Methodists Debate Punishing Pastors Who Perform Same-Sex Marriages

New York bishop halts church trials that 'produce no winners,' while opponents say avoiding church discipline increases likelihood of schism.

The trial of a United Methodist Church (UMC) minister who performed a same-sex marriage ceremony has been halted by a bishop before it began. Meanwhile, a retired UMC bishop may face a trial of his own for a similar ceremony.

Bishop Martin McLee of New York committed this week to stopping all such trials in his region. The New York Timeshas the details.

Meanwhile, Religion News Service reports on the latest (and highest-ranking) dissident to potentially face punishment, and assesses how geography is shaping the "emerging dynamic that allows some pastors in the country's second-largest Protestant denomination to skirt rules banning clergy from performing same-sex wedding, while others risk costly church trials and the loss of clergy credentials."

"The just resolution provisions of the Book of Discipline are clear in voicing just resolution as the preferred response in Judicial Administration," McLee wrote in a statement. "Church trials produce no winners."

McLee committed to "a cessation of church trials for conducting ceremonies which celebrate homosexual unions or performing same-gender wedding ceremonies and instead offer a process of theological, spiritual and ecclesiastical conversation."

It was welcome news for Thomas W. Ogletree, the minister on trial who performed a marriage ceremony for his son and partner in 2002. But it was frustrating for those who support the Methodist Book of Discipline, which affirms "the sanctity of the marriage covenant … between a man and a woman."

"The impact of this settlement today will be that faithful United Methodists who support the church's teachings will feel ignored and will face their own crisis ...

New Egyptian constitution gives greater freedom to Christians

Barnabas Fund has given thanks in its prayer update for a new draft of the Egyptian constitution that grants additional rights to Christians and marks a significant move away from the fundamental Islamic laws that have dominated in the past.

The organisation said the new draft was "good news" for the country's Christians, who have suffered a wave of attacks since the revolution in 2011.

First written during the rule of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, the previous constitution threatened basic human rights, in particular the freedom of religion. The situation has been aggravated by the fact that Egypt is currently struggling with a weakened and unstable political system.

Concerns over the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Egypt have grown in recent months, with a congressional hearing recently being held in the US to discuss the escalation of human rights abuses.

Bishop Angaelos, a General Bishop in the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, spoke at the hearing in Washington DC on 10 December, and warned that: "The persecution of religious minorities over the past decades has not manifested itself solely in physical attacks, but has frequently been embedded in process and policy, then translated into dealings with citizens on unequal grounds, inevitably having resulted in greater division and marginalisation."

A 50-member constituent assembly was tasked with redrafting the constitution in an attempt to reconcile the demands of secularists, who began the revolution in 2011, and Islamists. The resulting document, finished on 1 December and presented to interim leader Adly Mansour, shows the secularists have won significant sway.

It is written that Egypt will seek to "build a democratic, modern country with a civilian government" and political parties based on religion will be banned, which marks a significant change.

While Islam remains "the religion of the state" and the principles of Sharia remain "the main source of legislation", as they have done since the 1970s, the new document omits the more precise definition of the principles introduced during Morsi's reign.

Freedom of belief will be "absolute" rather than "preserved" as it was originally written, and restrictions on the construction and renovation of church buildings have been removed.

However, the freedom of belief and worship will only be granted to those who follow "divine religions" - Muslims, Christians and Jews. Followers of other minority faiths will not enjoy this freedom and it is unclear whether sharing faiths other than Islam will be allowed by law.

Citizens will have the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, although it is stipulated that these can only be practised "according to the law", which leaves room for the government to eliminate such rights through legislation.

The state also "guarantees the achievement of equality between women and men in all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights" and provides protection to women from "any form of violence".

The Barnabas Fund is calling for prayers of thanksgiving for the progress that has been made, while also asking for further protections to be put in place for religious freedom for all citizens of Egypt. It is hoped that the new drafted constitution will receive public support in a referendum scheduled to be held in mid-January, ahead of proposed presidential and parliamentary elections.

By Carey Lodge

OPEN DOORS USA PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PRAYERS FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS DAY ATTACKS ON IRAQI CHRISTIANS

Only the power of prayer is going to improve the conditions for believers in Iraq and countries such as Syria and Iran… pray that in 2014 Christians will be able to worship the Lord in peace and freedom."

Iraqi christians(Santa Ana, CA)—Christmas is a dangerous time for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus in many countries around the world.
The apparent targeting of Christians occurred again Wednesday in Baghdad, Iraq where militants killed at least 37 people—most of them Christians—in two bomb attacks, according to BBC News. One bomb exploded outside of the St. John's Catholic Church while worshippers were leaving a Christmas Day service, killing at least 26. Another bomb ripped through an outside market in a Christian neighborhood, killing at least 11. There were an estimated 60 wounded in the two bombings.
Pastor Tariq (not his real name) told Open Doors recently that "churches are targets for terrorists, especially on Christmas Day. Many Christians stay home because they are too afraid."
An Open Doors field worker said in an earlier report: "We received documents and threats stating that the aim of Islamist insurgents is to make Iraq a 'Muslim only' country. They want Christians out."
Iraq is No. 4 on the 2013 Open Doors World Watch List (www.worldwatchlist.us), which ranks countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians. It is estimated there are only 330,000 Christians left in Iraq as many have fled the country due to violence and persecution. In the early 1990s there were an estimated 1.2 million Christians. According to the Associated Press, the total number of people killed this month in Iraq is 441 while the United Nations estimates more than 8,000 people have been killed since the first of the year.
Dr. David Curry, president/CEO of Open Doors USA, urges Christians in the West to pray fervently for all the Christians affected by the killings.
"There is a concerted effort by extremists to drive Christians out of the Middle East," he says. "Iraq not only is a hostile, volatile environment in general, but often the violence is directed specifically towards Christians. As a result, one of our field workers said that if the exodus of Christians from Iraq continues at the current pace, it is possible there could be no Christians left in Iraq by 2020.
"Only the power of prayer is going to improve the conditions for believers in Iraq and countries such as Syria and Iran. Pray that the families of the victims will feel the embrace of Jesus. Pray that the government of Iraq will do more to protect people of all faiths. And pray that in 2014 Christians will be able to worship the Lord in peace and freedom."
Curry adds that attacks on Christians during Christmas and New Year's Eve is a "very disturbing trend." He cited the bombing of the Two Saints Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt on New Year's Eve and attacks on Christians in Nigeria on Christmas Eve the last three years.
The Open Doors ministry in Iraq includes trauma counseling, biblical training for church leaders and Muslim Background Believers, distribution of Bibles and Christian literature, community development projects and working with Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) in northern Iraq.

By Jerry Dykstra