Sound-doctrine Methodists will be the ones staying

After the recent conference on sexuality, there was some speculation as to which camp - the Traditional Plan folks or the ones who wanted to go the way of the Presbyterians and Episcopalians - would be the ones to set the terms for the other side in the event of a split.

Now we know:

On Friday, the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church (UMC) — the denomination's highest court — upheld the key provisions of the Traditional Plan, the conservative policy upholding traditional Christian teaching on sexuality, and upheld the "Gracious Exit" policy, enabling dissenting liberal churches to leave while still holding on to their property.

These decisions finalize an unprecedented move in increasingly liberal mainline Protestant denominations. The Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) have rejected the traditional Christian teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman and that homosexual activity is sinful. Liberals in the UMC wanted that denomination to move in that direction, as well.

Yet in February, in a special meeting of the UMC General Conference, the denomination passed the conservative alternative. White liberals accused black Africans of using bribery to uphold the traditional Christian teachings, but no evidence of any such activity came to light. No, the conservative position prevailed, fair and square.

I'm not a Methodist on paper, but I've been attending a small country UMC church for about four years. The congregation put me on the search committee, as our current pastor is leaving in early June. We're interviewing a candidate Thursday evening. I'll be keenly attuned to any clues as to how this person comes down on this matter.