United Methodist clergy in the Northwest have challenged their church to change its rules regarding homosexuality and urged their bishop to appoint an openly gay Seattle clergywoman as a pastor.
The clergy also want the case of The Rev. Karen Dammann - and the divisive issues it raises - referred to the church's Judicial Council, a kind of supreme court for Methodists.
The clergy vote this week forces the church, for the first time in its history, to come to terms with its own conflicting rules - rules written in the Book of Discipline that both guarantee a pastor in good standing the right to an appointment and forbid a bishop from ordaining or appointing "practicing" homosexuals.
It also places Dammann, who is raising a boy with her partner, in the national spotlight.
The action this week at an emotional, closed-door session of the annual conference of Pacific Northwest United Methodists in Tacoma is of keen interest to Methodists across the country and to other faiths. Just last year, at a national church conference, a majority of United Methodist leaders banned homosexual ordination and same-sex unions, prompting protests.
"We are trying to be forthright in dealing with issues that not only trouble us, but are problematic for our whole United Methodist Church and our whole society," said The Rev. John Reinmuth, an official of the Northwest Methodist church.
The clergy are meeting through Sunday at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Representatives of about 280 churches are attending. Yesterday afternoon, an overwhelming majority of conference participants - clergy and laity - accepted the recommendation to move the case to the appellate body.
But not all are supportive of Dammann.
Instead of putting Methodists through this debate, "the feeling is she should come forth and resign," said the Rev. Ed Purkey, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Everett. "That would be the wish of many people who have firm beliefs that an openly gay person should not be in the ordained ministry of our denomination." Purkey said he supports the denomination's stand on homosexuality that gay people may be participating members but not ordained clergy.
In an interview, Bishop Elias Galvan insisted that for now he cannot appoint Dammann as a pastor, but he said he was pleased the judicial council will be forced to provide guidance.
"As the bishop of the church I have to abide by how the Book of Discipline is written," said Galvan, who oversees about 70,000 United Methodists in Washington and Northern Idaho. "That doesn't necessarily mean I agree with everything in the Book of Discipline.
"The clergy understand the position in which I am placed."
On Wednesday night the clergy adopted a statement that reads: "We affirm the calling, gifts and graces of Karen Dammann, and support every effort of our Cabinet and Bishop to appoint her in ministry. We give thanks for her spirit of honesty and candor, and commit ourselves to pray and work for the time when the United Methodist Church does not ask people to remain closeted with regard to their sexual orientation in order to serve in the ordained ministry of Jesus Christ."
Dammann said she is gratified by the support of her peers, but at the same time "it was painful."
"People have honest opinions all over the place. Justice for one is not justice for another usually."
The church has been wrestling with the issue of homosexuality for years. After last year's vote against homosexual ordination at the denomination's General Conference in Cleveland hundreds of people, including some bishops, demonstrated against the decision.
The struggle is happening in most denominations, says the Rev. Robert Taylor of St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle.
Two years ago, Taylor was the first openly gay man to be chosen as dean of an Episcopal cathedral in the United States.
"I suppose progress has been made," Taylor said. "I think the progress is being made when we start to look and talk to one another as children of God and not view each other through some lens."
Taylor expects to bring a short greeting on behalf of the Episcopal bishop to the entire Methodist conference today. Tonight, he will address the Reconciling Ministries Network, a group working for full inclusion of all people into the life of the Methodist church.
Even though Bishop Galvan refuses to appoint Dammann, there already may be up to a couple dozen lesbian and gay Methodist clergy in the Northwest conference, as there probably are in conferences across the country, says Paul Beeman, a retired Methodist pastor.
The church has erected a "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue policy," he says.
But Galvan said yesterday no other clergy have told him they are homosexual.
Dammann was pastor of Woodland Park United Methodist Church for three years until 1999. For a long time, she did not reveal that she was a lesbian. But the deception became impossible to maintain after her partner gave birth to a baby. Eventually, in the midst of painful tensions within her own congregation, she took a leave of absence.
Earlier this year, Dammann wrote to the bishop: "I am living in a partnered, covenanted, homosexual relationship. We have a son."
She formally requested to come off leave and to be appointed with "everyone understanding who and what I am."
Dammann graduated with a master of divinity from the Pacific School of Religion, which is part of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif. She also has a master of ministry from Seattle University.
Galvan stresses the Methodist church is trying to support Dammann and find a salaried position for her.
"We realize she is caught in a conflict between church law," he said.
But Dammann isn't eager to take just any job. She wants to be able to celebrate weddings, communions, funerals and baptisms - the ministry of "word, order and sacrament" that sets a clergy person apart.
"That's what I'm called to - the ordained ministry. There's no doubt in my mind about that."
Marsha King can be reached at 206-464-2232 or mking@seattletimes.com.