journey. … We are blessed in that neither of our churches, or their predecessor bodies, have officially condemned one another, nor have they formally called into question the faith, the ministerial orders, or the sacraments of the other church.”

However, events in the United Methodist Church have given some members of that flock – especially LGBTQ clergy and laity – a strong incentive to go ahead and investigate nearby Episcopal parishes.
A special General Conference recently voted to reaffirm current doctrine that marriage is the “union of one man and one woman” and “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” The historic gathering also passed pieces of a “Traditionalist Plan” requiring UMC clergy to follow those laws in their Book of Discipline.

More here-

https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2019/03/21/on-religion-union-possible-on-episcopal-united-methodist-left/

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