Beth Stroud's credentials are reinstated!!!!!!

[polmaven]

www.news.umc.org

BALTIMORE (UMNS)—Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud, who was found guilty of violating United Methodist church law for being a practicing lesbian and lost her clergy credentials last December, won her appeal in a decision announced April 29.

Stroud had appealed the Dec. 2 verdict in her clergy trial to the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals, which met April 28-29 at the Sheraton International Hotel near Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

<snip>

"I know our church is divided on this issue," she said. "This is a process the church has been struggling with for a long time and will struggle with for a long time in the future. I believe the decision today sends a message of hope to the church."

This may not be the end of the process...There may be an appeal from here. But she is right...this sends a message of hope to the UMC.

[RevCheesehead]

1. THANK YOU, JESUS!

And thank you, polmaven, for posting this.

Please, please post this in General Discussion. This is important, and needs to be seen by ALL DUers!!!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. This is excellent news! With all stories of intolerance and hate, this is

pure refreshment.

I've posted a headsup thread in the GLBT forum here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x10892

[Timebound]

3. OMG YES!!!

WOW! :):):)

[supernova]

4. Definitely welcome news!

:D

It gives me hope for the Presby denom too. Because we have the same struggles too.

But our Moderator is pro-gay right now, even if the denom as a whole isn't ready to be.

[polmaven]

5. Another quote from the REVEREND Stroud:

"The church is not free to disregard the standards of justice and inclusiveness that are preached by Jesus Christ ... and are a part of church law," Stroud said after church authorities read their decision at a hotel.

"The ruling gives us hope that the United Methodist Church has the resources to do justice," she said.

She is so right! I think she has been remarkable throughout this whole thing. She is to be admired for her care and concern for the church she obviously loves.

[elshiva]

6. Thanks! But, I wish the churches would stop wasting time with this stuff!

[RevCheesehead]

7. It's "baby steps", elshiva.

This is a big reversal of the homophobia that has been rampant through the last several General Conferences. When you combine this ruling on Beth, along with Karen Dammen (in Washington state?), you begin to see that there are jurisdictions that strongly support gay rights, and endorse gay clergy.

I am celebrating every victory, no matter how small, simply because it's the right thing to do. I like to think Jesus is smiling, too. :)

[elshiva]

8. I know babysteps, babysteps as in "What About Bob?"

Still it is annoying that people can't see what a waste of time it is going after gay clergy for just being gay as if it was a sin like murder or something. If only churchs could get as worked up about poverty or oppression. It's as if Jesus was going around cursing gay people or something.

[RevCheesehead]

9. I totally agree.

But the problem is, there has been so much homophobic slander out there, the only way some people can come to terms with it is through a slow, reasoned discourse.

Right now, homosexuality is an emotional issue, and for many in the church, their fear is preventing them from looking closer. As much as I am willing to say "this is a non-issue," the simple truth is that for many Christians, this is the equivalent of eating meat which has been offered to idols. They just aren't there yet. YET.

"Yet" implies the Spirit will lead and guide us. I say we trust her to lead all of us in new discoveries of the radical inclusivity of God's love. We'll get there, sweetie - sooner or later, we'll get there. :)

[elshiva]

10. You are one sexy theologian, thanks.

Great comparison to meat sacrificed to idols. I hope in another hundred years or less we'll look back to the "homosexuality debate" we'll see it as silly.

I just don't know what to do as queer person of faith to open people's minds to queers. For one thing, I am not out to my congregation. However, my pastor views it as sort of a non-issue, too. She supports V. Gene Robinson and probably gay clergy in general (she is straight, not that there is anything wrong with that).

[RevCheesehead]

11. I don't think you need to be "out" to anyone..

because that's a major trust issue. Tell those you trust, and those who will be supportive of you.

Some of my gay friends in seminary came out IN seminary. And some of those same people left seminary, because they were told (in no uncertain terms) that they were NOT welcome in the UMC.

One of the saddest stories I heard of came from my best friend's sister. Tim invited me to his home for Thanksgiving, and I met Wendy. She was a UMC pastor, who withdrew her credentials. She loved ministry, even pastored in England for a year (where they loved her!) - but she knew that North Carolina wouldn't allow her to continue, if they knew about her.

She and Tim are 3rd-generation ministers. Her parents are totally supportive, and became active in P-FLAG. Her partner was another member of their family.

Tim's dad said, "what people need to realize is that everybody knows somebody who's gay. They just don't talk about it, because they think it's a dirty secret. But once you know a person (rather than a homosexual), it's hard to deny them anything."

Interestingly enough, Tim and I, in our ethics class, came to the same conclusion about homosexuality: If marriage is a divine covenant between two persons, then it is immoral for the church to withhold same-sex marriages to homosexuals. If we're going to take marriage seriously, then we need to have it available to ALL persons - and then hold ALL persons accountable to that marriage covenant.