KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Church of the Brethren has postponed the controversial and historic ordination of the first openly gay man in the denomination’s history.
Matthew Smucker was scheduled to be ordained June 9 at his home church in Kalamazoo, Mich. Having finished seminary, Smucker was planning on accepting a job at Chicago Theological Seminary.
Smucker began the ordination process in 1999 and was open about his sexual orientation with local church leaders. He received an affirmative vote from local church officials April 27.
However, when word of his planned ordination got out, other churches protested. During a June 1 meeting, “several” churches filed a complaint, according to a church news release. Leaders from the local Michigan district voted to suspend the ordination until after the national church meeting in Louisville, Ky., from June 29 to July 3, and the statewide meeting in August.
After the statewide meeting, “the current board will meet to revisit the ordination decision,” the news release said.
The denomination’s only major statement on homosexuality was passed in 1983. It said that “homosexual behavior is considered contrary to the heterosexual norm that runs throughout scripture” and said same-sex “covenantal relationships” are “not acceptable.”
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