Dispatches from Pennsyltucky: Lebanon Pastor in Trouble for Performing Same-Sex Marriage for Son

Schaeffer stands in front of Zion United Methodist Church of Iona in South Lebanon Township.

I’m going to start a new column calling out all the ridiculousness that’s happening out in Pennsyltucky (aka the reason we are the only Northeast state that doesn’t allow gay marriage). It’s called “Dispatches from Pennsyltucky,” and the first one is about a pastor from Lebanon who’s congregation is all up in arms because he performed a marriage ceremony for his gay son in 2007. His son for God’s sake! In 2007! Pink News reports:

Frank Schaefer, a pastor of the Zion United Methodist Church, said in an interview on Monday with the Patriot News that he felt he was following Christian principles, when he agreed to help his son and his partner marry, back in 2007.

“We just love him so much it was an honour to be asked. Had I said no to him, it would have negated all the affirmations we gave him for all those year…that we believe you are just as worthy and precious in God’s sight as anybody else,” he said.

Schaefer may face disciplinary action, or may be defrocked for officiating at the wedding.

“To me this is a human rights issue,” he continued. “If being of a certain sexual orientation is who you are as a person, if that is genetic, who are we to say that these persons do not have the same rights as everybody else.”

“I’m supposed to minister to everybody,” he added. “That I feel is my call.”

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