Our Movement Forward
The Rev. Anna Blaedel (left) served on a panel at the "Our Movement Forward" conference in May in Minneapolis. With them* is the Rev. Alex da Silva Souto of UM Forward. (*We are using Rev. Blaedel's choice of personal pronouns) (Photo Courtesy of Our Movement Forward)
Special to United Methodist Insight
INDIANAPOLIS, August 14, 2019 – More than 400 United Methodists clergy and laity of Indiana have so far expressed their strong support in a public letter to the Rev. Anna Blaedel who was brought before the Iowa United Methodist Conference Committee on Investigation for being a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” against the rules of The United Methodist Book of Disciple. The committee voted to refer Rev. Blaedel to trial.
The strong support came because the complaint was filed with the Iowa Conference Bishop’s Office by John Lomperis, a lay member of the Indiana Conference and member of New Song Fellowship United Methodist Church in Valparaiso, Indiana, and an Indiana Conference lay delegate to the 2020 General Conference. Lomperis, who claims residence in Chicago, Illinois, is the United Methodist Action executive director of the Institute on Religion and Democracy based in Washington, D.C.
According to an August 7 news release from the Iowa Conference, Lomperis has alleged that Blaedel is in violation of Paragraphs 304(3) and 2702.1 (b) in the Book of Discipline, which prohibit United Methodist clergy members from certain practices declared by The United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teaching, including, among other things, and in the Discipline’s words: “being a self-avowed practicing homosexual.”
On August 13, Blaedel informed supporters that the Iowa Conference Committee on Investigation voted to refer the bill of charges to trial. Quoting from the letter they* received, they said, “I am ‘charged with the offense of practices declared by The United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings, specifically being a self-avowed and practicing homosexual, pursuant to Paragraph 2702.1 (b) of the Book of Discipline.’” Even though a just resolution was sought, this charge ended in a referral for a church trial in which they could lose credentials as a clergyperson in The United Methodist Church.
Blaedel further stated: “Counsel for the church, the Rev. Bob Ward, had the chance to recommend dismissing the charge; instead he certified it and recommended a trial. The Committee on Investigation had the chance to dismiss the charge; instead they certified it and are initiating a trial.”
The Indiana letter of support was the action of the Indiana Room For All Coalition steering committee under the lead of the Rev. Mary Dicken of Meridian Street United Methodist Church and the Rev. Duane Carlisle of Broadway United Methodist Church both in Indianapolis. The coalition is composed of more than 600 members and friends of the Reconciling Ministries Network of Indiana, the Uniting Methodists of Indiana and The Methodist Reclamation Project. The letter was widely circulated electronically and as of Aug. 14 gathered signatures of 402 United Methodists. More supporters are expected to sign the letter as it is being circulated in e-mail and on social media.
The letter of support directed to Blaedel states: “We are deeply sorry for the harm that has been and continues to be done against you and your ministry within our United Methodist Church.”
The letter also regrets the actions of a member of the Indiana Conference stating: “We are also mindful of the reality that this complaint was filed by a member of our Indiana Conference, and we are sorry for our complicity – for the ways we as an Indiana Conference have fostered an environment that allows for this kind of hateful rhetoric and action. We must do better, and we are committed to working within our conference to become a more just and faithful Church.”
Addressing the whole church, the letter states: “We are aggrieved not only because of the harm this complaint perpetuates against LGBTQ+ persons but also because of the unbiblical nature of this particular complaint process.”
Quoting Matthew 18:15-17 which calls for face-to-face resolution of conflict, the letter acknowledges that “As the complainant, Lomperis has never met Rev. Blaedel and is not a member of the Iowa Conference, we can only assume that the complaint was not filed with any intent toward biblical resolution.” Blaedel also stated the two have never met. Nonetheless, Lomperis felt compelled to file a complaint against them.
The signers of the letter agree that: “We unequivocally denounce the actions of this complainant and his employer, the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). We reject the violent tactics of the IRD made possible by the unjust policies of our Discipline, particularly in this moment of our United Methodist Church.” The complete letter can be read and signed online at bit.ly/HoosierResponse.
In addition to Blaedel and partner, the Rev. M Barclay, copies of the letter are being sent to the bishops and cabinets of both the Iowa and Indiana conferences, Blaedel’s counsel, the Indiana Conference delegates to General and Jurisdictional conferences, and the news services of both the Indiana and Iowa conferences.
For more information: contact Rev. Dicken at mdicken@meridianstreet.org or the Rev. Carlisle at duane.carlisle@inumc.org.
Daniel R. Gangler is a retired United Methodist communicator who lives in Indianapolis.