Denominational bifurcation

[Haruo]

Although the article is about the currently ongoing move in the UMC towards splitting into two or three denominations, I'm posting the link here rather than in Politics because the general topic is entirely pertinent to the Baptist situation. Historically, we've been more prone to such splits than the Methodists, perhaps, and they did manage to reunite South and North after Appomattox, but at least in ABCUSA our split is still in the future at a national level. But regionally, it's already happened in several places. Our polity makes it both easier to do this sort of thing than it is for a less grassroots outfit like the UMC, and probably easier for us to do locally without needing to bother higher up the food chain, but it's still coming, I think. And the SBC may well be in line for another split.

Sarah Barringer Gordon:

[William Thornton]

While there are always unhappy people in the SBC, I’m not seeing a split. Arguably, even the creation of the Alliance and CBF in the 1980s and 1990s weren’t splits, just defections of small slices of the SBC. The CBF is a just a few hundred churches and the future is uncertain for the national organization. The easier route in the SBC is for churches to give less to national causes which is a trend for almost half a century.

SBC “Traditionalists” imploded a couple of years ago and the main SBC Calvinist organization seems to be doing all it can to embarrass itself. Even though important numbers are down, the mission boards are receiving record and near record offerings from the churches and the six seminaries are healthy.

The situation with the UMC is vastly different. I understand that each church will have to vote on staying or joining a new umc body. The SBC is stritcly an American body, btw. There are no SBC churches outside the USA.

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

Some of what I've seen says there will be two choices, UMC or TMC. Other stories make it sound like there will be three (not sure what the third would be called). But I thought the UMC voted last time around *against* same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy. So "staying in the UMC" is confused in my head. Clarity?

[Tim Bonney]

[William Thornton]

Thanks for the explanation. I thought I read that all umc congregations would have to vote.

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

So I take it the idea of a Trimurti of new denominations is a press misunderstanding?

[Sandy]

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

Got it.