Episcopal Priest Resigns over Church's 'Pervasive Homophobia'
From Stand Firm

Delaware, Ohio--A central Ohio Episcopal priest has resigned his ordination to protest what he calls “pervasive homophobia” coming mostly from the church leadership in the third world.

Former Rev. Paul Nicely issued a written statement July 25 saying, “I no longer in conscience can honor my vow as a priest to be subject to the authority of a church which persists in sanctioning bigotry and exclusion.”

“There’s not much an individual can do,” Nicely said in a later interview. “There’s not much political influence for an individual, but I wanted to be expressive in my views on this.”

Nicely, 80, retired 17 years ago from the faculty of the Methodist Theological School of Ohio in Delaware, where he spent most of his career.

His resignation means he is now only able to preach as laity, and can no longer perform priestly functions.

The resignation does not affect his pension, as that is coming from the seminary, not the church.
But Nicely’s language to church leaders is poignant.

“At my age, having tried for 30 years to educate my little corner of the church about the normalcy of homosexual orientation, and having battled a witless biblical literalism much longer than that, I am unwilling for my church any longer to choose false unity instead of elementary justice,” he wrote.

Comments at Stand Firm