United Methodist Church bishops in Africa have reaffirmed their stance that marriage is to be defined exclusively as a union of one man and one woman.
The UMC Africa College of Bishops held their official gathering in Luanda, Angola, earlier this month, and released a statement expressing positions on multiple issues.
Under the section titled “Biblical Understanding of Marriage,” the bishops reaffirmed their stance in favor of traditional marriage, even though at last year’s UMC General Conference, the global denomination voted to remove the ban on blessing same-sex unions.
“We uphold our long-standing theological and cultural understanding that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman, in accordance with Scripture (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5),” stated the African bishops.
“This view is consistent with our biblical convictions, African traditions, and the laws of our respective nations. We remain committed to practicing and teaching a holistic Christian sexual ethic rooted in Scripture and discipleship.”
The bishops also affirmed their support for the UMC’s regionalization proposal, which would allow different regional bodies of the UMC to have their own rules regarding marriage and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.
“We believe that regionalization is a faithful and strategic path forward — allowing each region to carry out ministry in ways that reflect its cultural, social, and theological context,” they stated.
The statement, which also celebrated the election of nine new UMC episcopal leaders in Africa, was officially signed by 14 active bishops and three retired bishops.
The gathering was also called the African Colleges of Bishops, reported UM News, as each conference in Africa — East Africa, Mid Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa — has its own college of bishops.
For decades, the UMC debated whether to change its Book of Discipline to allow for same-sex marriage, the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals, and the funding of LGBT advocacy groups.
During these debates at General Conference every four years, African delegates were a key factor in defeating the theologically progressive changes to the denominational rules.
Last year, however, after over 7,000 mostly conservative churches left the UMC, General Conference delegates voted to remove the marriage and ordination bans, as well as erase a statement from the Book of Discipline declaring homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."
Although many UMC African leaders have stated they will continue to uphold the biblical standards, many within Africa have left the denomination over the General Conference's votes.
Shortly after the 2024 General Conference ended, the West Africa-based Côte d'Ivoire Conference, which has a reported 1 million members, voted to disaffiliate from the UMC.
Ongoing conflict has existed within the UMC Liberia Episcopal Area, where many within the regional body have tried to get the conference to affiliate with the Global Methodist Church.
In August, a Liberian court ruled that the UMC, not the breakaway group seeking to join the GMC, rightfully owned several church properties within the African nation.
