Look: Methodist Clergy Disagree With Anti-Gay Bishop, Pay For Pro-Equality Newspaper Ads

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The United Methodist Church’s official position on same-sex marriage is the same as many other Christian Churches: No. But there is a growing faction within the conservative Christian clergy that same-sex marriage should be celebrated — and performed.

In conservative Oklahoma, where a federal judge this month ruled that state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the Bishop of the United Methodist Church was not happy, and said so.

LOOK: Oklahoma Judge’s Marriage Ruling Demolishes Every Argument Anti-Gay Right Uses

“As a leader in the religious community, I’m obligated — I’m mandated — to uphold what the Scriptures say,” said the Rev. Robert Hayes Jr., bishop of the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference and Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, as The Oklahoman reported:

“The Church finds itself in a precarious position. We are taught Scriptures that God created a man for a woman and we are bound to uphold and to share what the Scripture says to us,” Hayes said. “Society is ever-changing, ever-evolving but there are basic laws by God that do not change — they do not change with the wind.”

That did not sit well with some of Bishop Hayes’ clergy, so they took action.
Oklahoma United Methodists for Marriage Equality placed the above ad in several Oklahoma newspapers on Sunday, including the The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World.

“Many Oklahoma United Methodist clergy, through our engagement with scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, affirm the rights and dignity of all people and celebrate the recent decision by Judge Kern that the ban on same gender marriage in Oklahoma is unconstitutional,” the ad reads. “Today we celebrate with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters and pledge to express love, affirmation, and equal treatment for all people.”

Chalk one up for speaking truth to power.

Meanwhile, three United Methodist pastors have performed or offered to perform same-sex weddings, in violation of Church doctrine. Frank Shaefer of Pennsylvania was defrocked after performing his son’s wedding. Former Yale Divinity Dean Thomas Ogletree of Connecticut has offered to, and now, Rev. Bill McElvaney of Dallas has joined the growing list.

Image by Oklahoma United Methodists for Marriage Equality via Facebook