Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a case arising out of Seattle, the highest court of the United Methodist Church has affirmed that the denomination’s Book of Discipline forbids the appointment of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" as church pastors.
However, in a small victory for gay pastors, the nine-member Judicial Council ruled a bishop cannot strip away such an appointment without going through established church procedures that are designed to give pastors due process.
The decision released Monday unifies both the judicial and legislative branches of the nation’s third-largest denomination against accepting gay pastors.
The United Methodist General Conference, which sets policy for the denomination, voted last year to maintain its doctrine that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching."
The panel said a Seattle minister’s statement that she is "living in a partnered, covenanted homosexual relationship with another woman" is sufficient to merit a review of her status as a minister.
However, the council said a bishop cannot deny a ministerial appointment based solely on such a declaration. It affirmed established church procedures to ensure that a pastor gets a full hearing on whether he or she has broken church law and is therefore no longer a minister in good standing.
In the meantime, the bishop should suspend the minister and relieve the clergy member from ministerial duties while "proceedings are conducted to address the issues of character and conference relations according to fair and due process," the council said.
The council’s rulings were in response to questions submitted by the denomination’s Pacific Northwest Conference, which includes Washington and northern Idaho, after its local bishop denied ministerial appointments to two Seattle pastors who revealed their homosexuality.
Bishop Elias Galvan said the council’s "statements are enough for us to begin the process of looking into (the two pastors’) character and standing in the conference."
However, in keeping with due process, Galvan said he will appoint the Rev. Mark Williams to his previous congregation and will find an appointment for the Rev. Karen Dammann, who has been on family leave from the ministry and currently lives in Massachusetts. The bishop then plans to seek their suspension.
Williams denounced the decision at a news conference Monday in Seattle.
"It means that me and those like me are probably on a short track to being kicked out of ministry," he said. "I’m real sad about that, but I’m not willing to give up or stop advocating for myself and for all who are in this with me."
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