Yesterday, a church jury convened by the United Methodist Church found a minister guilty of?breaking church law by officiating his own son’s wedding to a man. The?Rev. Frank Schaefer preformed the ceremony in 2007, leading to the trial.
The jury was composed of 13 members and convicted Rev. Schaefer on??two charges: that he officiated a same-sex wedding and that he showed “disobedience to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church.”
Today the jury will reconvene for the penalty phase. Rev. Schaefer faces penalties ranging from a reprimand to losing his ministrial credentials. His son?Tim Schaefer, 29, whose wedding led to the charges stated:
Obviously, I’m very saddened. What we’re hoping for tomorrow is a light sentence.
Schaefer pleaded not guilty and could have avoided the trial if he agreed never to perform another wedding for same gender couples. He declined since 3 of his 4 children are gay. When testifying in his defense he stated:
I love the United Methodist Church. I’ve been a minister for almost 20 years, and there are so many good things about the United Methodist Church except for that one rule.
According to NBC news the church’s attorney?Rev. Christopher Fisher?used his closing argument to condemn homosexuality as immoral and said Schaefer had no right to break a Methodist law that bans pastors from performing same-sex marriages just because he disagreed with church teaching. He told jurors they were duty-bound to convict.
You’ll give an account for that at the last day, as we all will.
His statement was met by audible gasps from spectators.
This case has magnified a rift in the nation’s?largest mainline Protestant denomination as it openly says it accepts gay and lesbian members yet rejects homosexuality as?”incompatible with Christian teaching.”
If the church plans to continue this practice perhaps they should change their slogan and commercials for “open hearts, minds, and doors” to ?open hearts, minds, and doors please check addendum to see if this applies to you.
Edited/Published by: SB