The move toward same-sex marriage in Christian Churches is unrelenting. Methodist congregations, including this prominent one, are particularly creative at sidestepping denominational law. Christian Newswire reports:
The prominent United Methodist church formerly attended by Bill and Hillary Clinton has announced that it will begin to host services that recognize same-sex unions. According to Foundry United Methodist Church of Washington, D.C., homosexual couples can have their associations recognized and honored at the church beginning this month.
The 7.9 million-member United Methodist Church officially prohibits any ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions and involve United Methodist pastors or church buildings. United Methodism affirms God’s love and civil rights for all people, while also affirming marriage as the lifelong union of man and woman.
IRD Director of UMAction Mark Tooley commented:
“The United Methodist Discipline clearly prohibits celebrating homosexual unions. By providing worship leadership and a church building, Foundry United Methodist Church is doing everything short of an exchange of vows. This is clearly a violation of the spirit of the Discipline.
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February 15, 2008 at 7:14 am
I Timothy 2:3 - For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
February 15, 2008 at 7:16 am
That’d be II Timothy 4:3, by the way. My bad :)
February 15, 2008 at 11:03 am
The day will soon come when the Catholic Church will stand alone in understanding WHAT marriage is. To the married, hold fast, make babies, and witness. To the celibate, support them mightily.
There is a 22 min video that has been sent to Vatican officials on Google Video about what has been going on in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. I cannot in good conscious post it to PC. Understand the video shows what is going on in a “Gay affirming” Catholic parish up to and including a charity event where pornos and phalic sex toys are given out as prizes. I simply can’t post a video that shows what is going on there.
Catholic faithful hold fast, that is all you can do.
February 15, 2008 at 11:06 am
“”United Methodism affirms God’s love and civil rights for all people, while also affirming marriage as the lifelong union of man and woman.”
Except when they don’t.
There is a liturgical ceremony in the UMC for the finalization of divorce.