Last week, Rev. Frank Schaefer (pictured) of Pennsylvania was found “guilty” by a jury of fellow United Methodist Church pastors of officiating his gay son’s same-sex wedding back in 2007. He was sentenced to a 30-day suspension. Afterwards, he will face a choice: Adhere to the laws dictated in the church’s Book of Discipline and renounce same-sex marriage, or surrender his credentials.
Last Friday, Schaefer spoke out about his “conviction” during an interview on SiriusXM Progress.
“I didn’t do this to make a rebellious statement against the church,” Schaefer stated. “I said to the jury, ‘Look, all of this, in the last few weeks, has really outed me to the world in terms of where I stand on my theology. I have become an advocate for the LGBT community. I can no longer be a silent supporter.”
The church claims to accept LGBT members, but rejects the practice of homosexuality, deeming it “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Schaefer, however, does not subscribe to that opinion.
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“To me this is discrimination,” he said during last week’s interview. “It’s not right. So many people have been hurt … It has to stop. We’ve got to realize what we’re doing here with our theology, our doctrine, and really, our hate speech.”
Schaefer said he would happily officiate other gay or lesbian weddings while he’s a still a pastor. So far, no couples have come forward, but he has until December 18. After that, since he does not plan on following the order to renounce same-sex marriage, he expects to be defrocked.
This may be the end of his pastorship, but somehow we think it’s only just the beginning of Schaefer’s story.
2eo
If more people acted like the jesus myth instead of like the full of shit bastard reality sects then I might respect religion a little more than, well, nothing.
Taliaferro
I admire him immensely. Would that we had more such people, willing to support us and denounce the bigotry of many religious sects. Shame on the United Methodist Church for it hypocrisy and intolerance. That is why I left it more than forty years ago.
Dakotahgeo
The Soviet United Meth Church hierarchy is only doing its job for Jesus! You can hardly blame them for not believing the blood of Christ’s death and resurrection espousing freedom in Christ covers everybody?!! Some day soon, more intelligent Christian heads will prevail and they can undo the mierda that’s taken place in the name of… Jesus, of course!
Bellamy
There are a great many God-fearing, Bible preaching Christian pastors who are 100% in favor of same-gender marriage, and that is because homophobia cannot be justified through the Scriptures. Jesus Himself spoke positively of homosexuals three times in the Gospels (which anti-gay preachers have intentionally ignored). It is only the tiny minority of mega-money televagelists and corporate denominations and unbiblical theocrats which have invented this anti-gay terrorism. I wish the gay & lesbian community understood this. There are THOUSANDS of pro-gay churches throughout the world (check out the org website GAYCHURCH, for example). Multitudes of conservative Christian sites (such as the com website GAYCHRISTIANSURVIVORS and the net website GAYCHRISTIAN) have proven over and over again FROM THE BIBLE that the Lord is not anti-gay. In fact, 1st Timothy 4:1 says:
“Now the Spirit speaks expressly that in the Latter Times some shall DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of DEVILS, speaking LIES in HYPOCRISY, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, FORBIDDING TO MARRY.”
You can’t get any “Latter Times” than today, and the ONLY marriage that the world is in an uproar to forbid is GAY MARRIAGE.
stanhope
I admire this man tremendously. As much as I love visiting old Churches, I will not set foot in a catholic one. With their attitudes towards gays, not permitting women priests, the pedophilia and how those nuns abused those children in World War II, I can’t stand it.
nerovenus
I have not believed in the Jebus myth of the super Jew for a long time. I believe in my husband who I married 8 years ago. We have been together for nearly 18 years. I do not believe in religion or the hate that it spews forth! And for Irony sake, we had our honeymoon in Rome, and went to the Vatican and toured St. Peters! There is no lightning bolt. It is a crock of lies!
Harley
@nerovenus: I don’t know why the catholic corporation is so opposed to marriage equality, given the vatican is decorated like a Liberace wet dream and all. What a perfect gay honeymoon destination, taking a couple’s picture right in front of Michealangelo’s David. And the Sistine chapel is “FABULOUS”.
Ken
The word is “pastorate,” not “pastorship.”