Methodists on Dammann Verdict: 'Farcical,' 'Rebellion,' 'Flagrant Violation'

by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
March 23, 2004

(AgapePress) - A conservative United Methodist activist is denouncing a church court for sanctioning lesbianism. And two UMC bishops are calling the verdict handed down by that church court "a clear sign of rebellion."

On Saturday, a jury of 13 Methodist clergy members found Rev. Karen Dammann not guilty of violating church law by living in a lesbian relationship. Dammann had confessed to her bishop three years ago that she was living in a lesbian relationship, in direct violation of UMC standards that prohibit "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from ministry and declare homosexuality to be "incompatible with Christian teaching."

In addition, Dammann's lesbian partner was present in the building during the church trial, and the two had "married" each other in the weeks preceding the trial. Still, the jury said the church "did not present clear and convincing evidence to sustain the charge" that Dammann violated church teachings. (See Earlier Article)

Mark Tooley with the Institute on Religion and Democracy had thought the jury would at least feel obliged to show their theoretic interest in enforcing church law, and render a guilty verdict with a light or non-existent penalty. Such was not the case in the trial Tooley describes as "farcical."

Mark Tooley

"The fact that they chose to disregard church law altogether, with apparently not a single one of the 13 jurors willing to enforce church law, was a surprise," he says, "and it really makes a mockery not only of church law but of the instructions from the church's highest court, the Judicial Council."

Back in the fall, the Judicial Council had instructed the church hierarchy in Washington State to recuse themselves as a matter of conscience if they could not enforce church law. But according to Tooley, none of the clergy members had "sufficient integrity" to recuse themselves.

Tooley is hopeful the outcome of the Dammann trial will rally mainstream Methodists in support of Bible teaching on homosexuality. He expects the issue of homosexuality will again be the focus of the denomination's General Conference beginning in April 27 in Pittsburgh.

"That issue has been 'Topic A' in terms of attention and publicity for last 30 years, so this verdict will not change that in any significant way," he says, "but I'm hopeful in that I think this verdict will strengthen the resolve of those who are otherwise in the middle to move towards greater enforcement mechanisms for church law."

Tooley hopes the Dammann verdict will have the same impact on this year's General Conference as the mass same-sex wedding in Sacramento did on the 2000 conference. "If anything," he says, "the dishonesty of the Dammann verdict will lead to an even stronger affirmation [of historic Christian teachings about marriage and sex]."

The IRD spokesman points out that every United Methodist General Conference since 1972 has declared homosexual practice to be incompatible with Christian teaching.

Bishops React
The two Methodist bishops in the State of Georgia say they are "profoundly disappointed" in the outcome of the Dammann trial. In a joint statement, Bishops Michael Watson of the South Georgia Conference and Lindsey Davis of the North Georgia Conference say "it is a clear sign of rebellion when a group chooses to flagrantly ignore [the Book of Discipline], substituting their own perspective for the corporate wisdom of the General Conference."

Both Watson and Davis state their belief that the Book of Discipline is clear on the issue of homosexuality. The two Georgia bishops are calling for delegates to next month's General Conference in Pittsburgh to be prepared to discuss the situation and to consider "an appropriate response which will respect our connectional covenant."

Split Ahead?
Meanwhile, the president of a women's movement in the United Methodist Church says Dammann's acquittal could split the denomination. Faye Short, who heads the Renew Network, tells Associated Press that Methodists "cannot live together when there is flagrant violation of the Book of Discipline, of our standards of faith and of Scripture."

Short says decisions like the acquittal of a lesbian pastor drive Methodists to other churches. "Many people in the pew are discouraged and disheartened by it, and just decide to go to another denomination," she says.

The United Methodist Church, she says, cannot remain united unless church rules are enforced. "We simply must be able to hold people accountable to the Book of Discipline if we are to remain together as a covenant community, if we are to be a connectional system, as the Methodist Church claims to be," the Renew Network spokeswoman says.

And like Tooley, Bishop Watson, and Bishop Davis, Short expects the Dammann verdict will cloud next month's General Conference. "It will have a bearing on General Conference," she says, "and I think it will have to be dealt with at General Conference. In some way, it will have to be confronted."