UMC decides in favor of traditional marriage

UMC decides in favor of traditional marriage

A special session of the United Methodist Church (UMC) General Conference meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, decided Feb. 26 to strengthen the denomination’s ban on the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ people.

The Traditional Plan was one of three proposals for the church to move forward together despite deep divides over the inclusion of LGBTQ members. 

The failed One Church Plan would have allowed individual churches and regional annual conferences to decide whether to ordain and marry LGBTQ members. 

The One Church Plan was recommended by the UMC’s Council of Bishops, but the denomination’s global decision-making body passed the Traditional Plan by a vote of 438–384. (RNS)