BOB ABERNETHY: The wave of summer church conventions is coming to an end. Three of the nation's largest and most influential mainline Protestant denominations -- the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, and the Presbyterian Church USA -- all met this year. Because of their differing meeting schedules, that happens only once every 12 years. The three are all deeply divided over issues surrounding homosexuality. Kim Lawton has our report on where things stand after the meetings.KIM LAWTON: For much of American mainline Protestantism, it's been a summer of discontent. Similar scenes were played out over and over again: national church bodies coming together and often leaving far apart, particularly over issues surrounding homosexuality.
Mr. DAVID ANDERSON (RELIGION NEWS SERVICE): They are deeply divided. It's a matter that goes to principle, and it goes to the deepest parts of people's personality, and they don't know how to resolve it.
LAWTON: For all the fevered buildup, there were no dramatic policy changes. Delegates to the just-concluded General Convention of the Episcopal Church very narrowly rejected a proposal to create liturgical rights to bless same-sex unions, but they did approve a resolution expressing support for all unmarried couples in monogamous, committed relationships.The Presbyterian Church USA narrowly approved a measure banning the blessing of same-sex unions, a measure that still must be ratified by a majority of the denomination's local presbyteries.
And despite vigorous debate, United Methodists reaffirmed the church's position that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, but the issue is far from settled for any of them.
Professor MARTIN MARTY (Church Historian): I think the fact that people go home saying, "Not much has happened" might be an accidental strategy that's the best thing you could hope for; that is, if you really try to settle it decisively now, you would have brutal upheaval within the denominations.LAWTON: For all three denominations, the debates were often emotional.
Unidentified Woman: I hope all of the commissioners will bear in mind that we are all Presbyterian Christians here. We all uphold the authority of Scripture, or we wouldn't be here.
Unidentified Man #1: There's confusion now. We need to clear that up.
LAWTON: And there was a new dimension this year.
(Footage of group singing)
LAWTON: Protests and acts of civil disobedience that were organized by Soulforce, a Christian gay-rights organization that mobilized supporters in each of the denominations. Longtime observers say the meetings show the depth of the anger, anguish, and frustration now permeating many mainline churches.Mr. ANDERSON: Conservatives feel that biblical principles are at risk and that they are about to be tossed aside to accommodate to a secular culture. Liberals feel angry because they see justice being denied. And many people, I think, in both those wings and in the middle oftentimes feel frustrated because they see this debate as getting in the way of the other work of the church.
LAWTON: Individual church members and even a few congregations have been leaving their denominations because of these ideological differences.
Mr. ANDERSON: There's still a great deal of denominational loyalty, but on a practical and pragmatic level, one might say that property and pension oftentimes trump principle. It's very difficult for a congregation to leave a denomination and take its property with them. It's very difficult for a pastor to leave a denomination and take his or her pension with them.
Professor NANCY AMMERMAN (Hartford Seminary): Most of the congregations within the mainline are not polarized either left or right; they're divided internally over these issues. And for most of them, it's not so much that it's a contentious issue, it's that they're really working their way through it. They're not yet sure where they're going to come out.
Unidentified Man #3: This is my body broken for you.
