i think i read something by lilly, that she'll come back to her home turf when it's controversial or she doesn't know the person. well, i don't want to get into a huge debate with people i don't know so i am coming home on this one to express my thoughts and my few friends out there, we can talk.
so i just happened to read that beth stroud, who the pennsylvania conference of umc stripped her of her ministerial rights back in december, had her right reinstate in a successful appeal. i havn't thought this fully through yet, but first reactions to me are that the reasons given for the overturning of the rule, the technical absence of defining "practicing homosexual" by the general conference & annual conference. it seems absurd, but if this is the case it's the correct decision to make. i have my conflicting thought on the issue of ministers practicing homosexuality. it's not so much for me, but more for the world wide church that i am concerned. i also don't think anyone is really taking this debate and giving to our theologians to sort through this and give us answers, we just get politics. so for now, we have a conference who took the credentials away from a minister because they felt she was in violation of the law. the appeals they found technical errors and she is reinstated. it works the way we have set it up. if we made a decision over general conference last summer we might talking about something else, or this might not even be news. i'm glad we didn't do that, because clearly there is no middle ground or spiritual perspective given without agenda.
about the person. i've liked how beth has conducted herself. watching her life in "the congregation" documentary i wasn't sure if she wanted a platform for martrydom or if it really did become time to be honest with everyone in her life. from the upperdeck seats i feel that she has found a peace with opening to her congregation and subsequently going through this. she's been professional, loyal to the methodist church, and to God; even as the church is struggling with her.
just some random first thoughts..
:: the congregation :: rev stroud :: idols of justice :: idols of justice v2 :: the congregation v2 ::
