Sprinkle petals and bless LGBT people…

With the by-election of the Mayor of Seoul on the 4/7, controversy over LGBTI people in politics is hot. Remarks and silence among candidates surrounding the venue of the’queer parade’, a LGBTQ festival, have emerged as major issues of the election. The same is true of the situation in the religious world, which is the aid of this controversy. This is because, as a pastor of the mainstream Protestant denomination prays for blessings to LGBTQ people, debate continues over whether or not to be disciplined.

The party that sparked the controversy over the’Blessing of LGBTQ’ in Protestants was Pastor Dong-Hwan Lee (Suwon Youngkwang First Church) of the Methodist Church. Pastor Lee was suspended for two years at a church trial last year because it became a problem that he offered a blessing prayer to LGBTQ people at the Incheon Queer Culture Festival in August 2019.

At the time, pastors who accused Pastor Lee of the denomination saw his actions as’actions in favor of or sympathizing with homosexuality’, which was stipulated by the denomination’s constitution as a mistake. The trial committee, which had been suspended, said, “(Lee’s) attending the queer festival and blessing LGBTI people is evidence of homosexuality.”

In response, Pastor Lee appealed, saying, “The idea of ​​an anachronism”. Along with the Presbyterian Church, the’Blessing of LGBTI people’ of the pastor of the Methodist Church, a major denomination that forms the main pillar of Korean Protestantism, aroused public interest. Pastor Lee organized a joint lawyer team of about 30 people, including nine attorneys belonging to the Attorneys’ Association for Democratic Society (Minbyun), and pastors and church members who shared their will to respond.

At the time, Pastor Lee said, “God’s will is not to kill and curse people, but to bless and save people.” “Some people ask LGBTQ people whether they agree or disagree. However, no being can be the object of pros and cons. We do not have the right to do that.” He said, “I just love with all my heart according to the words that I said to love,” he said. “I will continue to visit wherever there are minorities in this land and bless and share God’s love.”

The first hearing of Pastor Lee’s appeal was scheduled to be held at the headquarters church of the Methodist Association in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 22nd. Church trials are based on the canonical law prescribed by each denomination, and unlike the general judicial system, it is its own procedure within the denomination. Since the Methodist church trial is a two-trial system, the result of this appeal was a final decision. “If you disagree with the results of the church trial, you can seek the judgment of the judiciary again through civil lawsuits,” said Choi Deuk-shin, an expert in canon law. “However, one of the basic principles of civil law, the principle of private autonomy. According to the law, the judiciary also respects the results of the church trial as much as possible.”

However, as the court of the General Assembly, who was in charge of the second trial, decided to proceed with the trial privately due to concerns about the corona 19 infection, Pastor Lee’s side began to protest before the trial began. Jeong-gyu Choi (Wongok Law Firm), who represents Pastor Lee, said, “Even though the Methodist Constitution also stipulates the right to a public trial, we prevented not only observers but reporters other than Pastor Lee Dong-hwan and two lawyers.” “It was unreasonable to force confidentiality even though the number of personnel could be reduced.” In the end, the two sides were unable to narrow down their disagreements over whether or not the trial was disclosed, and the appeal trial trial was delayed until the 2nd of the following month due to Pastor Lee’s request to postpone the trial.

Pastor Lee’s actions have spread controversy over LGBTQ people in the denomination. Previously, the Human Rights Center of the Korean Association of Christian Churches (NCCK), a progressive Protestant organization, issued a statement after the first trial of Pastor Lee came out and said, “The blessing of a pastor who participated in the lives of LGBTI people stained with all kinds of discrimination and hatred cannot be a sin” Said the position. Pastors who support Pastor Lee launched a’presidential meeting against hate and discrimination’ on the 22nd before the appeal hearing, saying, “The purpose of our meeting is not to hunt for witches, but to provide a calm and rational forum for discussion.” Through the chapter, I hope that this will serve as an opportunity for our Methodist Church to broaden the range of consideration and understanding of the denomination and the socially underprivileged that can communicate with society.”

However, there is still a lot of opposition within the Protestant Church. Pastor Min Don-won, who leads the Emergency Response Council for the Restoration of Holiness, said, “The pastor, who has spread false ideas and teachings and deviates from it, should take measures to dismiss school rather than dismissal.”

Hwang Sun-woo, a professor of theology at Chongshin University, stressed, “The standard of value judgment in the church is the Bible, and in these Bibles homosexuality is specified as’abominable sin’.” He added, “Jesus is talking about sin and judgment as well as love.” He pointed out that “It is not right for a pastor to bless an act that has been defined as a sin by not practicing the Bible’s teachings.”

Reporter Garam Lee [email protected]