Wednesday's Catch: 'United Methodist conference begins to drop contentious rules restricting LGBTQ clergy' And More

United Methodist conference begins to drop contentious rules restricting LGBTQ clergy
Among the rules overturned were a ban on bishops ordaining LGBTQ candidates for ministry, a ban on funding for LGBTQ affinity groups as well as a series of mandatory penalties for clergy who officiate same-sex weddings.

UMC General Conference removes much of LGBTQ restrictions in consensus vote
The 52-year battle over the exclusion of LGBTQ people from full participation in The United Methodist Church turned a major corner April 30 through a parliamentary move designed to adopt measures that have broad consensus from legislative committees.

April 30 wrap-up: Some LGBTQ bans lifted, Episcopal communion approved
On the second full day of General Conference voting, delegates fast-tracked a large number of items via the consent calendar.

40-year ban on gay clergy struck down
In an emotional morning, General Conference eliminated the ban on “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy. Following the vote at break, delegates and observers sang hymns in joy. General Conferences continues to quietly reverse some of The United Methodist Church’s longtime restrictions against LGBTQ members. More potential changes are to come.

TIME’s ‘If He Wins’ interview with Trump doesn’t mention religion, faith or religious liberty
A 5,000-word interview with Donald Trump published April 30 in TIME magazine does not mention the words “church,” “religion,” “faith” or “religious liberty” anywhere. The sweeping article focuses on what Trump plans to do if sent back to the White House in this November’s presidential election. If that agenda has any faith component to it, that is not included in this article.

Virginia church with historic ties to SBC will vote on leaving due to Law Amendment
A Virginia church with deep historical ties to the Southern Baptist Convention will vote May 19 on a proposal to sever ties with the SBC due to the denomination’s intolerance for women serving as pastors.

Only 6% of self-professed Christians hold biblical worldview amid increasing syncretism in the US: survey
Only 6% of Christians have a biblical worldview as many Americans embrace syncretism, according to a new survey. The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released a new batch of research from the American Worldview Inventory 2024.

Teaching the Trinity: Deep Waters, Strong Churches, Robust Joy
Without the Trinity as the core of our beliefs, every other doctrine of our faith starts to come unglued and unhinged.

The little known story of how Victorian Christians re-invented May Day
Maypole dancing was re-invented in the Victorian era as a tradition for Church of England schools. This is the story....

Survey: New Data on Bible Reading Released
The American Bible Society has released the first installment of its State of the Bible USA 2024 report. The first chapter, titled “The Bible in America Today,” examines the incidence of Bible usage and Bible reading in the United States in addition to sampling respondents’ views on the effects of the Bible on their lives.

US birth rate continues to drop, lowest in decades: CDC report
The U.S. birth rate has continued to decline, according to recently released statistics, with the reported number of babies born in 2023 being the lowest in decades.