- By William Q. Harmon
- Jun 10, 2024 Updated 8 hrs ago
- 0
— Shun global body’s decision to embrace homosexuality, say the UMC of Liberia is not a Gay Church
The United Methodist Church in Liberia has made its stance clear on the controversial decision taken by the United Methodist Conference in the United States to embrace homosexual practice within the church.
Samuel J. Quire, Bishop of the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) of the UMC, stated during a press conference in Monrovia that the Liberian Methodist Church rejects this move, affirming that the church does not support same-sex marriage.
“To all United Methodists in Liberia and our Liberian Public, the United Methodist Church is not a gay church,” Quire declared at a press conference in Monrovia over the weekend.
Quire indicated that whether regionalization is ratified or not, the Methodist Church in Liberia will not conduct any weddings or ordinations of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.
The decision by the United Methodist General Conference to lift bans on LGBTQ individuals and redefine marriage as a lifelong covenant between “two people of faith” has triggered debates within the Methodist community worldwide.
Prior to Bishop Quire’s pronouncement, a gathering of young people within the United Methodist Church in Liberia took place at St. Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church On June 7, in Sinkor to protest against homosexual practices in the Church.
Led by Alfred Mensah, the aggrieved youths protested in Monrovia against the Church’s leadership, accusing them, especially Bishop Quire, of supporting same-sex marriage. The protesters claimed that Quire had signed documents endorsing same-sex marriage while in the United States.
During the protest, spokesperson Mensah expressed that same-sex marriage contradicts the teachings of God, and therefore, church members will oppose it. Recently, a conference was held in Charlotte, USA, on May 3, with 447 clergy members attending, to discuss amending or repealing the 52-year-old issue of same-sex marriages in United Methodist churches.
In the conference, African delegates largely voted against the amendment, considering it contrary to the word of God.The youth population of the Liberian United Methodists made it clear that they would not accept any form of homosexual relationships.
They issued a warning to all bishops, including Bishop emeritus Kula and Bishop Quire, urging them not to endorse the U.S. Amendment. During the protest, 591 individuals voted against same-sex marriage, while five, mostly white, supported it, with a Vermont United Methodist Church clergywoman leading the campaign.
Bishop Emeritus of the Liberia Annual Conference, Reverend Jerry Kulah, as a delegate of the LAC at the global conference last month, strongly opposed same-sex marriage and led a campaign against it within the African community, emphasizing the preservation of traditional marriage values in the United Methodist Church. Bishop Kula, holding up a Bible, spoke out against the amendment, citing his belief in the teachings of the Bible and the grounds for rejecting the two options presented by the amendment.
“I Am Bishop Jerry Kula here from Liberia, and as you can see I have my Bible in my hand. I’m speaking against the amendment because we do not have another Bible and so we cannot have the two options that the amendment offers to us. So I vote against the Amendment,” Bishop Kula said.
Meanwhile, Bishop Quire emphasized that the church in Liberia will not conduct weddings or ordinations for self-avowed practicing homosexuals, asserting the church’s adherence to biblical values and doctrines.
While acknowledging the autonomy granted to different conferences to make decisions on marriage and ordination practices, Bishop Quire warned against actions that may undermine the ministry of the United Methodist Church in Liberia.
He highlighted the church’s commitment to evangelism and extending God’s grace to all individuals, guided by the principles of Scripture.
The Methodist Bishop’s statements underscore the ongoing global discussions within the Methodist community concerning the acceptance of LGBTQ individuals and the church’s position on the sanctity of marriage and ordination practices.
The dialogue reflects the diverse perspectives and interpretations within the Methodist denomination, as different regions navigate contemporary social issues while upholding traditional beliefs and values.
The ripple effects of the rejection of the decision of the UMC General Conference is being felt particularly in Africa, home to millions of Methodists. On May 28, the Methodists in Côte d’Ivoire, which shares a border with Liberia, voted to split from the United Methodists, VOA reports. With over 1.2 million members, the West African country’s church has one of the denomination’s largest followers outside of the United States. The United Methodist Church has about 5.4 million members in the United States, and about 4.6 million in Africa, Europe and the Philippines, according to church figures.
It is however not clear whether the Liberian UMC Annual Conference will seek a complete separation from the UMC General Conference as Côte d’Ivoire did, or maintain the delicate relationship.
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