The United Methodist Church Begins Trial on Rev. Karen Dammann Case

WASHINGTON--- The Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church will try the Rev. Karen Dammann. The trial will be held in the fellowship hall of Bothell United Methodist Church, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 17. Bishop William Boyd Grove has been designated as the presiding officer for her trial.

The trial will be opened to the public at the request of the respondent. The church has announced the clear guidance for the visiting media on the web. The trial may last several days. And after 1 p.m., the public portion of the trial is expected to hold.

The Rev. Karen Dammann case was initiated by a complaint after Rev Karen Dammann told her bishop that she was "living in a partnered, covenanted homosexual relationship."

According to the UMC's Book of Discipline, the church law states that homosexuals are people of sacred worth; it regards the practice of homosexuality as incompatible with Christian teachings. Therefore, the ordination of a homosexual as a pastor or minister is absolutely prohibited.

Some suspect that UMC has been known to live as a “divided denomination?, so it can compromise with the case. However, Jim Heidinger, president and publisher of Good News magazine, maintains the church's General Conference is not divided on the issue of homosexuality.

"The United Methodist Church has been very clear that we are strongly opposed to same-sex covenants," he says.

So as a leading spokesman for renewal in the United Methodist Church is predicting the outcome of this week's trial, Lesbian Pastor is predicted to be found guilty.

The denomination's Judicial Council has indicated it will retain jurisdiction on the matter to make sure the church does not make a mockery of the case by disobeying church law.