Silverio Omari
A deadly religious schism in Nigeria has resulted in the death of a church member and two young children, with homes burned in the conflict, according to the United Methodist News Service.
The violence reportedly erupted on Sunday due to tensions stemming from the United Methodist Church’s decision to repeal bans on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage, which led to the formation of the conservative Global Methodist Church.
In Taraba, a state in northeast Nigeria, a United Methodist Church member was fatally shot during a confrontation between the two factions. The arson attack claimed the lives of two children, aged 2 and 4, who were the offspring of a United Methodist school overseer. Additionally, 10 church members sustained injuries, the news service reported.
Earlier this year, the Global Methodist Church, formed by breakaway conservative churches, held its inaugural general conference. The split followed the United Methodist Church’s May decision to lift longstanding LGBTQ bans while allowing local conferences to set their own policies. The West Africa Central Conference, which includes Nigeria, continues to restrict marriage to heterosexual unions and adheres to national laws on LGBTQ issues.
Local United Methodist bishops condemned the violence in a statement, emphasizing that retaliation must be avoided.
“We are outraged that such an atrocity would occur among Christians, especially brothers and sisters who were once part of the same Methodist family,” the statement read.
They also urged Global Methodist Church members to immediately cease any violence and avoid spreading misinformation that could incite further unrest.
The Global Methodist Church’s Assembly of Bishops responded by announcing an investigation into the incident, expressing sorrow over the loss of life.
“We mourn the loss of human life, decry the use of violence in any form, and call on both Global Methodists and United Methodists to serve as agents of peace,” the bishops said.
Dj Vnyash
