Heather Warren, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia, said the Methodist Church has a growing number of pro-gay members but was still more divided than other denominations, such as the Episcopal Church or United Church of Christ. "Definitely in comparison to some of the other mainline churches, it is still more polarized," she said, adding that the debate often plays out through trials or at individual churches that have committed to promoting gay rights rather than on an international level.