Methodists Drop Suit Against Minister Who Performed Same-Sex Wedding

A retired Methodist pastor who drew criticism for officiating his son’s wedding to another man will no longer be put on trial for violating the church’s prohibition against same-sex marriage. A prominent Bishop, Martin McLee, decided to drop the case Monday.

Rev. Thomas Ogletree, 80, called his decision to officiate his gay son’s wedding against church rules “an act of pastoral faithfulness and fatherly love,” the Associated Press reports. The 12-million-member strong Methodist Church has been riven by the same-sex marriage question in recent months. Another pastor was defrocked in a church trial in 2013 for officiating his own son’s same sex wedding.

In calling off the prosecution, Bishop McLee appealed to the rest of the Methodist church to also stop prosecuting ministers who perform same-sex weddings. His settlement with Ogletree is unconditional, without even a statement from Ogletree that he was wrong to perform the wedding.

[AP]