WTF Is Happening in the United Methodist Church?

July 12, 20191:00 pm1:50 pm
United Methodists made headlines earlier this year for doubling down on anti-queer policies and efforts to purge those who welcome LGBTQIA+ participation at all levels. The majority of United Methodists in the US support inclusive polity, so the “traditionalist” international level decision heightens the stakes for schism. Or are we watching a sequel to the Southern Baptist Convention takeover of the 80s? As a leader of the Queer Clergy Caucus Rev. Austin Adkinson has had a front row seat to the struggle before, during, and after the shenanigans in St. Louis. They and friends from the UM queer liberation movement (TBD) will share about the fallout from the vote and help make sense of what might emerge from all this ugliness. We’ll explore the complicated dynamics that led to this point, the possibilities ahead for one of the country’s largest denominations, and why you should care even if you’re not a Methodist. (Hint: The last time Methodists split was over slavery.)
12:00 am Austin Adkinson