By Renee Gadoua (RNS) Almost daily, evidence mounts of defiant United Methodist clergy breaking church law on behalf of gays and lesbians as the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination struggles with what may be its most vexing rebellion in decades. Consider: A retired seminary president, the Rev. William McElvaney, said Sunday (Jan. 19) that he is…
By Good News LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Following the action of a retired bishop to conduct a same-gender ceremony in violation of church law, the United Methodist Council of Bishops took a series of actions to address the issue during their annual meeting this week in Lake Junaluska, N.C. The Council requested that Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, president…
By Matt Smith San Francisco’s former United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert gave a sermon at the denomination’s global conference last year, urging pastors to defy church law by performing same-sex wedding ceremonies. On Saturday, Talbert answered that call himself, performing a ceremony for parishioners Bobby Prince and Joe Openshaw near Birmingham, Ala. Church leaders predict that Talbert’s…