Posted on 04/29/2005 9:06:16 AM PDT by RobertP
Methodists to Reinstate Defrocked Minister Updated: Friday, Apr. 29, 2005 - 11:51 AM
By FOSTER KLUG Associated Press Writer
LINTHICUM, Md. (AP) - The United Methodist Church reversed itself Friday, deciding to reinstate a lesbian minister who was defrocked after revealing her relationship with another woman.
A church panel voted 8 to 1 to set aside an earlier decision to defrock Irene "Beth" Stroud for violating the church's ban on openly gay clergy.
The Philadelphia minister said she was relieved by the ruling and hopes the church will become more inclusive to people regardless of sexual orientation.
After Stroud disclosed the relationship to her congregation two years ago, the church defrocked her, meaning that she could no longer serve communion or baptize anyone. She kept the title of associate minister and worked in a lay capacity at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia.
"The church is not free to disregard the standards of justice and inclusiveness that are preached by Jesus Christ ... and are a part of church law," Stroud said after church authorities read their decision at a hotel.
"The ruling gives us hope that the United Methodist Church has the resources to do justice," she said.
If you read the official church doctrine, homosexuality is specifically condemned. Your logic is tantamount to blaming the US for the actions of the 9th appeals court. If they outlaw the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance, we should all move to Mexico. Jumping to the Catholic Church is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Thank you. I'll check them out.
Thank you for your kind thoughts, but I believe I will stay true to my pledge to honor the United Methodist Church. Besides all that incense and statue worship just turns me off.
As in de facto approval by Cardinal Law and others in Catholic leadership's apparent approval of homosexual priests.
What a fine Christian thought from an obviously fine,(sic) Christian man.
Do the same my brother.
That crazy Zacharias, father of John the Baptist! What was he doing with all that incense while worshipping God? What frippery!
The Book of Revelation: And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
And those Angels, worshipping God with INCENSE! That's so, so. . CATHOLIC of them!
By the way, we Catholics don't "worship" statues, a point that is addressed at least once a day on Free Republic. Peace be with you anyway, Axel, but please try to know what you're talking about when it comes to the Catholic Church. It's apparent you don't.
Amen!!!
agreed. simple and well put.
I will refer you to post number 161 to you, which I think is a most accurate statement.
If you read the official church doctrine ( of the United Methodist Church), homosexuality is specifically condemned. Your logic is tantamount to blaming the US for the actions of the 9th appeals court. If they outlaw the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance, we should all move to Mexico. Jumping to the Catholic Church is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Good luck and may God bless you in your personal fight to save the UMC from the apostates.
As has been previously pointed out, the Methodist Church does not have an official head, such as a Pope. The closest thing Methodists have to a sole leader is our Book of Discipline. And that book of discipline specifically condems homosexual behavior.
That being said, I would like to offer an extended apology as per my cheap shot comments. I am married to a Catholic girl and about twice a month we attend Mass and the other two weeks of the month we attend the Methodist Church. So I certainly knew better, than my comments would indicate.
Correction. I need to learn to proof read, I meant to say that the actions will NOT spread any further.
That part I can't disagree with. Law is more guilty than Geoghan IMHO. As to the rest it is tripe.
Reinstatement does not reverse church's standards, bishops say
May. 2, 2005
WASHINGTON (UMNS) - A decision to reinstate a United Methodist pastor
who lost her clergy credentials in December under church law concerning
the practice of homosexuality "does not in any way reverse the standards
in our Book of Discipline," according to the denomination's Council of
Bishops.
In a statement issued May 1 as the bishops gathered for their spring
meeting in Washington, the council's executive committee said the April
29 decision of the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals was
based on legal error, not lack of evidence. "This means that the reasons
for the guilty verdict were not questioned, but the case was reversed on
two questions of legal process," the statement said.
Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud of Philadelphia appealed her case after a
trial court of the United Methodist Church's Eastern Pennsylvania Annual
(regional) Conference found her guilty on Dec. 2 of violating church
law, which forbids the ordination and appointment of "self-avowed
practicing homosexuals."
Stroud continued to work at First United Methodist Church of Germantown
in Philadelphia as a lay person when the court stripped her of her
clergy credentials. She had informed her congregation in April 2003 that
she was living in a committed relationship with another woman,
In its ruling, the appeals committee set aside both the verdict and
penalty, which automatically reinstated Stroud to clergy status. It
upheld part of the trial court's finding but overturned the verdict in
an 8-1 vote, citing legal errors in the trial.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference has 30 days to file an appeal of the
committee's decision to the Judicial Council, the denomination's supreme
court.
In an April 29 statement Bishop Marcus Matthews, who presides over the
conference, said, "We will now take time to thoroughly and thoughtfully
digest the Committee on Appeals decision and will take into
consideration United Methodist Church law and Judicial Council rulings
as we consider our options and make a decision on how to proceed."
The Council of Bishops encouraged church members "to be patient with the
important legal processes involved" and pointed out that the appeal
process "is an important part of our Book of Discipline."
The full statement follows:
As the Council of Bishops gathers today in Washington, DC for our spring
meeting, we will continue to focus on "Making disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world." Most of our meeting will center
upon sharpening this focus, including sharing reports from each bishop's
Area about our progress in making disciples.
However, the announcement of the results of the hearing by the
Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals in the Beth Stroud case
has been received, and we as the Executive Committee of the Council of
Bishops want to encourage all United Methodists to be patient with the
important legal processes involved.
The Northeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Appeals has reversed the
Stroud trial decision based upon some technicalities. It also found
that "the evidence in support of the charge was overwhelming and would
be sustained in the absence of a legal error." The committee concluded
that "legal error vitiates the verdict on two independent grounds." This
means that the reasons for the guilty verdict were not questioned, but
the case was reversed on two questions of legal process. The Eastern
Pennsylvania Conference has thirty days to appeal this decision.
The decision of the Northeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Appeals does
not in any way reverse the standards in our Book of Discipline. In fact,
the appeal process is an important part of our Book of Discipline.
We as the Executive Committee of the Council, affirm our commitment to
uphold all of the provisions of our Book of Discipline, while inviting
everyone to join us in patience and prayer for a just and fair outcome.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.