May 30, 2006 12:06 pm US/Central
Methodists Considering Gay Clergy, Marriage
St. Cloud, Minn. (AP) ―
Methodists from across Minnesota gathered for their annual convention Tuesday with hot topics that have split many denominations: whether gays should be ordained and allowed to marry.
Their votes on the issues will constitute recommendations to the denomination's General Convention, which meets in 2008. But church leaders say divisions run deep among, and sometimes within, churches in the state.
"A bunch of people are trying to push this through, and I think it's wrong," Dale Droogsma, of Elk River, said at a gathering last week of Methodists who oppose striking restrictive language about homosexuality from the church's Book of Discipline.
The Rev. Bruce Robbins of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist said members at the Minneapolis church support ordaining gay clergy.
"It's hard to see reconciliation between such different world views," he said. "It comes down to how one interprets scripture." He compared the debate to arguments about slavery, in which both sides cited biblical texts.
At Centennial United Methodist Church in Roseville, "we have people representing the whole waterfront of thought," said the Rev. Brian Hacklander. "But by and large, our congregation supports full inclusion of gays in the ministry."
But many United Methodists who believe the current rules are biblically based are dismayed that changes are being considered.
Last week, about 200 of them gathered at Plymouth United Methodist Church to denounce homosexual behavior and pray for guidance and compassion in opposing change in the church.
"The current language is biblically sound," said the Rev. Phil Strom of Elk River United Methodist Church. "Our belief is that the majority of people in the pews are silently content with the language as it is and offended by the move toward change.
"The bottom line is, homosexuality is a sin. We love and care about people, but we don't encourage an unhealthy, destructive behavior," he said.
Bishop Sally Dyck, head of the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, acknowledged the divisions over the issue.
But she said, "The ultimate issue is how we as a church treat each other in the midst of these differences. It's my hope that people will focus on the goal we have in common -- making disciples for Jesus Christ."
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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