A Wisconsin lesbian minister may be removed from the clergy after charges were brought against her by a United Methodist Church panel.
The first of its kind church trial in Wisconsin was the reason behind a recent letter from 32 retired Methodist bishops urging the church to drop its ban on "self-proclaimed practicing homosexuals" serving as ministers, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The trial is set to begin in April.
The United Methodist Church, the nation's third-largest denomination, prohibits ministers from performing same-sex unions and allows gay or lesbian ministers only if they're celibate, or if they don't reveal their sexual orientation.
Other denominations have wrestled with this controversial issue in recent years, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA directed that ministry policies be revised to eliminate bans against partnered gay and lesbian members serving as lay and ordained leaders of the church.
With the policy revision, congregations have the option of calling a person in a lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationship, but they're not required to do so. However, a number of congregations have chosen to leave the ELCA over the issue.
