Some of 2022’s biggest stories for evangelicals are slow-drip trends that we’ve seen developing over several years, from the coronavirus fallout to the rise of nondenominational churches. We picked some important moments this past year that crystallized these trends.
In 2020, the United Methodist Church agreed on a plan for conservative churches to amicably split from the denomination over LGBT issues. But after the denomination twice delayed meeting to vote on the plan, conservative churches went ahead this year with launching their breakaway denomination, Global Methodist Church.
Russia began a full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, committing atrocities in Ukraine that pastors responded to, and driving refugees to the US. CT’s Sophia Lee was on the ground in Ukraine and Poland covering the local church’s response to war and refugees.
3. The Rise of Nondenominational Churches
If “nondenominational” were a denomination, it would be the largest Protestant one, claiming more than 13 percent of churchgoers in America. Every Protestant denomination has declined except those who say they are nondenominational.
2. Southern Baptist Convention Abuse Report and Department of Justice Inquiry
After 49 years of evangelical pro-life activism against the US Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, the court overturned Roe in its June ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. With abortion legalization now in the hands of states, the ruling led to political turmoil and debates within the pro-life movement about strategy after Dobbs.
Check out the rest of our 2022 year-end lists here.