United Methodist conference debating transgender clergy
Makula Dunbar/Contributing Writer & Adelle M. Banks/Religion News Service
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: Divine Intervention
The decades-old discussion of sexuality in the United Methodist Church includes a new wrinkle -- transgender laypeople and clergy -- as the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination meets this week in Texas.
Methodists are meeting for their quadrennial General Conference from April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. Beyond sexuality, they are expected to discuss possible divestment from companies operating in Israel, questions related to their increasingly international membership, and possible statements on the Iraq war.
Resolutions related to sexuality and gender number in the hundreds, but an increasing number deal with transgender people after the church's highest court permitted Baltimore pastor Drew Phoenix to remain in his pulpit. Gender change had not been addressed in the church's constitution, the Judicial Council ruled last October.
In light of that decision, some conservative Methodists now want to see church rules codify that transgender people should not be allowed as clergy.
"It illustrates that the proposed liberalization of the church's standard doesn't stop with homosexuality," said Mark Tooley, director of the Institute on Religion and Democracy's UMAction, a conservative group. "We proposed legislation that would, in effect, disapprove of a sex-change operation and would affirm biological gender as a divine gift."
Rev. Rachel Cornwell, senior pastor at Woodside United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, MD, sees it differently. "I personally support people that are called by God regardless of their sexuality or sexual orientation," Pastor Cornwell told the District Chronicles. "So long as they are sexual ethical people and are in monogamous relationships, they should be allowed in the church and in the pulpit. I think it's a conversation that we still need to have, but in general I support the ordination."
Pastor Cornwell's church belongs to the same Baltimore-Washington conference of United Methodists Churches as St. John's United Methodist Church in Baltimore where Rev. Drew Phoenix remains pastor after undergoing a sex change from a woman (Ann Gordon) to a man.
Methodists are meeting for their quadrennial General Conference from April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. Beyond sexuality, they are expected to discuss possible divestment from companies operating in Israel, questions related to their increasingly international membership, and possible statements on the Iraq war.
Resolutions related to sexuality and gender number in the hundreds, but an increasing number deal with transgender people after the church's highest court permitted Baltimore pastor Drew Phoenix to remain in his pulpit. Gender change had not been addressed in the church's constitution, the Judicial Council ruled last October.
In light of that decision, some conservative Methodists now want to see church rules codify that transgender people should not be allowed as clergy.
"It illustrates that the proposed liberalization of the church's standard doesn't stop with homosexuality," said Mark Tooley, director of the Institute on Religion and Democracy's UMAction, a conservative group. "We proposed legislation that would, in effect, disapprove of a sex-change operation and would affirm biological gender as a divine gift."
Rev. Rachel Cornwell, senior pastor at Woodside United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, MD, sees it differently. "I personally support people that are called by God regardless of their sexuality or sexual orientation," Pastor Cornwell told the District Chronicles. "So long as they are sexual ethical people and are in monogamous relationships, they should be allowed in the church and in the pulpit. I think it's a conversation that we still need to have, but in general I support the ordination."
Pastor Cornwell's church belongs to the same Baltimore-Washington conference of United Methodists Churches as St. John's United Methodist Church in Baltimore where Rev. Drew Phoenix remains pastor after undergoing a sex change from a woman (Ann Gordon) to a man.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Charles Sawyer
posted 5/06/08 @ 4:11 PM EST
At this past General conference in Texas, the gay community and transgender community attempted to change the book of discipline in several ways. It didn't happen by a a majority vote against it. (Continued…)
Kelli Busey
posted 5/06/08 @ 5:24 PM EST
What is at issue transcends the GLBT issue. What the majority of people I talked to were upset about was that the church was excluding a huge portion of it's laity and clergy. (Continued…)
mike beall
posted 5/12/08 @ 3:52 PM EST
I believe that homosexuals and transgenders should attend church NOT lead it. For me, sin is sin. Pedophiles should attend church too but NOT lead Children's Church. (Continued…)
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