The Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) has announced it had severed all ties with its British counterpart over the latter’s approval of same-sex marriage.
The church’s decision was disclosed in a statement released by its Director, Media and Public Relations, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, in Lagos on July 2.
Daramola said that the Church expressed its displeasure over the decision of the British Church on same-sex marriage.
According to him, the position of MCN was made known by its Prelate, His Eminence Chukwumerije Kanu-Uche, in a message he shared with members of the church on Friday.
He said Kanu-Uche announced that MCN was cutting formal ties with the British Methodist Church (BMC) due to the latter’s decision to vote in favour of same sex marriage at the just-concluded conference.
He said that what the British Methodist Conference had done was predicted by John Wesley that, “a time will come when the Methodist Church will exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion and denying the power thereof unless they continue with the spiritual fervency with which they first started.”
The prelate reminded the members that the British Methodist Church was no longer the mother Church of MCN.
“She is only a sister Church. MCN gained autonomy in 1962 and became autocephalous in 1963. So, we can part ways with the British Conference and have nothing to lose. I only pity those romancing with them because of pecuniary interest.
Suggestion to write or visit the British Methodist Conference is an insult on Methodist church.’
As a remedial measure let every Bishop, and Archbishop tell our members that MCN does not support gay or same-sex marriage,’’ Kanu-Uche said.
