PUGHTOWN, Pa. — A United Methodist bishop said it’s time for the church to “move on in our ministry” after a gay pastor in his conference was defrocked for violating a church ban on “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy.
Bishop Marcus Matthews of Philadelphia urged the church to accept the guilty verdict against one of his ministers, Irene “Beth” Stroud, the second United Methodist clergywoman in 17 years to lose her ministerial license because she is openly gay. Stroud, 34, was convicted Nov. 2 in a 12–1 vote by a jury of her peers for engaging in “practices incompatible with Christian teachings.” The jury later voted 7–6 to revoke her ministerial credentials.
Stroud outed herself in a sermon last year, forcing her bishop to file charges. Her conviction is the first since the church’s highest court tightened rules regarding gay clergy after another lesbian pastor in Washington state was acquitted last March.
The only other Methodist pastor to be convicted and defrocked was Rose Mary Denman in 1987.
(TAB)
Share with others: