Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Another pastor on trial

At General Conference of the United Methodist Church last year the big prohibitions against gay people were left in place. After that, many (perhaps most or all) of the American bishops said that church trials of pastors who perform same-sex weddings don't help the denomination and they would do all they could to avoid another one.

Alas, another one is coming soon. Rev. Dr. Thomas Ogletree will soon be on trial for performing the wedding ceremony for his gay son. Never mind that Ogletree is 79 and retired. He is the highest profile pastor so charged -- he was the dean of Yale Divinity School and a veteran and scholar of civil rights struggles.

The conservative side says Ogletree fosters confusion of what the church stands for and has undermined the covenant of accountability between pastors. Clarity and accountability are more important than grace, peace, and love? Apparently so.

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