The recent departure of longstanding Methodist minister Steve Clark from the church has highlighted the sharply contrasting positions on the definition of marriage held by Methodists.
Clark recently attended a gathering of ministers, where he says he was asked to affirm the new Methodist marriage practice, which essentially allows any two people (including those of the same sex) to get married in the church. He declined to do so, so conditions were imposed on his preaching. At the same time, Methodist lay ministers who refused to affirm the practice were told they must cease preaching altogether.
Clark therefore felt he could no longer be part of the Methodist Church, so he resigned. He has now found sanctuary in ‘a very welcoming Anglican Church’ near Doncaster in south Yorkshire.
