United Methodist Pro-Life Witness

on December 19, 2018

“United Methodism like much of America is trending in a pro-life direction. Lifewatch has for decades been a courageous pro-life witness in the church during often challenging times but its perseverance is being vindicated. Bishop Whitaker’s early stance for life within United Methodism was a harbinger for which we are grateful.”   

-Mark Tooley, IRD President

Institute on Religion & Democracy Press Release
December 19, 2018
Contact: Chelsen Vicari, Cell: 540-239-2170, E-mail: cvicari@TheIRD.org

Who: Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion & Sexuality 
What: Worship service celebrating the sanctity of human life
Where: United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave., Washington, D.C.
When: January 18, 2019, 9:30 a.m. (EST)

Washington, D.C.—United Methodists are invited to gather for a special worship service in celebration of the sanctity of human life on the morning of the annual March for Life.

IRD will join the Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion & Sexuality, also known as Lifewatch, for the annual service of worship at 9:30 a.m., Friday, January 18, in the chapel of the United Methodist Building located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Washington, D.C. next to the United States Supreme Court.

Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker, Former Episcopal Leader of the Florida Area of the United Methodist Church and a leading Methodist voice on orthodoxy and life, will lead the service. In 2005, Bishop Whitaker made United Methodist history as the first U.S. bishop in modern times to give a major pro-life address.

Since then, the United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States, has made major strides in moving in a more pro-life direction. At the denomination’s 2016 General Conference, delegates repealed 40-year-old language affirming the Roe v. Wade court decision that struck down state laws restricting abortion. General Conference delegates also voted to require church boards and agencies to withdraw immediately from an organization that advocates for abortion on demand.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented: 

“United Methodism like much of America is trending in a pro-life direction. Lifewatch has for decades been a courageous pro-life witness in the church during often challenging times but its perseverance is being vindicated. Bishop Whitaker’s early stance for life within United Methodism was a harbinger for which we are grateful.”   

www.TheIRD.org

  1. Comment by William on December 19, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    These pro-life votes at the 2016 General Conference signal hope that the 2019 delegates will vote down this one church (local option) plan since they are essentially the same delegates. Also, no local option plan could even make it out of committee in 2016.

  2. Comment by David on December 19, 2018 at 5:52 pm

    Now if only God would be pro-life and not allow 75% of human conceptions to abort naturally.

  3. Comment by William on December 19, 2018 at 7:18 pm

    Wow, some statement. 10 to 20 percent of medically confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage. 75%, 20%, or 10% — an abortion and a miscarriage are unrelated with relation to human intent and involvement. An abortion is the intentional, planned, and deliberate taking of an innocent, defenseless, completely passive, obviously non-combatant human life by other humans after a medically confirmated pregnancy. And, it is done at the 100% discretion, purpose, and rationale of those submitting to it and those performing it.

  4. Comment by John Smith on January 3, 2019 at 8:42 am

    David, David, David, you have not lost your passion of overused, irrelevant, cliches. You would do better to show that the UMC is not a prolife denomination and supports abortion.

  5. Comment by Thomas on December 25, 2018 at 2:21 pm

    Its great to see the United Methodist Church going into the pro-life direction, but I would like to see Lifewatch also tackling the issue of euthanasia.

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