Catching Up With the Beth Stroud Case

I really should have been paying more attention to the case of Beth Stroud, a United Methodist pastor in Philadelphia who is also a lesbian. Because Stroud "practices" her sexuality, she is at odds with the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which does not allow practicing homosexuals to serve as clergy. (If a gay man or a lesbian were to, for all intents and purposes, take a vow of celibacy, he or she would be eligible to be an ordained clergyperson.)


Though Stroud's ordination was affirmed by her annual conference ("annual conferences" are United Methodism's regional governing bodies), the UM Judicial Council voted to defrock Rev. Stroud for the reasons stated above. Stroud has decided to appeal the decision. Unfortunately, I don't think she has a case.


I would like to see Rev. Stroud restored with full clergy rights, though I fear what might happen to the church if the Judicial Council's decision were overturned. (It would have to be overturned by the Judicial Council itself, which is actually possible.) I am a life-long United Methodist and love the church, its history, and its teaching (aside from a handful of phrases in the Discipline, such as the one cited above); and I hope I never live to experience a schism. I should also confess that, as an employee of a church agency, my life could change drastically if the church were to split. Fortunately, after years of intense debate over issues surrounding homosexuality, only one attempt at schism has been made, and it was voted down overwhelmingly by the 2004 General Conference.


Former Duke Divinity professor and current United Methodist bishop, Will Willimon, notes (not in regard to this story, but in one of his books),"You can count the verses which are (possibly) concerned with homosexuality on one hand; to tally the number of verses in the Bible on the dangers of wealth requires a computer."


For more on this case, read this recent interview with Beth Stroud from Wesley Blog.