United Methodist bishop among Christians speaking out against extrajudicial deaths in drug war.

By Gladys Mangiduyos
Sept. 6, 2016 | QUEZON CITY, Philippines (UMNS)

United Methodists in the Philippines are among the religious groups expressing alarm over the rising death toll in the “war on drugs” instituted by that nation’s president.

A Sept. 2 statement from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, of which United Methodist Bishop Rodolfo Juan of the Manila area is a vice chairperson, recognized “the buoyed hopes of the people” over President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to eradicate corruption and make reforms but added, “the killings of alleged drug pushers must stop.”

Earlier, on Aug. 31, United Methodists joined in a Read more →

Judicial Council will review a petition on the election of first gay bishop for The United Methodist Church when it meets in April 2017.

By Linda Bloom
Aug. 22, 2016 | NEW YORK (UMNS)

A petition requesting a declaratory decision on the election of a lesbian bishop will be considered by the United Methodist Judicial Council next spring.

The petition from the denomination’s South Central Jurisdiction will be part of the council’s Spring 2017 meeting docket, its executive committee decided last week while meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, for orientation. Five new members of the nine-member Judicial Council were elected at General Conference 2016 in May.

Bishop Karen Oliveto, a married lesbian who previously was Read more →