Defrocked Pastor Frank Schaefers Case to be Heard by UMCs Highest Court
MEMPHIS, TN, Oct. 16, 2014-- Frank Schaefer, the United Methodist Church (UMC) minister who was defrocked for officiating a same sex marriage for his son, will have his case heard one last time by the UMC Judicial Council on Oct. 22, 2014 to determine whether his defrocking was legal according to church law and whether he will retain his standing as a UM minister. Though Schaefer appealed his defrocking and was reinstated by the church in June, the UMC is now appealing his reinstatement to the “supreme court” of the Methodist Church, an event that will have global ramifications in the UMC and possibly deepen the division.
“Since the Judicial Council includes members from around the world, this is a real test as to where the church stands globally on LGBTQ equality within the church,” says Schaefer. “If they defrock me again, it would indicate that change may not be coming soon. My hope is for the council to allow me to continue as a UM clergy because it would keep the discussion going. If you exclude those who disagree, you close the door to a much-needed dialogue which, in turn, invites a schism.”
The UMC maintains that same sex marriage is in violation of its church doctrine and laws. Schaefer, a minister of 20 years, defied the Church's rules in 2007 when he performed his son’s marriage to another man. Following a highly publicized church trial last November, Schaefer was stripped of his credentials, and terminated from his ministry at the Zion Iona UMC in Lebanon County Pa., because he refused to uphold church law that progressives within the
Church call homophobic and discriminatory.
“I have three gay children,” Schaefer says. “I believe God gave them to me so I would get the message. Gay or straight, we are all created in God's image. Gay or straight, God blesses our love relationships.”
Dr. Christopher Fisher, on behalf of a more conservative faction within the UMC, is appealing the outcome of Schaefer’s re-instatement and is pushing for the original defrocking to be ratified and made the final and undisputable penalty. But since Schaefer’s trial last year, no other clergy members whose cases were on the church docket have been brought to trial. In fact, on Oct. 3, 2014 a group of 36 clergy, known as the Philly 36, had their complaints resolved quietly by the Eastern PA conference (the same conference that defrocked Schaefer).
Schaefer is one of thousands of clergy who have vowed to offer ministry to all UMC members on an equal basis, a position that has found enormous support within the church.
“Both parties claim this is a matter of conscience,” says Schaefer, “and because of that, I want to reach out to those traditionalists who honestly see themselves as the defenders of the truth, and hopefully get them to understand that there is another way to read those Scriptures in historical and cultural context. We don't have to throw out the bible—the proverbial baby with the bathwater--just because we accept homosexuality and gay marriage as something God blesses.“
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FAQs:
Defrocked Pastor Frank Schaefer’s Case to be Heard by UMC’s Highest Court
What’s the timeline of Frank Schaefer’s Case?
Frank Schaefer was initially put on trial by the UMC and found guilty in November 2013 and suspended from all pastoral duties. He was defrocked 30 days later when he refused to uphold the UM church's Book of Discipline in it's entirety, because “it contains homophobic and discriminatory laws.” Then in June 2014, the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee of Appeals reversed the defrocking and Schaefer was reinstated. On Oct.22, 2014, that re-instatement is being challenged by the Counsel for the Church, Dr. Christopher Fisher, in front of the Church's highest court—the Judicial Council.
Why Pastor Frank’s case matters?
There is a large and growing movement within the UMC comprised of members who believe that the UMC is out of step with the developments in the LGBTQ civil rights movement and the apparent shift in popular opinion on gay marriage rights in the United States. Many think that Frank Schaefer’s trial has exposed the fault line that runs through the United Methodist Church, which is deeply divided over the issue of gay rights. For this reason, Pastor Frank’s final hearing is seen as an important event by the global UM Church (which encompasses 11.8 million members). Will the UM church dig in its heels or signal a change from its traditionalist stance?
Has any other minister been defrocked since Pastor Frank’s trial and appeal?
No. At the time of Pastor Frank’s trial and immediately after, there were several cases going through the complaint process, which included complaints filed against pastors officiating same sex marriages and, in one case, against an openly gay minister involved in an open same-sex relationship. All six cases have been resolved (the last one is in process) without going to trial. As recently as Oct. 3, 2014, the UMC decided a group of clergy known as The Philly 36 (36 UM clergy who performed a joint same sex marriage in solidarity for Pastor Frank before his 2013 trial) will not face judicial proceedings. http://www.epaumc.org/sites/default/files/JUSTRESOLUTIONFINAL-9-30-14.pdf.
What is Pastor Frank doing now?
Since he has been reinstated, Pastor Frank has relocated to a parish in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara, Calif. He is currently on a book tour for his autobiography “Defrocked”, http://www.amazon.com/Defrocked-Fathers-United-Methodist-Church/dp/0827244991/ref=zg_bs_12428_5/182-7517505-7734315, and has continued his “all means all” campaign with speaking engagements and media appearances. He has vowed to continue the fight against discrimination from within the church.
Pastor Frank has received several awards for his work to encourage LGBTQ equality, most recently more than 600 progressive activist showed up on the Sunset Strip as Stuart Milk (nephew of civil rights leader Harvey Milk) presented Pastor Frank with the Spirit of Courage Award, for defending LGBT rights, https://www.couragecampaign.org/events.
Where can I access media guidelines and information about the hearing?
http://franklynschaefer.com/judicial_council.htm
http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/judicial-council-to-hear-case-of-the-rev.-frank-schaefer
Where can I follow the hearing?
- #MinistryOnTrial is the official hashtag for the hearing.
- Updates will be posted on https://www.facebook.com/StandWithFrank, and franklynschaefer.com.
- HusidMedia@HusidMedia and @standwithfrank will Tweet out media updates.
Where can I find out about prayer vigils and other public events supporting Pastor Frank?
Contact:
Cathy Husid-Shamir, O: 617-487-5026, C: 413-822 4372, cathy@husidmedia.com
After October 24th – Carlos Arcos, C: 713-826-5195, carcos@jaffepr.com
