Bishop Charlene Kammerer seeks Reconsideration of #1032

This article from the United Methodist News Service deals with the appeal by Bishop Kammerer for reconsideration by the Judicial Council of their decision 1032. The Council of Bishops unanimously raised their objections to 1032 in a pastoral letter to the whole Church. Some have mistakenly thought that this guaranteed a reconsideration by the Judicial Council. Actually, only parties to the original decision (of which Bishop Kammerer was one, being the Bishop whose ruling on church law was reversed by the Judicial Council) have standing to file an appeal for reconsideration. After hearing the motions for reconsideration, at least five of the nine-member Judicial Council will need to vote for reconsideration before decision 1032 itself will be reconsidered. There is no guarantee that the Judicial Council will reverse itself. This is very much a live issue.

It is almost an understatement to say that this issue is divisive--the Judicial Council's decision received the unanimous rebuke of the Council of Bishops. In effect, the "judicial branch" of United Methodist church government has been rebuked by the "executive branch." Reconsideration by the Judicial Council of its own decision is the only way forward. If decision 1032 stands, expect pressure for schism of the church to build. In effect, the "right-wing" of the church is raising the stakes in the thirty-year debate over the "issue of homosexuality." Until now the "right-wing" was satisfied to exclude LGBT persons from ordained ministry--now the way is opened to simply exclude LGBT people from the body of Christ altogether.