Frank Schaefer, a United Methodist Church pastor, has been reinstated into his pastoral position on Tuesday, June 24. He had previously been defrocked from his position as a result of marrying his son at a same-sex wedding.
The Book of Discipline, which contains the rules by which the United Methodist Church must follow, explains that practicing homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching," and that there are consequences for those who violate the standard. When Schaefer was first brought to the Northeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Appeals court, he was given a chance to "provide a written report to and interview with the Board of Ordained Ministry within 30 days regarding his call and his willingness to uphold the Book of Discipline in its entirety."
To this ultimatum, Schaefer responded, "I have been directed to report to you whether I can uphold the Book of Discipline in its entirety. My honest answer has to be: No, I cannot. In fact, I don't believe anybody can. It's impossible to uphold the Discipline in its entirety because it is filled with competing and contradictory statements."
Despite all of this, Schaefer was reinstated and his punishment overturned because the court leaders decided that the punishment given to him was not legal. In the case text, it explains that the Trial Court is allowed to either suspend Schaefer for a specific period of time, or if his violation was so grave that suspension would be insufficient of a punishment, the Court could revoke his credentials entirely, but "What the Trial Court could not do was combine aspects of those distinct and discrete alternatives, "suspending' Rev. Schaefer for a short period of time and then crafting a subsequent proceeding"¦"
Hence, Schaefer's punishment has now been changed to a simple 30-day suspension, according to the case text.
