When the United Methodist Church removed anti-gay language from its official rules last week, it marked the end of a half-century of debates over LGBTQ inclusion in America's mainline Protestant denominations. The moves sparked joy from progressive delegates, but the church faces many of the same challenges as the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Episcopal denominations that took similar routes over the past few decades. There have been schisms, and strained relations with international churches. And each of the mainline denominations faces the long-term aging and shrinking of their memberships.
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