Transgender Methodist Pastor Reappointed

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Here is a link to a United Methodist News Service article:

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2433457&ct=3911067

This seems to me like an entirely favorable news report of an entirely favorable development. This pastor has come out as transgender, has had gender reassignment surgery (female to male), and was reappointed to the congregation he has been serving for some time now.

In the United Methodist Church pastors are subject to annual appointment decisions of the Bishop which are very nearly absolute (while pastor and congregation can express preferences, the decision is left to the Bishop). Maintaining one's clergy status also involves the support of the rest of the clergy in an Annual (Regional) Conference. Rev. Drew Phoenix seems to have succeeded in all respects.

As the article points out, United Methodist "law" (known as the "Book of Discipline") does not anywhere address the issue of transgender identity. The Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), a powerful, right-wing political/religious think tank in Washington D.C. is stirring a stink about this case. Our denomination's General Conference (GC) occurs in Fort Worth in April/May of 2008. Expect this controversy to play out at GC 2008--the trouble will be right-wing organizing trying to use anti-transgender prejudice and ignorance to divide the Conference and force a vote on new proposals to introduce anti-transgender legislation into the Book of Discipline.

I will search out and post more information about IRD's opposition to this pastor.

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Here is a link to an article published in the right-wing American Spectator by Mark Tooley, who works for IRD (Institute on Religion and Democracy) with the specific objective of driving "liberals" from the United Methodist Church or destroy the church trying.

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11490

Tooley worked for the CIA before joining the staff of IRD. He has perfected the technique of attending moderate & progressive church gatherings and writing lies (they call it "spin") about them afterwords.

Notice in this article how he's visited Pastor Phoenix's church in order to dig up such shocking facts as that they have decorated their church with butterflies!

After stating that, "Authoritative Christian resources on the theological implications of gender reassignment are rare." Tooley proceeds to dig up as much negative misinformation as possible.

We need to watch to see if Tooley is successful in stirring this up into a controversial issue, or if United Methodists will just shrug their shoulders and let this issue pass.

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Here's an article from the Baltimore Sun. It suggests that we are on our way to having a show down at the United Methodist General Conference in 2008 in Fort Worth, Texas on the issue of transgender clergy.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.methodist26may26,0,1408619.story

General Conference is a world wide body with a large number of voting delegates from Africa who have traditionally been manipulated by IRD (Institute on Religion and Democracy) and their allies in General Conference.

Steven Webster

[andrewlittle]

... Good News for the ultra-conservative (u-c) elements of the UMC, as well as for the rest of the more progressive folks.

Since the u-c are also pretty visceral against feminist ministers, and women in general, Rev Phoenix should represent to them a move in the right direction. After all, as a man, Rev Phoenix is not only more likely himself, but also much more likely to bring others, to move towards perfection. It seems that would be much easier as a male than a female in the UMC. (Just in case, this is tongue-in-cheek you know.)

I would think, rather than fighting Rev Phoenix's continued status as ordained clergy, they may want to hold it up as the "right" ideal for all female UMC clergy - move towards male, move towards perfection - aren't they synonymous, after all?

Just a nasty little thought stemming from my current disdain for the UMC. I would give my apologies, but I don't feel like it right now. Maybe later I'll repent and soften the hardness in my heart.

OOOH - I just noticed this is post 700. Holy Cow, I need a life.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

I've posted the Rev. Drew Phoenix's statement to the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church on my blog. You can read it here:

http://morevile.blogspot.com/2007/05/transgender-pastor-speaks-for-himself.html

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

One of our United Methodist LGBT groups, Affirmation, has issued and excellent statement. Here's the link

http://umaffirm.org/news/2007affirmationcongratulates.html

What is important here is the suggestion that IRD (Institute on Religion and Democracy) and other right-wing Methodist groups (such as those Bush's Surgeon General nominee is affiliated with) are showing signs of making this the big issue at next Spring's once-in-four-year's General Conference to be held in Fort Worth, Texas.

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Here's a link to USA Today article:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-10-18-transgender-methodist_N.htm

This article seems to have an excellent discussion of the issues.

James Holsinger, Bush's nominee for Surgeon General, will be presiding over Pastor Phoenix's case before the United Methodist Judicial Council in the next few days.

I was interested by the comment in the article that some conservatives view transgenderism as an extreme form of homosexuality. I've read one of the conservative "friend of the court" briefs being submitted to the Judicial Council--that seems to be the take on the issue, i.e. that transgender folks are banned from the ministry by the same rules that ban homosexual persons.

Keep Drew in your prayers this coming week!

Steven Webster

[antiochian]

I just love the comments by the idiots (forgive me, I'm not feeling very turn-the-other-cheeky today) whose comments follow the article... the same old hate, venom, fire and brimstone B.S. Someone needs to slap those people sideways! :mad:

[u-dog]

Thats what judgement day is for, Jeff, ya just gotta be patient. many people are going to be surprised to find out that being straight, Republican, American Taxpayers isn't going to be QUITE enough to buy God's favor.

[scott snedeker]

Thats what judgement day is for, Jeff, ya just gotta be patient. many people are going to be surprised to find out that being straight, Republican, American Taxpayers isn't going to be QUITE enough to buy God's favor.

but revenge is so gratifying!
:lol:

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,
A Washington Blade article on Pastor Drew Phoenix, Surgeon General Nominee James Holsinger, the United Methodist Judicial Council and planned direct action by Reconciling Ministries Network in connection with the upcoming session of the Judicial Council in San Francisco.

http://www.washblade.com/2007/10-19/news/national/11409.cfm

Steven Webster

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Rev. Drew Phoenix remains a pastor for now!

Here's the link:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-pastor1030,0,5060415.story

Although the news story seems upbeat (and especially Drew Phoenix's response to the news), I need to point out that this isn't likely the end of this story. The Judicial Council's ruling was NOT that transgender people are "o.k. by the Methodist Church" -- all they said is that there were no rules broken when the Bishop re-appointed a transgender pastor to a pulpit. They left open the door for someone to bring charges against Drew and attempt to bring him to a church trial.

Drew probably would do o.k. if such charges got as far as a trial--they might not get that far--again because there are no explicit rules against transgender pastors, and so no act of "immorality" to convict him of.

So the next step for the opposition will be to create new legislation at the next General Conference to explicitly bar transgender persons from the ministry. I'm not confident that our adversaries will be defeated at General Conference. We will have to deal with the ignorance of the average delegate to General Conference. Ignorance can be overcome with education. So it may all depend on how well we can educate these delegates--it will be a challenge.

I've not seen any draft legislation against transgender persons yet, but it will likely take the form of declaring the change of one's gender to be "contrary to Christian teaching." One wonders what good arguments they can come up with for that, but we might be suprised at what is considered a "good argument."

I believe that the prejudice against lesbian and gay persons is largely grounded in traditional gender ideology. Transgender issues offend that traditional ideology as much as do lesbians and gays.

Steven Webster

[BruceChris]

There is at least one other F to M trans pastor out there. His name is Malcolm Himschoot, and he is with the Plymouth UCC church in Minneapolis.

www.callmemalcolm.com/

Check him out, he's a great guy. And my congratulations to Drew.

I believe that our ultimate goal should be to abandon the concept of Absolute Gender


Peace and Love, Bruce Chris