New England Methodist Clerics Join National Movement to Marry Gays in Defiance of Church Law

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.edgedallas.com/news/religion/news//121482/new_england_methodist_clerics_join_national_movement_to_marry_gays_in_defiance_of_church_law

Even as gay and lesbian families in New York celebrate their newly won equality in the arena of marriage rights, New England Methodist clergy are throwing themselves into the fray to change church law, the Boston Globe reported on June 26.

Though the national policy from the Methodist Church is to ban marriage between consenting adults of the same gender, over one hundred of the denomination’s clerics in New England have signed on to a vow that they will provide marriage ceremonies for same-sex families. That number translates to about one in nine Methodist clergy in New England, the Globe article said.

The clerics run the risk of punishment from their superiors, but thus far they have given no indication of regret -- except to say in a statement that they should have done it sooner.

"We repent that it has taken us so long to act," the statement read. "We realize that our church’s discriminatory policies tarnish the witness of the church to the world, and we are ," the Globe article quoted the statement as saying.

Over 70 Methodist clerics signed on to a similar pledge in Minnesota earlier this month

[Dept of Beer]

1. Good for them. I wish that more of the religious orders

would stand up and realize that there is plenty of room, understanding and respect, in their and hearts, for the GLBT community.

[murielm99]

2. It's about time.

People within the United Methodist church have been trying to change their policies for decades. We need more pastors speaking out.

[Ken Burch]

3. The liberation tradition of New England Christianity, dating back to the abolitionist era

is carried on heroically by these clerics.