Gay Methodist pastor will keep pulpit, church panel rules: The Rev. Mark Edward Williams, who announced his homosexuality at a regional church conference, faced a formal complaint that had the potential to strip him of his ordination. But the United Methodist version of a grand jury, called an investigating committee, yesterday determined there was insufficient evidence to file formal charges and proceed to trial.

Williams declared himself "a practicing gay man" last June at the Methodists' Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, which includes Washington and northern Idaho.

OK, I'm very VERY impressed. The decision to keep him has to be one of the more intriguingly tortured, bizarre and sophistical things I've seen in years. He declares himself a "practicing gay man", refuses to discuss the specifics of his sex life, and the committee thereupon decides that without specific evidence, "practicing gay man" apparently does not mean the same thing as "self-avowed practicing homosexuals".

Understand: I'm certainly not saying he should lose his position. If his congregation wants to keep him and doesn't really care that he's a practicing gay man, if not a self avowed practicing homosexual, that's fine with me. I'm just saying that deciding that his statement doesn't constitute evidence of itself is the most magnificent version of Methodist jury nullification, so to speak, that I've seen in ages.

Interestingly, Findlaw and the Seattle Post Intelligencer seem to reach different conclusions about what happens next. The Post Intelligencer states, "The investigating committee's decision cannot be appealed; yesterday's decision is final." Findlaw, or rather, the AP wire feed, says, "The finding sets up a possible confrontation between local and national church officials over the decision to allow the Rev. Mark Edward Williams to remain at Woodland Park United Methodist Church." That would seem to indicate just a bit of confusion somewhere.

In any event, if this standard is to be upheld, the Methodist church might as well just allow gay clergy to serve. If you're not going to be required to testify about specific acts, and if nobody witnesses those acts, then how can they possibly kick you out?