Mainline Denominations

“Since deaths only increased by 6.4 percent (1,522 total) the net loss primarily appears to be rooted in individual departures from the denomination and a significant reduction in new baptisms.” - IRD

“The United Methodist Church has once again postponed its quadrennial meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delaying further a widely anticipated vote by delegates from across the globe on a proposal to split the denomination over the inclusion of LGBTQ members.” - BPNews

“In orders released Monday, the high court denied certiorari in the combined cases of All Saints’ Episcopal Church v. Diocese of Fort Worth and The Episcopal Church et al. v. Diocese of Fort Worth.

“Americans may need to get used to this kind of syncretism, which is not at all unusual among United Methodists, other mainline Protestants, and liberal Catholics. Because now that progressives are in political power and evangelicalism is discredited for its alliance with Donald Trump, liberal Christianity might be coming back into vogue.” - Veith

“ ‘The timeline of the Holy Spirt is driving our decision to launch LMX at this moment, and we are responding to that call,’ the Rev. Althea Spencer-Miller said during a presentation Sunday evening following the denomination’s first online worship service.” - RNS

“The stakes are high. The coming General Conference faces multiple proposals to resolve longtime debate over homosexuality by splitting the denomination along theological lines.” - C.Leaders

“At the United Methodist Church, money’s tight, factions are readying exits, and social justice takes priority in witness. However, the denomination’s ‘traditionalists’ — so named for their support for the accuracy and authority of the Bible, especially regarding LGBT marriage and clergy — are growing in number and telling others how Jesus saves.” - CPost

“A Title IV Hearing Panel, which focuses on issues of ecclesiastical discipline when a clergy is accused of misconduct, released a unanimous opinion last Friday finding Love guilty.” - C.Post

“In a report released Thursday, Pew found that 80% of evangelicals surveyed had a teenage child who shared their religious identification; 81% of Catholic respondents reported the same. However, mainline Protestant respondents … 55%.” - C.Post

“From 2018 to 2019, PC(USA) went from approximately 1,352,000 active members to approximately 1,302,000 members….The number of congregations belonging to PC(USA) also declined, going from 9,161 in 2018 to 9,041 in 2019. This is around 400 fewer congregations than the denomination had in 2016.” - CPost