This week in Christian history: Samuel Ferguson elected bishop, UMC labels homosexuality ‘incompatible with Christian teaching’

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Sunday, April 20, 2025

UMC says homosexuality 'incompatible with Christian teaching' – April 26, 1972

Delegates to the United Methodist Church's 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh hold hands prior to a vote affirming unity in the church. The resolution on unity followed several days of contentious debate on the issue of homosexuality. A UMNS photo by M

This week marks the anniversary of when The United Methodist Church voted to add language to its rule book declaring that homosexuality was “incompatible with Christian teaching.”

At the UMC General Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, which had approximately 1,000 delegates present, the denomination voted to add the language to its Book of Discipline.

Over the next half-century, divisive debate would occur within the UMC over whether to eliminate the language and other rules prohibiting the blessing of same-sex unions.

Refusals on the part of many progressive clergy to enforce or follow the rules eventually led to thousands of member congregations voting to disaffiliate from the denomination.

At the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, held after this widespread disaffiliation, delegates voted to remove the “incompatible” language from the Book of Discipline.

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