Surrendering My Ordination by J. Philip Wogaman

Author:J. Philip Wogaman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781611648812
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

The Aftermath

My decision to surrender my ordination was truly painful. My journey through all those years serving the church as an ordained minister was traveled with love for The United Methodist Church, for its people, and for its service to Christ—it was a long, formative journey that helped shape the essence of who I am. And I was leaving a circle of collegiality and the role I played in that circle. Nevertheless, I concluded that the issues posed by the Judicial Council and the inability of the conference to proceed with T. C. Morrow’s preordination stages left me with no alternative. I could have voiced strong objection, but I have often used the spoken word about these issues. The time had come when an action, particularly by somebody with my background and visibility in the church, could speak much louder than words.

It soon became evident that my action did speak loudly. I received many messages of support from around the church, including some from leaders, among them several retired bishops. I was particularly grateful for a statement of support from Bishop Joseph Yeakel. I had much interaction with him when I was chair of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry, and he had enabled my ten years of deeply fulfilling ministry at Foundry Church. I wasn’t sure how he, one of the church’s preeminent authorities on church law, would react to my decision to leave ordained ministry, but he was altogether supportive.

A prominent seminary dean wrote to say, “Thank you for your sad and courageous act. . . . Your act was a symbolic and strong critique of the UMC’s persistent rejection and restrictions on LGBTQ persons, who are precious children of God and whose ministries the church needs now more than ever.” She was one of several who referred to my action as “courageous.” But, with due appreciation, I can’t say that it was. As a retired minister, I had comparatively little to lose. In fact, I can still do most of the things I could do before, both within and beyond the church. Besides, this action really wasn’t about me; it was about the good people who have suffered rejection by the church.

Still, the statements of support were welcome. The action had quickly become publicized in church circles around the country, and the messages came from near and far. One prominent Southern California pastor wrote to say, “Thank you for your witness, and for your consistent word and presence through the years. I’m prayerfully hopeful that the [UMC] Commission on a Way Forward will bring a new vision.” A retired Arizona pastor noted that I had not made the decision lightly and expressed the hope that I’d continue to seek change. A retired New England pastor questioned whether I should have used the word “surrender” about giving up the clergy credentials: “There ought to be a better word than ‘surrender’ to describe the action you took on behalf of us all. How about something along the lines of a gift to the church.

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