U.S.
Josh Reynolds / AP
A Methodist pastor who was defrocked after officiating at his son's same-sex wedding ceremony will be reinstated, a church appeals panel said Tuesday.
The nine-member appeals panel of the United Methodist Church said it had reversed its decision to remove the Rev. Frank Schaefer from the pulpit of the Zion United Methodist Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
The church last year suspended Schaefer, who has three gay children, for officiating at his son's 2007 wedding. The church then defrocked Schaefer in December because he would not promise never to preside over another gay ceremony.
Schaefer appealed, arguing that the decision was wrong because it was based on an assumption he would break church law in the future.
The church appeals panel did uphold a 30-day suspension that Schaefer has already served. It also said he should get back pay dating to when the suspension ended in December.
At the time of his defrocking, Schaefer described the United Methodist church as "my church" and said it is deeply divided on the issue of gay rights. Schaefer has said that the rules outlined in the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which contains the doctrine of the United Methodist Church, discriminate against gay people.
Schaefer's lawyer, the Rev. Scott Campbell, said the pastor would not return to the congregation in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, but was otherwise uncertain of his plans.
Schaefer was expected to speak later Tuesday at a press conference at a Methodist church in Philadelphia.
Wire services
The Rev. Frank Schaefer was no different than many other Methodist pastors with a conservative upbringing.
The Rev. Frank Schaefer to appeal church’s decision to bar him for officiating son's same-sex marriage.
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