Methodists to Review Barring Gay Man
The highest court in the United Methodist Church will review its 2005 ruling that allowed a clergyman to bar a noncelibate gay man from joining a congregation. The Judicial Council will take up the issue when it convenes Wednesday, Oct. 27, through, Saturday, Oct. 30, in New Orleans, according to United Methodist News Service. The ruling five years ago came in the case of the Rev. Ed Johnson, who was senior pastor at South Hill United Methodist Church in Virginia. He had refused to allow a gay man, who said he was not celibate, to become a member of the congregation. Like many other Christian groups, Methodists are divided over how to interpret what the Bible says about same-sex relationships.
Read the full story from the Associated Press.
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If you are methodist, look up CWAC – church within a church, the gay supportive group within the methodist community.
this is the most conservative, but not nutcase, of the middle of the road christian churches.
And what we are seeing is the very beginnings of what will in perhaps 5 years split off most of the church from the old foggies, with minds stuck in the mud.
Looks like they can see the handwriting on the wall. Too bad that religion in general takes a decade or two to do what should take a week or two.
“we affirm that gay people are part of God’s creation, entitled to full respect and acceptance within our congregation…………..”
I was raised Methodist growing up. I was in the Youth Group for 5 years & I am a gay man now & so are 2 others that I just found out are also gay. Of course the church never new about us. I knew that 1 of the other guys in the Youth Group was gay, but wasn’t spoken about in those days. I had heard that the Methodist Church was more tolerant of Homosexuals now a days, but I guess not. I still consider myself Methodist & still attend services once a month. I was in the Youth Group back in the early to middle of the 1970’s & I see Lesbians/Gays at the services in the small town where I live. I would hope in 2010 the church would be more accepting.