Drag queens and the coming Methodist schism

Support for boundless sexual license is leading to a denominational breakup
Pastor Duke called his HBO experience in drag not only “worshipful” but an “incredibly wonderful, refreshing, deepening, powerful spiritual experience.” He explained his drag performance as solidarity with his “pansexual” daughter. Duke is now to be reassigned to a new church, but he is not the only Methodist doing drag.
All of these episodes explain the moral revolution that is about to split the Methodist Church. Much of United Methodism has been questioning historic Christian teaching about sex for over 50 years. The church’s governing General Conference has repeatedly reaffirmed traditional sexual morality since 1972. In 2019 a special General Conference called by the bishops to liberalize instead strengthened penalties for defiance. This traditionalist victory, enabled by the denomination’s growth in Africa, where Methodism is theologically and morally very traditional, stunned liberals and persuaded many that organized schism was necessary.