The United Methodist Church does not allow its clergy to perform same-sex weddings, and so, the 79 year old reverend is now facing a possible canonical trial for his action, accused by several New York United Methodist ministers of violating church rules.
Ogletree, who performed the wedding service for his son, Thomas Rimbey Ogletree, JE ’03, and Nicholas Haddad on Sat., Oct. 20, 2012 at a ceremony at the Yale Club in New York City, is being charged with violating the Methodist Church’s governing book, the Book of Discipline, which rules that “the practice of homosexuality” is “incompatible with Christian teaching.”
Based on past rulings, it is possible that Ogletree could be stripped of his credentials, if brought to trial.
The New Haven Register has reported that the Yale Divinity School is standing behind its retired dean, and that current Divinity School dean, Gregory E. Sterling, expressed his support for his predecessor in a statement.
In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post (that you should all read) entitled: “Why I disobeyed the United Methodist Church’s unjust teaching on same-sex marriage,” Ogeltree outlined his reasons for administering the ceremony. A veteran of the civil rights movement, Ogeltree was once an active participant in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. He states that this experience has illuminated his response to what he considers to be “unjust disciplinary rules in the United Methodist Church, especially rules that denied my right to officiate at my own son’s wedding.”