Religion
Related: About this forumBREAKING: Methodist Church gives pastor 30 days to desist or give up credentials
Renee K. Gadoua
(RNS) A United Methodist jury Tuesday night gave a Pennsylvania pastor 30 days to agree not to break church law by presiding at future same-sex weddings or give up his clergy credentials.
The penalty was announced just before 9 p.m., in Spring City, Pa., after an emotional two-day church trial. On Monday, the Rev. Frank Schaefer was found guilty of violating church law by officiating at his sons 2007 wedding to another man.
The denominations Book of Discipline forbids the ordination of avowed homosexuals and bans clergy from officiating at same-sex marriages or holding such ceremonies in its churches. But a growing group of clergy and lay members oppose these rules and are ready to defy them. Schaefer is one of dozens, possibly hundreds, of clergy who have rebelled by performing gay weddings.
Tuesdays penalty was sure to raise the specter of schism within the 7.5-million-member denomination, the nations second largest Protestant group.
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/11/19/methodist-court-gives-pastor-30-days-desist-give-credentials/
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)immoderate
(20,885 posts)--imm
dimbear
(6,271 posts)The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother;
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I hope Reverend Schaefer has the requisite humanity to walk out that open door.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)The church might split.
dimbear
(6,271 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)This will put a wrinkle in those plans.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)was it just some local churches here and there?
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)Iggo
(47,552 posts)If that ain't the stupidest fucking thing.