At 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, the doors shut out the disagreements about church law as United Methodists Joe Openshaw and Bobby Prince vowed to love each other for the rest of their lives in a wedding ceremony performed by retired Bishop Melvin G. Talbert.
Before the wedding. television cameras from several news stations rolled outside Covenant Community United Church of Christ. The two men and Bishop Talbert faced questions about why, and what it would mean for them to disregard their denomination’s stance that the practice of homosexuality is not compatible with Christian teaching and that ordained clergy are forbidden to perform a same-sex marriage….
For Talbert, the answer to why and what lies ahead is more complicated.
“On May 4, 2012 (during the 2012 United Methodist General Conference), I declared that the church’s official position is wrong and evil ”¦it no longer calls for our obedience.”
I think his comment says it all–“On May 4, 2012 (during the 2012 United Methodist General Conference), I declared that the church’s official position is wrong and evil”. How different is that than the time of the Judges, when “All the people did what was right in their own eyes.”? Only Jesus has the authority to tell us “You have heard it said…but I say to you…”–everyone else is a fraud.