For Immediate Release, May 21, 2005
"Christianity does not ask us to live in the shadow of the cross, but in the fire of its creative action." (Teilhard de Chardin)
Something ignited during the morning of Beth Stroud's appeal on April 28. Teilhard de Chardin's words on the front of the bulletin for the noontime communion service seemed to fan a spark of hope I felt flickering within me. Maybe I also detected it in the eyes of the members of Beth's congregation who gathered round the table: a kindling of optimism, a glimmer of expectation...
Then, on April 29th, the Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals overturned the December 2, 2004 decision of an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference trial court to withdraw the Reverend Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud's clergy credentials. In an 8 to 1 ruling, the panel reinstated Beth as a fully-credentialed pastor. It did not question the lower court's findings of fact but said the earlier decision had violated Stroud's right to due process because the denomination has never clearly defined the terms "practicing homosexual" or "status."
The word "status" appears in The Constitution of The United Methodist Church under "Inclusiveness of the Church." This section includes a broad pledge not to discriminate on the basis of "race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition." Stroud's defense team had tried to argue in the original trial that "status" includes sexual orientation, but the argument was disallowed by the presiding bishop, Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel.
The appeals panel also said the lower court erred by convicting Stroud on the basis of Paragraph 304.3, which contains the prohibition of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" as United Methodist ministers, because that provision constitutes a new standard or rule of doctrine. For a new rule to be elevated to the status of doctrine, the General Conference must vote that it is not contrary to any existing standards.
Although the successful appeal is reason to celebrate, many people working for inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in The United Methodist Church are reluctant to call it a victory. At the request of Bishop Marcus Matthews of Eastern Pennsylvania, the Judicial Council will review the decision of the Committee on Appeals.
The shadow of exclusion may be cast over us yet again, and perhaps it will feel even more oppressive after this temporary respite from the injustice of Beth's case. But we must step out of the shadow of the cross into the "fire of creative action." The work of justice is not about succumbing to the shadows but instead being energized with all-consuming passion, a burning fire within us that cannot be extinguished.
Perhaps we can survive in the shadows, but we will never thrive there. We need to come out! The prophet Malachi proclaimed that God is like a "refiner's fire" that burns away all impurities within us. We cannot be afraid to live in the blaze of God's creative action and be a flaming force of transformation in our United Methodist Church and in our world!
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The Rev. Vivian R. Waltz is chair of the Communications Committee of the National Council of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns, Inc. This commentary appears in Affirmation's June 2005 newsletter (PDF format, 300K).