Published: November 28, 2024
Monrovia – The suspended Vice President of the Bishop John G. Innis Graduate School of Professional Studies at the United Methodist University (UMU), Rev. Dr. Jerry P. Kulah, has vehemently rejected his suspension by Bishop Samuel Quire. Rev. Dr. Kulah accused the bishop of abusing authority to silence his strong opposition to same-sex marriage and the teaching of regionalization within United Methodist Churches in Liberia.
Rev. Dr. Kulah’s suspension, effective immediately, followed recommendations from the investigative committee and the Church Counsel of the Board of Ordained Ministry. The suspension was based on alleged violations of Paragraph 2702.1 (c, d, e, & f) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) Discipline.
According to the investigative report, Rev. Dr. Kulah was accused of undermining UMC teachings, unity, and policies by promoting the agenda of the Global Methodist Church (GMC). Among the allegations, he was said to have prioritized the GMC’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline over the UMC’s Book of Discipline 2016.
However, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, in Monrovia, Rev. Dr. Kulah refuted the allegations, describing them as tactics by Bishop Quire to marginalize pastors who oppose the bishop’s alleged push for same-sex marriage and regionalization. Kulah accused the bishop of attempting to keep the church hostage and enforce his personal agenda.
“Bishop Quire, as Presiding Bishop over the Liberia Annual Conference, is not a member of the Liberia Annual Conference and does not have any authority to decide anything for the Liberia Annual Conference that the conference itself has not decided,” Rev. Dr. Kulah declared.
He further accused Bishop Quire of trying to incorporate the United States’ definition of marriage—between a man and a woman or between two consenting adults—into the teachings of UMU Liberia. Kulah argued that such teachings directly contradict the doctrine of the Holy Bible, which recognizes marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman.
“Because I’ve been standing in opposition to Bishop Quire’s plan to force the church into endorsing same-sex marriage and legalizing regionalization, he has chosen to suspend me as the Vice President for the Bishop John G. Innis Graduate School of Professional Studies,” Rev. Dr. Kulah said. He described his suspension as a witch-hunt and a disadvantage to students at the institution who have paid for their education.
Rev. Dr. Kulah also called on like-minded clergy to reject what he termed as “unbiblical dealings” and urged Bishop Quire to abandon his efforts to impose such practices. “Same-sex marriage, LGBTQ, and regionalization were practices passed by the General Conference in the U.S.,” he said.
He emphasized that the Liberia Annual Conference, slated for early 2025, has not yet convened to decide whether or not to endorse these practices. He maintained that the bishop has no legal authority to demand their adoption.
“We are telling the bishop: Bishop, we cannot endorse same-sex marriage, we cannot endorse regionalization because we cannot regionalize the church; we cannot regionalize sin, and we cannot regionalize the Bible,” he emphasized.
Rev. Dr. Kulah also noted that such practices contradict Liberian laws and values, which are distinct from those in the United States and Europe.
“But I want to tell the bishop today, and all United Methodists listening to me, that the action of the bishop is illegal. I thereby reject this suspension, okay? I remain an active elder in full connection, and he has no authority to stop me from preaching, teaching, and counseling,” Rev. Dr. Kulah asserted.
He vowed to continue fulfilling his pastoral duties, claiming that only God has the authority to revoke his ministry. “The only person that can stop me is the Lord Jesus Christ, who has called me to ministry—not Bishop Quire, who has abandoned biblical teachings for liberal and progressive teachings,” he declared.
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