Friday, April 29, 2005
Appeals committee reverses church trial verdict in Stroud case
On a technicality
BALTIMORE (UMNS)—Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud, who was found guilty of violating United Methodist church law and had her clergy credentials withdrawn last December, won her appeal in a decision announced April 29.
The clergy court had found her guilty of violating denomination law, which forbids the ordination and appointment of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals." Stroud had disclosed that she was living in a committed relationship with another woman.
The appeals committee upheld part of the trial court’s finding but overturned the verdict based on legal error. The committee’s 8-1 vote means Stroud is automatically reinstated as a pastor.
The United Methodists are not united. Just a matter of time until there is a schism in the Methodist Church, or a significant number of moderate to liberal Methodists quit or drift away to more open & accepting denominations. Conservative Methodists would like the latter to happen; no messy, public lawsuits over division of property & power. There are unprejudiced, relatively sophisticated Methodists throughout the Church, even in the South, who openly welcome gays & lesbians to their churches & who understand that pastors like Beth Stroud would never insist that conservative congregations be forced to accept gay & lesbian ministers. But here, conservative is narrowly used, for the Reconciling Ministries movement in the UMC is not advocating huge doctrinal shifts or a radical theology; no one's trashing the Methodist "Articles of Religion," or disputing the Apostle's Creed.
What's remarkable about Beth Stroud is how Methodist she is. She strongly supports the church's traditional Wesleyan committment to social causes, but she's just as comfortable taking a youth group roller skating & attending pot luck fellowship suppers. She uses the non-confrontational, somewhat convoluted "sisters & brothers in Christ" language that characterizes debate & differences of opinion; everyone is "seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit" & "dedicated to growing God's church" & "joining together to light the fire of renewal in our hearts." You get the gist. Sometimes it makes one feel like yelling. Beth is a quintessential young Methodist minister. Her sermons are thoughtful & felt, but her appeal isn't especially intellectual; it's evangelical in a typically friendly, informal Methodist style. One prays, sings, studies the Scriptures, does God's work, acts with modesty & moderation, & always lets the children be first in line at the annual Strawberry Festival. Everything about Beth says, "This is a good way to live." In the UMC, lesbians & gays at all levels of participation are secrets everyone knows. Rev. Beth Stroud refused to be an example of "Don't ask - don't tell."
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
BALTIMORE (UMNS)—Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud, who was found guilty of violating United Methodist church law and had her clergy credentials withdrawn last December, won her appeal in a decision announced April 29.
The clergy court had found her guilty of violating denomination law, which forbids the ordination and appointment of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals." Stroud had disclosed that she was living in a committed relationship with another woman.
The appeals committee upheld part of the trial court’s finding but overturned the verdict based on legal error. The committee’s 8-1 vote means Stroud is automatically reinstated as a pastor.
The United Methodists are not united. Just a matter of time until there is a schism in the Methodist Church, or a significant number of moderate to liberal Methodists quit or drift away to more open & accepting denominations. Conservative Methodists would like the latter to happen; no messy, public lawsuits over division of property & power. There are unprejudiced, relatively sophisticated Methodists throughout the Church, even in the South, who openly welcome gays & lesbians to their churches & who understand that pastors like Beth Stroud would never insist that conservative congregations be forced to accept gay & lesbian ministers. But here, conservative is narrowly used, for the Reconciling Ministries movement in the UMC is not advocating huge doctrinal shifts or a radical theology; no one's trashing the Methodist "Articles of Religion," or disputing the Apostle's Creed.
What's remarkable about Beth Stroud is how Methodist she is. She strongly supports the church's traditional Wesleyan committment to social causes, but she's just as comfortable taking a youth group roller skating & attending pot luck fellowship suppers. She uses the non-confrontational, somewhat convoluted "sisters & brothers in Christ" language that characterizes debate & differences of opinion; everyone is "seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit" & "dedicated to growing God's church" & "joining together to light the fire of renewal in our hearts." You get the gist. Sometimes it makes one feel like yelling. Beth is a quintessential young Methodist minister. Her sermons are thoughtful & felt, but her appeal isn't especially intellectual; it's evangelical in a typically friendly, informal Methodist style. One prays, sings, studies the Scriptures, does God's work, acts with modesty & moderation, & always lets the children be first in line at the annual Strawberry Festival. Everything about Beth says, "This is a good way to live." In the UMC, lesbians & gays at all levels of participation are secrets everyone knows. Rev. Beth Stroud refused to be an example of "Don't ask - don't tell."
