United Methodist Church
I produced an interfaith play. Then all hell broke loose
By Malik Gillani — December 14, 2018
(RNS) — The anti-Islamic reaction to a play about the birth of Jesus shows how badly we in America today need to hear each other's stories.
Jeff Sessions resigns, ending tenure marred by fights with faith groups
By Jack Jenkins — November 7, 2018
(RNS) — The embattled attorney general brought a concern for religious freedom to the job — along with a passion for quoting the Bible that often backfired on him.
Jeff Sessions speech interrupted by Methodist, Baptist clergy
By Jack Jenkins — October 29, 2018
(RNS) — 'I interrupted Attorney General Sessions today because his entire political agenda is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ,' one of the pastors said.
Faith-based disaster-relief teams on standby as Florence nears
By Yonat Shimron — September 12, 2018
DURHAM, N.C. (RNS) — The biggest of the volunteer groups ready to clean up from Hurricane Florence have the words ‘Baptist’ and ‘Methodist’ in their titles.
Jeff Sessions cleared in church complaint, perplexing some top Methodists
By Jack Jenkins — August 9, 2018
(RNS) — The dismissal of the case, several bishops and other leaders say, makes an unfounded distinction between personal behavior and political actions.
United Methodist court filings detail proposals for averting schism on sexuality
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 18, 2018
(RNS) — Court documents are giving United Methodists the first peek at proposed plans to avoid a split in the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States.
More than 600 United Methodists file formal church complaint against Jeff Sessions
By Jack Jenkins — June 19, 2018
(RNS) — More than 600 United Methodist clergy and laypeople have signed a formal denominational complaint against fellow United Methodist Attorney General Jeff Sessions, condemning his role in the Trump administration's border policy.
600 United Methodists file church complaint against Jeff Sessions
By Jack Jenkins — June 19, 2018
(RNS) — More than 600 United Methodist clergy and laypeople have signed a formal denominational complaint against fellow United Methodist Attorney General Jeff Sessions, condemning his role in the Trump administration's border policy.
United Methodist court opens door to petitions for special session on sexuality
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 25, 2018
EVANSTON, Ill. (RNS) — A decision this week by the United Methodist Church Judicial Council hints at what the denomination’s 2019 special session on sexuality will look like. And it has some worried the session could become bogged down in the same petitions and points of order it was supposed to avoid.
United Methodist activists unsatisfied with bishops’ recommended plan to avert schism
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 14, 2018
(RNS) — United Methodists have expressed both concerns and hope after bishops endorsed a plan last week that would allow individual pastors and regional bodies to decide whether to perform same-sex weddings and ordain or call LGBT people as clergy.
United Methodist bishops want to let pastors, conferences decide on LGBT clergy
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 4, 2018
CHICAGO (RNS) — United Methodist bishops endorsed a plan that would allow individual pastors and regional bodies to decide whether to perform same-sex weddings and ordain or call LGBT people as clergy.
Protestant churches embrace gluten-free bread for Communion as Vatican reaffirms ban
By Lauren Markoe — July 11, 2017
(RNS) — Gluten or no gluten — the difference is theological.
Bishop Karen Oliveto: ‘My presence changes the conversation’ on LGBTQ people
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 1, 2017
(RNS) The denomination's first openly gay bishop says the muddled ruling shows 'we are not of one mind when it comes the role of LGBTQI people in the life and ministry of the United Methodist Church.'
Consecration of gay bishop against church law, says United Methodist top court
By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 28, 2017
(RNS) But the United Methodist Church’s first openly gay bishop 'remains in good standing.'
Bill McKibben talks faith on his way to the Climate March
By Lauren Markoe — April 28, 2017
(RNS) "We are now large enough to spit in God's face," McKibben says of the human race. "And we are."
