TWELVE senior pastors from the United Methodist Church (UMC) have resigned in protest over the church`s recent decision to remove its long-standing condemnation of homosexuality.
The resignations follow last year’s General Conference of the United Methodist Church in the United States, where church leadership voted 523-161 to revise its Social Principles.
The decision removed language that deemed homosexuality “incompatible with Christian teaching” and allowed for the ordination and appointment of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.”
The Zimbabwean delegation opposed the vote.
Speaking at a Ppress conference in Harare this morning, Reverend Forbes Matonga confirmed the resignations, stating that the church`s new stance no longer aligns with Christian teachings.
“Rev Forbes Matonga, and the elders of the church here present, have resigned from the United Methodist Church with immediate effect because we do not believe the direction the United Methodist Church has decided to take at its last General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, in The United States of America in May 2024.
“Now your beloved church fully embraces this sin and even celebrates it as God’s gift,ñ said Rev Matonga.
“We cannot be in a church where homosexuality is not only tolerated. Bishops of The United Methodist Church are Bishops of the whole church. So those gay Bishops in The United States of America are our Bishops.
“We believe sin knows no racial, national, ethnic or tribal boundaries. It is a universal human condition.
“The same is true with Righteousness. God is Holy. God and cannot be domesticated by human beings be they white, black or brown. We reject the de-classification of the Sin of homosexuality through a smokescreen called regionalization
One of the clergy members, who resigned, Pastor Maria Masamba, expressed her concerns, stating that accepting homosexuality would be considered sinful and taboo, potentially hindering Zimbabwe’s growth and productivity.
“If we start to normalise homosexual relationships within the church, what does that mean for the future of our families, our communities, and the world? It’s not about being old-fashioned or close-minded; it’s about preserving the human race,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gwinyai Muzorewa, a resigning Reverend and leader of the United African National Congress (UANC), also stated that embracing homosexuality in Zimbabwe would be equivalent to accepting colonialism.
Muzorewa a prominent cleric in the church expressed confidence in Matonga’s leadership amid the transition.
“As a nation, we must recognize that embracing homosexuality would be a betrayal of our African values and surrender to the toxic legacy of colonialism.
“I have no doubt that Reverend Matonga is the right person to provide the guidance and spiritual direction that many believers are seeking during this time of uncertainty.
“The church must remain rooted in biblical teachings while addressing contemporary challenges,” Muzorewa said.
