Rev. Frank Schaefer Defrocked for Officiating Gay Son’s Marriage


Schaefer stands in front of Zion United Methodist Church of Iona in South Lebanon Township.

Schaefer stands in front of Zion United Methodist Church of Iona in South Lebanon Township.

This morning the United Methodist Church handed down its decision on Rev. Frank Schaefer, the PA pastor who was put on suspension for officiating the marriage of his gay son, and the verdict isn’t pretty. He’s been defrocked.

Schaefer met with officials this morning and, according to LGBTQ Nation, he left without issuing a comment. He is expected to make a statement later today.

Schaefer has been on suspension for the last 30 days. The period was meant to be a time of reflection, when he would decide to either accept the Church’s Book of Disciplines, which says homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, or hand over his robes. This week he announced that he wouldn’t be doing neither willingly. “I cannot voluntarily surrender my credentials because I am a force now for many, for tens of thousands of LGBT members in our church. … I cannot uphold the United Methodist Book of Discipline in its entirety. . … I cannot uphold those discriminatory laws … that are hurtful and harmful to our homosexual brothers and sisters in the church.”

I’ll be keeping an ear out for his post-defrocking statement. Stay tuned to G Philly for more.