Church Criticized Over Gay Services Plan
Saturday, February 16th, 2008 | |
Posted by John under: Doctrines of Devils, The Falling Away
A conservative Christian group yesterday criticized a large Methodist church in the District for planning to offer services that recognize gay and lesbian relationships, saying they violate the United Methodist ban on same-sex unions.
Doctrines of Devils
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
1 Timothy 4:1
The Falling Away
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
— 2Thessalonians 2:3
Foundry United Methodist Church, which Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton attended when he was president, decided last month to support its senior pastor’s decision to lead services that “recognize and honor” committed gay relationships. Foundry clergy, however, do not perform union ceremonies, the local bishop said.
The Institute on Religion and Democracy, a Christian group opposed to liberal trends in mainline Protestant denominations, demanded that the bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, John R. Schol, prevent the services.
“If they’re not violating the letter, they’re certainly violating the spirit of United Methodist standards” said Mark Tooley, executive director of UMAction, an Institute on Religion and Democracy project that focuses on the United Methodist Church.
“Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches,” church law states.
Foundry’s senior pastor, Dean Snyder, was traveling yesterday and was not available for comment, his office said.
Snyder’s Nov. 11 pastoral letter said he wanted to remain obedient to church law and that the worship services would not be “ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions.” Rather, his letter said, they would “include the worship of God and recognize and honor the commitment which has previously been made.”
Foundry’s Church Council endorsed Snyder’s letter last month.
Schol said yesterday that the services do not violate church law.
“Foundry Church is working hard at being faithful to the United Methodist Church,” he said, adding that Foundry is “also a congregation that is seeking to minister to the broad community that it serves.”
Ernie Gregoire says Comment posted on February 18th, 2008
Yet another example of debauchery replacing mainline denominational devotion to Christ.
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
(Revelation 3:1-2 NASB)