Just weeks after the defrocking of Rev. Frank Schaefer of Pennsylvania, the United Methodist Church in New York has begun proceeding against the Rev. Thomas Ogletree for presiding over the marriage of his gay son.
Ogletree is a retired elder, as well as former Yale Divinity School Dean. The wedding in question happened in 2012, in New York, where gay marriage is legal. Ogletree put out a statement, saying:
"It is a shame that the church is choosing to prosecute me for this act of love, which is entirely in keeping with my ordination vows to 'seek peace, justice, and freedom for all people' and with Methodism's historic commitment to inclusive ministry embodied in its slogan 'open hearts, open minds, open doors.'"
Rev. Ogletree's actions were brought to the New York conference's attention by a group of Methodist ministers, after they saw a wedding announcement in the New York Times celebrating the couple's new marriage.
It's terribly sad to see this kind of witch hunt happening in the UMC again. As I wrote last week, this does not present the church in the light of Christ's love and radical acceptance. It's comforting to know that the church is evolving fairly quickly on this issue, but sad that it is not happening fast enough to protect good ministers who have dedicated their lives to the church.
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