Pastor challenges UMC all-or-nothing ruling

 UMC chancel (Photo by PFAStudent) 

In the recent United Methodist Church trial of Rev. Frank Schaefer (because had had officiated his son's same-sex wedding in 2007), the crux of the matter seemed to lie with an all-or-nothing policy.

According to The Washington Post, the jury in this trial ruled that "Schaefer had to pledge to follow the United Methodist Book of Discipline 'in its entirety' or surrender his credentials at the end of his suspension."

All 467 pages of the 2012 edition of this book can be found online.  The "Table of Contents" covers a wide variety of topics, and in many

ways seems more detailed than the Bible itself.

What's interesting is that on page 3 of this volume it states:  "The editors, in consultation with the Judicial Council, shall also have the

authority to delete provisions of the Book of Discipline that have been ruled unconstitutional by the Judicial Council."

Schaefer appears to be hoping that his stance on gay marriages will influence the UMC "powers that be" to hit the delete button on some of their own decisions.  He stated:  "My conscience does not allow me to uphold the entire discipline because it contains discriminatory provisions and language that is harmful and hurtful to our homosexual brothers and sisters."

Schaefer is not alone in this hope.  The Washington Post reports that other UMC clergy are becoming

increasingly intolerant of all-or-nothing rulings. 

     

Resources

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pa-pastor-frank-schaefer-wont-quit-voluntarily/2013/12/16/d42d52a6-66a5-11e3-997b-9213b17dac97_story.html

http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/DynamicContent.aspx?id=87&pageid=920&tr=y&auid=9828173

Copyright December 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved