Methodist Church of Korea confirms expulsion of priest for blessing LGBTQ+

Rev. Lee speaks at the demonstration against the church tribune's ruling of disfellowship in front of The Korean Methodist Church Building in Seoul, on Monday. (Yonhap)

The Methodist Church of Korea finalized its decision to expel a pastor who blessed LGBTQ+ participants at the 2019 Incheon Queer Culture Festival in Incheon.

The church’s tribunal on Monday confirmed the disfellowship of Rev. Lee Dong-hwan (43) at the Korean Methodist Church Building in central Seoul. The annual conference of Methodist churches in Gyeonggi Province made the decision on Dec. 19, citing Lee broke the internal rule that bans “supporting or agreeing with homosexuality.”

Disfellowship is the heaviest punishment in the Korean Methodist Church, as it strips the priest's qualification to serve as a priest in any Methodist church in Korea.

Lee, who led Glory Jeil Church in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, argued the decision was wrong, citing the human rights issues of LGBTQ+ people and problems in procedures that the conference carried out to reach the decision. However, the argument was turned down.

Rev. Lee and his supporters condemned the tribunal, saying they tailored the limitless love of God and dared to dictate those who could receive the grace of God and those who could not.

Rev. Lee was accused of praying for LGBTQ+ people and blessing them at the Incheon Queer Culture Festival in 2019 by the Gyeonggi Province Conference of the Korean Methodist Church.

Lee vowed to continue the fight to nullify the disfellowship at the secular court of South Korea, saying that love will continue in an interview to local media.

By Lim Jae-seong(forestjs@heraldcorp.com)