Conflicting Reports Emerge Over Alleged Dissolution of United Methodist Church in Guinea

Confusion and controversy have erupted following widespread reports that the Guinean government and the country’s Council of Churches have dissolved the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Guinea, citing its affiliation with the global UMC’s recent endorsement of same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy. However, authorities of the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC), which supervises the Guinea circuit, have denied the report as false, misleading, and legally unfounded. According to sources in Guinea, the decision to revoke the UMC’s legal permit to operate was based on recommendations from the Guinean Council of Churches. The Council reportedly conducted a formal investigation following the global UMC’s controversial resolutions concerning homosexuality and same-sex marriage, which were adopted earlier this year. The Council concluded that the global church’s position contradicted national religious and cultural values, prompting it to advise the Guinean government to take action. Authorities in Guinea reportedly responded by dissolving the UMC’s legal status and revoking its operational license under the LAC. The decision has allegedly affected nineteen (19) UMC churches operating within Guinea under the Liberia Annual Conference. Adding to the tensions, Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., head of the UMC in Liberia, was reportedly denied entry into Guinea on two separate occasions—a move that raised diplomatic concerns, given Bishop Quire’s standing as a religious leader and a citizen of an ECOWAS member state. The developments have prompted some UMC members in Guinea to participate in the Convening Conference of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) currently being held in Ganta, Nimba County, Liberia. The GMC, a breakaway denomination formed in response to the global UMC’s stance on human sexuality, is reportedly set to welcome members of the Guinean circuit into its fold in the coming weeks. The GMC Conference, under the theme "Growing Christian Discipline for the Transformation of the Church and Society," is bringing together hundreds of believers from across Liberia and neighboring countries. Presided over by Bishop John Pena Auta, the GMC was officially launched in February 2025 and now claims over 150 churches nationwide, with plans to expand into unreached communities. Despite mounting reports, the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church has firmly denied that it has been dissolved in Guinea or that its properties have been seized. “This information is misleading and far from the truth,” said an official statement from the LAC/UMC. “Only the United Methodist Church has the ecclesiastical authority to dissolve its own structures not any government or council unless the church has violated national laws, which we categorically deny.” “We remain fully in charge of our properties and ministries in the Republic of Guinea,” the statement added. The LAC further emphasized that while the global UMC’s recent decisions have caused internal theological disagreements, it remains a united body with legitimate operations in Guinea until legally and ecclesiastically decided otherwise. The situation continues to attract widespread attention across West Africa, particularly within religious communities grappling with the implications of the global UMC’s evolving doctrines. Church leaders, legal observers, and diplomatic stakeholders are closely monitoring developments as tensions mount between traditional faith communities and modern theological shifts. As of now, there has been no official public statement from the Guinean government on the reported revocation, and UMC Liberia officials say they are engaging with relevant authorities to clarify and resolve the issue.