After being defrocked as a United Methodist Church pastor twenty years ago for coming out as being in a same-sex relationship, Beth Stroud has now been reinstated following the UMC’s repeal of its anti-LGBTQ bans. In a closed meeting of clergy from the UMC’s Eastern Pennsylvania region, Stroud was readmitted as a full member and pastor, surpassing the required two-thirds vote. Bishop John Schol welcomed the decision, expressing gratitude that the church has opened up to LGBTQ persons. Stroud was emotional upon receiving the news and was handed the red stole that designates a fully ordained member of the clergy, joining her colleagues in a procession into a worship service.
The repeal of the anti-LGBTQ policies by delegates at a UMC conference in Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this month created a path for clergy who had been ousted due to these policies to seek reinstatement. Stroud, who had been removed from her position in 2004, chose this path despite the disruptions it caused in her life. Now 54, Stroud is currently completing a teaching stint at Princeton University and will start a new job as an assistant professor of Christian history at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Although not planning an immediate return to full-time ministry, Stroud wanted to regain the options available to an ordained minister as she looks for a congregation near her new job location.
Reflecting on the impact of her defrocking, Stroud expressed anger and regret about the life she could have had as a pastor had she not been ousted. She believed that with more experience, she could have helped more people and found fulfillment in her work. Instead, she spent several years in graduate schools and temporary academic jobs, facing challenges such as cancer and divorce from her wife. Despite these difficulties, she co-parented their daughter who was born in 2005. Stroud believes her life would have been different had she not been defrocked for her same-sex relationship with a pastor at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown.
The UMC does not have specific figures on the number of clergy who were defrocked for defying the anti-LGBTQ bans, or how many reinstatements may occur. Stroud’s reinstatement marks a significant milestone in the UMC’s journey towards inclusivity and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals within its clergy. The AP’s religion coverage, which reported on Stroud’s story, is supported by the collaboration with The Conversation US, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for the content of this article. The decision to reinstate Stroud signifies a step forward for the UMC in embracing diversity and allowing LGBTQ individuals to serve as clergy members within the church.
