Bishop Faces Censure for Pro-Marriage Message

A Methodist minister who stood up to his fellow clergy members, asking for more support for marriage equality within the denomination, may face censure from colleagues.

Bishop Melvin Talbert, who is officially retired, announced his support of gay and lesbian couples' right to wed at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Tampa, Fla., in May. Talbert has since become the subject of a letter to the Council of Bishops from 70 clergy and lay leaders of the church who say Talbert's gay support is a violation of the Book of Discipline, according to the United Methodist Reporter. The letter requests that the council issue a formal complaint against Talbert and recommends that other bishops be censured if they don't denounce Talbert's support for marriage equality.

According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, several Methodist clergy, laypeople, and allies have aligned with Talbert. To date, more than 1,100 United Methodist clergy from at least 15 states have pledged to perform weddings for same-sex couples.