Methodist court rules against gay bishop Emily McFarlan Miller
But decision stops short of removing Mountain Sky leader
The United Methodist Church’s top court has ruled that the consecration of an openly gay pastor as bishop is against church law.
But in a somewhat muddled ruling that could reflect the ongoing struggle to determine how great a role LGBTQ members can play in the second-largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., the court also ruled that the Rev. Karen Oliveto, its first openly gay bishop, “remains in good standing.”
Bruce Ough, president of the denomination’s Council of Bishops, released a written statement imploring United Methodists to honor the council’s decision, which was announced Friday.
“We acknowledge that the decision does not help to ease the disagreements, impatience and anxiety that permeates The United Methodist Church over the matter of human sexuality, and particularly this case,” Ough said. “Our compassion and prayers of intercession extend to all those who are hurt, relieved, confused or fearful.”
The decision follows Oliveto’s consecration last July as bishop of the United Methodist Church’s Mountain Sky Area, which includes churches in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana, as well as one church in Idaho.
Oliveto was not named in the motion filed by Dixie Brewster, a lay delegate to last year’s regional South Central Jurisdictional Conference.
Instead, Brewster asked for a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on whether the nomination, election, assignment or consecration of an openly gay or lesbian bishop is lawful under the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s law book.
But the bishop was the focus of the council’s open hearing on Tuesday in Newark, the United Methodist News Service reported.
A representative for Brewster had argued the Western Jurisdiction’s actions in making Oliveto a bishop “negate, ignore and violate” the Book of Discipline.
The Western Jurisdiction representative maintained that Oliveto met all the requirements to become bishop and that the South Central Jurisdiction had no standing to challenge her election.
The Judicial Council agreed to rule only on Oliveto’s consecration, saying it didn’t have jurisdiction over the appointment, election or nomination of a bishop. It decided 6-3 that it was not lawful for any regional church body to consecrate a “self-avowed practicing homosexual bishop.”
That language comes from the Book of Discipline, which says “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” meaning “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” cannot be ordained as ministers or appointed to serve.
Oliveto will remain a bishop until an administrative or judicial process is finished.
“We acknowledge that the decision does not help to ease the disagreements.” Bruce Ough, Council of Bishops