By Festus Poquie
Crisis is widespread within the United Methodist Church in Liberia as leaders protesting the recent decision to lift the ban on same-sex marriage faced arrests during a demonstration in Paynesville.
Rev. Dr. Jerry Kulah, a founding member of the breakaway Global Methodist Church, was among those detained along with several church members, as they rallied against the church’s transformation under the newly adopted policies of the United Methodist Church. They were later released and scheduled for police questioning Monday.
The protest unfolded at the 72nd United Methodist Church, where the group opposed Bishop Samuel Quire’s determination to retain control over church properties in light of widespread dissent and secession.
Police responded to the gathering with teargas and arrests, igniting further unrest among congregations nationwide.
Dr. Kulah, a prominent critic of the United Methodist Church’s doctrinal shift concerning LGBTQ issues, expressed his discontent after his release.
He alleges Bishop Quire has reneged on consensus among Liberian Methodist leaders to sever ties with the U.S. and other conferences should the church recognize same-sex marriage.
Kulah condemned the new doctrine as contrary to biblical and traditional church practices, hence the division and confusion among members.
“We are not a gay church,” shouted one worshiper, reflecting the sentiments of many who oppose the shift in policy. Despite the protests, Bishop Quire has maintained that the United Methodist Church in Liberia does not acknowledge same-sex marriage.
The unrest is not limited to Paynesville. Reports of clashes have surfaced in Buchanan and intensified police presence was noted at the Miller McAllister United Methodist Church in Ganta, Nimba County.
The dispute in Ganta centers on competing claims for church properties, with the Global Methodist Church asserting ownership and disrupting regular activities of the United Methodist congregation.
In the New Georgia suburb of Monrovia, worshippers gathered outside the building for church service.
The vote to remove the ban on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy by United Methodist delegates on May 1, 2024, marked a historic shift for the denomination, reversing decades of anti-LGBTQ policies.
The decision allows clergy to perform same-sex weddings and ordain LGBTQ ministers while imposing a moratorium on discipline for violations of the new guidelines.
However, the implementation of a “regionalization” plan that allows geographic regions to create their own regulations regarding LGBTQ issues raises concerns about the future unity of the church, particularly in areas like Africa where such practices are widely opposed and even criminalized.
