By Gregg Brekke, The Presbyterian News Service. The Executive Committee of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board (PMAB) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met for its annual retreat at the offices of the Presbytery of Philadelphia (Pa.), July 22-24. In addition to business items addressed, the committee participated in four site visits, learning more about ministry initiatives…
By Samuel Smith, The Christian Post A florist in Washington State who refused to provide floral arrangements to a gay couple for their same-sex wedding ceremony, due to her religious objection to such a union, can now legally be sued personally by the state’s attorney general’s office, a judge in the state has determined. Benton…
The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — A complaint has been filed against 36 United Methodist ministers who blessed a same-sex wedding in defiance of church law. The pastors blessed the Nov. 9 ceremony at Philadelphia’s Arch Street United Methodist Church to show support for a colleague who faced church discipline for presiding over his gay son’s…
By Renee K. Gadoua (RNS) In a surprising reversal, a Pennsylvania pastor who was defrocked last year for violating United Methodist law after he officiated at his son’s same-sex wedding has been reinstated. The Rev. Frank Schaefer learned Tuesday (June 24) his ministerial credentials will be restored after the church’s Northeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Appeals…
By Heather Sells and Efrem Graham On a summer day in 2012, baker Jack Phillips had no idea just where his actions would lead or that they would place him squarely in the center of a national debate over faith and freedom. He simply knew that he needed to attend to the two men looking…
By Tony Perkins In a politically correct world, the cost of running a business is a lot more than dollars and cents. For Aaron and Melissa Klein, the owners of a small Oregon bakery, the price is their First Amendment rights. Their dream of opening a dessert shop near Portland, Ore., turned into a nightmare…
By Heather Clark STANFORD, Conn. – A retired United Methodist minister and former Yale Divinity School Dean is set to face a church trial in March for officiating his son’s same-sex “wedding” in 2012. Thomas Ogletree, 80, will stand trial on March 12 at First United Methodist Church of Stanford following complaints filed by fellow…
By Allison Steele A jury of Methodist pastors ruled Monday that a Lebanon County, Pa., minister violated church doctrine when he presided over his son’s marriage to a man – a decision that the Rev. Frank Schaefer said was made out of love, not as an act of rebellion. The verdict was not unexpected; Schaefer,…
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey NEW YORK (RNS) The agency that commissions Southern Baptist military chaplains says no Baptist chaplain will be allowed to perform, attend or support a same-sex wedding either on or off base. The Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board released guidelines on Aug. 29 stating that endorsed chaplains will not “offer…