United Methodists Rule on Homosexual Marriages

                                                                                                                                         Vol. XI, No. 10, Nov/Dec 1998

The UMC Judicial Council has ruled that the statement, “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” is a law of United Methodism and not merely a suggestion. Clergy who violate the law can be charged and either reprimanded or defrocked. Conservative Methodists were greatly heartened, but as of this report 249 UMC clergy had signed a statement saying they will ignore the prohibition. [Praise God! TCP; Condensed from World magazine, September 1998.]