Baltimore-Washington Conference Photo
Phil Wogaman Surrenders
Clergy pray around Phil Wogaman, center, after he surrendered his credentials during the clergy session Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. J. Philip Wogaman, who was going to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his Elder’s ordination next month, unexpectedly turned in his clergy credentials to Bishop LaTrelle Easterling Wednesday afternoon during the BWC’s clergy session.
Wogaman made the gesture during a moment of personal privilege. He said that his “heart breaks” for T.C. Morrow, a lesbian who was not approved for ordination as a Deacon in 2016, and who was not brought forth to the clergy session this year, and for “others like her” with the gifts and graces for ordained ministry “who have been excluded as a result of bad church law, applied legalistically and hurtfully.”
The United Methodist Church prohibits the ordination of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals, and has since 1984.
Morrow, who sought ordination again this year, had her status remain as a certified candidate after a May 2017 Judicial Council ruling stated that Boards of Ordained Ministry had to inquire about a candidate’s sexual practice as part of their examination. The BWC’s BoOM took the recent Judicial Council ruling into account, said the Rev. C. Anthony Hunt, chair, when it reached its decision not to recommend her to the full clergy session.
The 2016 Board, in approving Morrow and bringing her forth to the clergy session, decided that asking about any candidate’s sexual practice was not part of their examination.
The Board, Hunt said in a statement after the clergy session, will form a task force to “review our policies and procedures to ensure that we appropriately examine our candidates.” In the meantime, he said, the Board will follow the Book of Disciple as per the Judicial Council’s ruling in making a “full examination” of people seeking local pastor licenses, commissioning and full membership. “Boards of Ordained Ministry are not at liberty to disregard qualifications for licensed and ordained ministry in its evaluation and examination process,” he said.
Bishop Easterling, who repeatedly asked Wogaman to reconsider his decision, tearfully accepted the credentials after he placed them in a sealed envelope in front of her.
After receiving the credentials, Bishop Easterling called for a moment of prayer. Dozens of clergy came forward and laid hands on Wogaman as the bishop prayed.
Wogaman, 84, who counts in his ministry resume serving as a delegate to four General Conferences, as senior pastor at Foundry UMC, and as Dean of Wesley Theological Seminary, said in a statement after the session that “in the twilight years of my life and ministry, I must join with T.C. and others outside the clergy circle by surrendering my credentials today. I do this with a heavy heart. I’ve had to ask myself, ‘How could I remain inside the association of clergy when someone like her (Morrow) must remain outside?’”
Wogaman said he began thinking about this course of action after the recent Judicial Council decisions. It was after they were announced, he said, that Morrow was informed by the BoOM that she would not be brought forward this year.
“That really moved me,” he said. “I have known her for many years. (Morrow is a member of Foundry UMC.) She is highly qualified.”
Wogaman, who did not notify Morrow of his intentions beforehand, said that he did not take this decision lightly.
“I really wanted the point to register that this is not just administrative decision making, routinely,” he said. “This is very serious; it bears upon the character not just of the conference but the whole church. There’s something here that transcends law.”
Wogaman stressed in his statement that he hoped others who may be tempted to follow in his footsteps would not do so. “I beg all of you to remain within the circle,” he said. “If you think as I do, let me be your representative (outside the circle).”
The Rev. Erik Alsgaard serves on the communications staff of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference.