Amid rumors of a possible split, the United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the US, decided yet again to delay any decisions on whether to accept same-sex marriage or ordain LGBT clergy. The church voted instead to appoint a commission that would examine every paragraph of the denomination’s Book of Discipline to look for possible revisions regarding human sexuality. The issues have been controversial within the church ever since it first decided in 1972 that homosexuality was incompatible with Christian teaching:

MARK TOOLEY, Institute on Religion & Democracy: “If we want a healthy future for United Methodism, we need to reaffirm traditional Christian teachings.”

MATTHEW BERRYMAN, Reconciling Ministries Network: “It’s time for people to look beyond their narrow-minded readings of Holy Scripture and to see the Gospel of love that is embedded within that text, a Gospel that reaches to the ends of the earth for all people.”

The Methodists also considered expanding their role in what’s known as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, or BDS movement that seeks to pressure Israel. But the various proposals were rejected. Delegates did vote to withdraw from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a group that critics see as more anti-Israel than pro-peace.