Leaders of the United Methodist Church have announced plans to split the denomination into two following disputes over gay marriage and gay clergy.
“The undersigned propose restructuring The United Methodist Church by separation as the best means to resolve our differences, allowing each part of the Church to remain true to its theological understanding, while recognizing the dignity, equality, integrity, and respect of every person,” the Protocol Statement, which was released Friday, said.
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The new split will create a “traditionalist Methodist” denomination and another that will allow gay marriage, as well as gay and transgender clergy. The plan still needs to be approved by the denomination’s general conference in May.
One of the only mainline Protestant denominations that does not endorse gay marriage, the United Methodist Church is the third-largest Christian denomination in the U.S., behind the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptists. The new “traditionalist” Methodist denomination would receive $25 million but would “give up further claim” to any assets.
Individual Methodist churches would automatically remain part of the denomination allowing gay marriages and gay clergy. The “traditionalist” denomination would likely include a part of the U.S. congregations, along with nearly all African congregations.
