MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Dr. Muriel V. Nelson, President of the Women’s Division of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Liberia, has stepped down from her post and withdrawn from the church entirely, citing what she described as a troubling shift in its core doctrines.
Her resignation follows the Liberia Annual Conference’s recent endorsement of regionalization, which aligns with the broader UMC decision to affirm same-sex marriage, ordain openly homosexual clergy, and redefine traditional Christian teachings on sexuality.
In her resignation letter to both the Liberia Annual Conference and the West Africa Central Conference Women, Dr. Nelson stated that the spiritual unity of the women’s fellowship has been fractured by these decisions. She pointed to a growing divide among members, with some remaining under new platforms such as BeUMC, IMC, and GMC, while others have quietly left the denomination in search of spiritual peace.
“The decision to part ways with the United Methodist Church is not in response to any administrative issue,” she clarified. “It is a deeply prayerful and spiritual decision rooted in biblical conviction.”
Dr. Nelson reminded church leaders that while the women’s ministry operates autonomously, it has always remained grounded in the larger mission of the church. She expressed concern over what she sees as unfamiliar doctrinal changes being ushered in during the new quadrennial.
“I can no longer serve in an executive role under a rebranded UMC that no longer aligns with my faith and conscience,” she wrote.
Dr. Nelson is now encouraging other women across local congregations and districts to make their own prayerful decisions about how best to serve God amid what she views as a critical spiritual turning point in the church’s history.
