The Korean Methodist Church Confirms Defrocking
Pastor Lee Vows "I Will Fight for Reinstatement"
The Korean Methodist Church has finalized the excommunication of Pastor Donghwan Lee, who blessed sexual minorities at a queer festival. In response, Pastor Lee announced, "I will begin the struggle for reinstatement," signaling his opposition and forewarning a legal battle.
On the 4th, the General Assembly Trial Committee of the Korean Methodist Church (hereafter 'the Methodist Church') dismissed the appeal filed by Pastor Donghwan Lee of Yeonggwang Jeil Church, who requested the cancellation of the excommunication imposed by the General Trial Committee of the Gyeonggi Annual Conference, the higher authority of the church. The Methodist Church adjudicates internal disputes through a two-tier trial system. Therefore, with this second-instance ruling, Pastor Lee was stripped not only of his position but also of his status as a believer.
Pastor Lee Dong-hwan (center front), who was excommunicated by the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) for conducting a blessing ceremony for sexual minorities, is holding a press conference on the 4th in front of the headquarters of the Korean Methodist Church located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
After the verdict was announced, Pastor Lee held a press conference and stated, "I am ashamed of the decision and the level of understanding of the Methodist Committee. Why do you try to arbitrarily judge God's unconditional love? Today’s excommunication ruling for blessing sexual minorities will be recorded as a dark history that will be long ridiculed in the history of Protestantism." He also declared, "I will begin the struggle for reinstatement to the Methodist Church," revealing his intention to challenge the church’s excommunication ruling by filing a lawsuit in court.
Pastor Lee was excommunicated on December 8 last year by the General Trial Committee of the Gyeonggi Annual Conference for conducting a blessing ceremony for sexual minorities at the 3rd Incheon Queer Culture Festival in 2020, among other reasons. It was determined that he violated Article 3, Clause 8 of the 'Doctrine and Discipline' (the Methodist Church law), which prohibits acts supporting or condoning homosexuality. Excommunication is the highest level of punishment under Methodist Church law. Pastor Lee appealed, arguing that there were procedural defects in the Gyeonggi Annual Conference’s trial and that his actions did not violate church law. However, the General Assembly Trial Committee rejected the appeal and confirmed the excommunication.
Previously, Pastor Lee also conducted a blessing ceremony for sexual minorities at the 2nd Incheon Queer Culture Festival held on August 31, 2019. Due to internal charges within the denomination, he was suspended for two years on October 20, 2022. Pastor Lee contested this by filing a lawsuit at the Seoul Central District Court to nullify the disciplinary action.
Within Christianity, responses to the issue of blessing sexual minorities vary. In the case of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis officially approved blessings for same-sex couples at the end of last year. In South Korea, in January, Father Seungbok Lee of the Claretians Missionary Order offered blessing prayers for two female couples. However, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea stated that this blessing was "a pastoral act by an individual priest and not an official act of the Church."
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