Gay clergy
United Methodists strike down forbid on ordination of queer clergy
[Religion News Service &#; Charlotte, North Carolina] United Methodists meeting for their uppermost legislative assembly May 1 overwhelmingly overturned a measure that barred gay clergy from ordination in the denomination, a historic step for the nation’s second-largest Protestant body.
With a easy vote call and without debate, delegates to the General Conference removed the ban on the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” — a prohibition that dates to
With that vote, the worldwide denomination of some 11 million members joins the majority of liberal Protestant denominations such as the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ, which also ordain LGBTQ clergy.
The morning vote on the motion was part of a larger series of calendar items voted on in bulk. They also included a motion barring superintendents, or overseers, from punishing clergy for performing a gay wedding or prohibiting a church from holding a same-sex wedding, though the actual ban on queer weddings in churches has yet to be voted on.
The vote on
United Methodist Church will consent LGBTQ clergy, after year ban
BBC News, Washington
The United Methodist Church voted Wednesday to permit LGBTQ clergy to aid in the church, reversing a year ban.
The church had forbidden "self-avowed homosexuals" from being ordained or appointed as clergy members.
But during a national conference this week, delegates voted to overturn the ban without debate.
People at the conference in North Carolina sang hymns in celebration after the vote, the church said.
Attendees also eased restrictions on gay marriage, passing a measure to block clergy and churches from being penalized for demonstrating or declining to act same-sex weddings.
"With the approvals and acceptance of the things todaywe're inception to see the unwinding, unravelling, dismantling of the heterosexism, the homophobia, the hurt and the injure of the United Methodist Church," Rev David Meredith said to United Methodist News.
Conservative members and congregations have left the denomination in recent years over the issues of LGBTQ clergy and same-sex attracted marriage, changing the makeup of the church and paving
I&#;m a Catholic priest. When I came out as gay, my parishioners applauded.
In June , as I laid on the floor of St. Patrick’s Church during my ordination to the priesthood in Banbridge, a town in Northern Ireland, I knew that deep down, in every fiber of my organism, I was called to assist as a priest. In that sacred space, I had been baptized, received my First Communion, served as an altar male child, run the youth team and participated in the funerals for my family members. It was not simply a part of me that was creature ordained; it was my whole existence.
Life came entire circle when I was privileged to concelebrate my first Mass at Christ the King Parish in the Diocese of Oakland, Calif. At that Mass, I told the congregation I hadjust been invited by the chancery to participate in an “accent-reduction class.” I also told the parishioners that I would not be going to the class and that I was perfectly happy with my Irish accent. When they cheered loudly, I knew I was home.
Over my 20 years of ministry, I possess made a point to schedule an appointment with each of the four men who served as my bishops to tell them my story. Each bishop, in his own way, would ask the same
The Community of Friends in Wonderful Britain published A Quaker View of Sex in which they argued that depth of love and commitment, not gender and sexual orientation, were the important aspects of sexuality. The Society of Friends has a decentralized structure but different Quaker meetings have welcomed LGBT leaders since the s.
United Church of Christ: The UCC was the first church to ordain openly gay clergy in In they were also the first to call for full inclusion of transgender clergy and UCC was also the first Protestant denomination to recognize same-sex marriage.
The Church of England ordained the first openly lgbtq+ bishop. However, no more were nominated or elected and in a moratorium on the nomination of LGBT bishops was passed (see below). In an English priest transitioned from male to female and was allowed to proceed in the priesthood as a woman; in the first transgender woman was ordained as a priest. In some Anglican churches both in England and abroad left the Anglican Church over this issue and became known as the Reformed Episcopal Churches. In the Church
.