The United Methodist Church Council of Bishops has issued a response to one of the largest exoduses from the denomination in history.
More than one million members from the Côte d’Ivoire Conference, based in West Africa, voted last month to leave the group after the UMC voted to allow the ordaining of LGBT clergy and blessing of same-sex unions.
An English translation from this particular African branch stated that the UMC had distanced “itself from the Holy Scriptures” and “was no longer suitable” for the Cote d’Ivoire Conference, according to Crosswalk.
They added that the UMC prefers to “sacrifice its honor and integrity to honor the LGBTQ community.”
In a statement released Wednesday, MC Council of Bishops President Tracy Malone said that although the conference decided to remove the “restrictive language” that previously barred LGBTQ-identifying individuals from leadership it does not force pastors or churches to act contrary to their beliefs.
“While we grieve Cote d’Ivoire Conference’s decision to separate from The United Methodist Church, we commit to work with them through the process of becoming an Autonomous Methodist Church,” she wrote. “While we are not all of one mind in all things, the strength of our connection is love, respect,
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