PITTSBURGH, PA (AgapePress) - United Methodists meeting in Pittsburgh have ordered their top court to review the case of a lesbian pastor after the court ruled on Saturday that homosexual sex violates Christian teaching.

The denomination's General Conference voted 551-345 to direct the Judicial Council to review the case of Rev. Karen Dammann, whose avowed homosexuality led to church charges of committing practices "incompatible with Christian teaching." In March, a jury of 13 pastors acquitted Dammann. But the Judicial Council, in a 6-3 vote Saturday, said being a practicing homosexual clearly violates Methodist law, and that such a violation could be cause for removal from church office.

Rev. Troy Plummer, executive director of the homosexual-rights group Reconciling Ministries Network, said the court "made a mistake." He said on Sunday "they are wrong .... It is a bad decision. The moral issue is whether to have this law at all."

Plummer says Dammann's trial followed church procedures and policies -- and he contends that if the Judicial Council overturns the Dammann decision, the UMC will be violating its own policies. Indeed, Methodist law does not allow for an appeal in church trials. But the Judicial Council retained jurisdiction over Dammann's case when it ordered her to be tried.

Mark Tooley, director of United Methodist Action committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, tells Associated Press it is appropriate that the church's top judicial court is reviewing Damman's acquittal.

Mark Tooley

"All clergy are expected to be monogamous in marriage or celibate as single -- and practicing homosexual clergy may not be ordained into ministry of the church," Tooley explains. "Karen Dammann publicly described herself as a practicing lesbian, and in fact had a 'wedding' ceremony with her partner a week before her trial."

The Judicial Council is expected to rule on Dammann's specific case during the UMC's General Conference currently under way in Pittsburgh. Tooley offers a couple of predictions. "The Judicial Council could somehow vacate the verdict in the Karen Dammann situation, or it could simply declare that the verdict notwithstanding, she is not qualified to be appointed to a local church," he says.

The Methodist delegates assembled in Pittsburgh are expected to take a series of votes early this week on issues relating to sex, marriage, and homosexuality. Tooley says he expects the General Conference to uphold the denomination's current teachings on those issues.

In fact, conservative United Methodists are hailing a little-known resolution adopted at the General Conference, which says the church supports laws in civil society defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Surprisingly, the statement passed 65-35 without much controversy or press attention.

Tooley calls the move a major development. "This is the first case of a mainline denomination actually entering into the debate over same-sex marriage in civil society and coming down strongly saying that in fact we do support laws that define marriage in the traditional way," he observes.

The IRD spokesman says he is hopeful the General Conference will also approve new language that will strengthen the Judicial Council's ability to enforce church law -- especially in cases where local regions are less than enthusiastic about abiding by the denomination's Book of Discipline.

Closed Hearts, Minds, and Doors
Meanwhile, a nominee for the Judicial Council has denounced the actions of the denomination's leadership. Amy Valdez Barker of Wisconsin says she withdrew her name as Judicial Council nominee for three reasons -- because she has been shown that the leaders in the UMC have closed hearts, closed minds, and closed doors.

"Closed hearts -- when a prominent UM leader tells me that vengeance rather than mercy and forgiveness are more important. Closed minds -- when an episcopal leader implies that the Judicial Council isn't really a place for young people. And closed doors -- when this is the only place in our church where fresh, new perspectives of young people are not welcome," Barker says.

Two members of an influential agency with the denomination tell AgapePress they would like to see the church's motto "Open Hearts, Open Doors, and Open Minds" eliminated.

American Preoccupation with Homosexuality
African delegates to the General Conference say the UMC needs to be more engaged in confronting global problems facing the church. They are saying the Conference is ignoring the concerns of the Third World delegates and spending too much time dealing with issues specific to the American church.

Dr. Tshibang Kasap Owan, the president of the Methodist University of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo, says the gathering has focused too much on issues that are unfamiliar to the African culture -- like homosexuality.

"I think that the problem of homosexuality is a problem of the United States, because in Africa our culture doesn't allow us to speak about sexuality," Owan says. He acknowledges while the issue of homosexuality is a major concern for the United Methodist Church, African delegates do not understand because "it is the practice only for the United States."

Dr. Owan says African delegates cannot comprehend why some U.S. Methodists justify allowing homosexuals to serve as leaders in the denomination.

Dr. Jean Marie Nkonge, the dean of the Methodist University of Katanga, says delegates from the Central Conferences are complaining about the amount of discussion time being dedicated to the American church.

"It's like people are watching people debating the issues for America instead of doing global things together," he says, adding that in Africa it is no longer homosexuality but probably polygamy that could be discussed. "But they have already found a solution today for the problem of polygamy. When they come here, they are listening to people debating about homosexuality."

Nkonge says homosexuality is not a divisive issue in Methodist churches in Africa because the lifestyle is not accepted.

New Young Adult Ministry Endorsed
In other business at the Conference, the delegates have voted to make youth and young adult ministry a vital priority in all levels of church life. They overwhelmingly adopted a Division on Ministries with Young People to be located in Nashville. Arthur Jones, a delegate from North Texas, addressed the General Conference, saying young Methodists will now be able to receive direction for their ministries.

Jones described the creation of a Division on Ministries with Young People as "a unification of the United Methodist Youth Organization and the Shared Mission Focus on Young People" that will allow young people to be both "more inclusively global and more effective" at the local church.

The new ministry will replace the United Methodist Youth Organization and the Forum for Adult Workers in Youth Ministry. Jones says the ministry has been a long time coming. "This unprecedented cooperation and enthusiasm, ... resulting in a body that aims to aid local churches in better making disciples of Jesus Christ, is exactly what this church needs," he said.

New York Bishop Ernest Lyght says the General Conference made an important move when it strongly approved a $6.6 million budget for the ministry. "I think what that illustrates is when we believe in a ministry, we will find a way to fund that ministry."

Several delegates tell AgapePress that approving the youth and young adult ministry has been the most significant legislative action taken so far at the 2004 General Conference.

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