Rev. Frank Schaefer was stripped of his ordination yesterday after performing the wedding of his gay son.  I have no idea how he will feel as he awakes this morning, but having been in church trials myself in the Presbyterian Church, I hope he feels some some relief that he did not sell his soul even at such a cost. I hope he feels some joy that he was faithful to Jesus’ message of grace. I hope he remembers that the church that accepts grace for itself but denies it to others is not the true church. I hope he feels this day that he has been true to his calling as were other Methodist pastors Jimmy Creech and Irene Stroud defrocked before him.

I hope this morning Rev. Schaefer hears the rolling thunder of people of faith across this nation who will also risk their livelihood rather than participate in this ungodly oppression. Only such faithfulness as his can save the Church from the rigor mortis of dogma and moralism. A new church is being born out of the broken pieces of the former institutions and faithful leaders like Rev. Schaefer are its founding saints.