United Methodist Bishop drops all charges..calls for end of “disciplining”..who perform gay weddings

Patheos ^ | March 10, 2014 | John Shore

[C19fan]

Last October Dr. Thomas Ogletree (above), a clergyman in the United Methodist Church (UMC), performed the wedding ceremony for his gay son. UMC pastors are not supposed to marry gay couples, family members or otherwise. They’re instead supposed to believe what their Book of Discipline (which is to the UMC what, say, the Tax Code Book is to the IRS) tells them to believe, which is that “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

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So guess what happened this morning instead of the trial of Thomas Ogletree? The UMC bishop overseeing the trial dropped all charges against the pastor. And he didn’t just drop them, either. He turned them into a huge brass bell he used to ring what will likely be remembered as the death knell of the anti-gay policy of the largest mainline Christian denomination in the world.

[Genoa]

The UMC Discipline (2012 edition) reflects the latest vote, which was against gay "marriage" and against ordaining practicing homosexuals. BUT it means very little if not enforced. The bishop is defying the Discipline. But don't hold your breath waiting for action to be taken against him.

[Genoa]

Alas, the most likely outcome is that the vote in 2016 will reverse the vote in 2012 that continued the prohibition of same-sex "weddings" and ordinations of practicing homosexuals. Then comes the mass exodus of conservatives (what's left of them) from the UMC.

[thackney]

Alas, the most likely outcome is that the vote in 2016 will reverse the vote in 2012 that continued the prohibition of same-sex "weddings" and ordinations of practicing homosexuals.

I've heard that claim many times of many years. I don't see it happening. World wide, the UMC continues to grow stronger against it.

[AppyPappy]

I wonder if he’ll take up the Discipline if he finds a layman performing those marriages.

[ZULU]

I know. But a fish rots from the head.

[elpadre]

but it is in those smaller city, rural churches who don’t follow the devil’s minions, who resist the wayward national leadership, you will find the conservative movement’s base. The mainline church I attend could probably be labeled the Republican Party at prayer, yet their national leaders are just the opposite. Similar churches in the area are somewhat the same as ours.

[ZULU]

Thank God for churches like yours.