DENVER – Complaints have been filed against Bishop Melvin G. Talbert alleging he has violated the sacred trust of his office.  Acting in accordance with United Methodist church law, a supervisory response has been initiated by Bishop Elaine Stanovsky of Denver.

The Council of Bishops requested that complaints be filed against Bishop Talbert, of Nashville, Tenn., after he performed an October wedding for two men in Alabama.  The bishop of the region, Debra Wallace-Padgett, had asked him not to perform the ceremony.  The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops also made this request.

Bishop Stanovsky, president of the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops, has been assigned to guide the confidential supervisory process according to the provisions of the Church’s Book of Discipline.  Bishop Talbert is a member of the Western Jurisdiction, where he served before his retirement in 2000. Church law requires that complaints against bishops be heard in the jurisdiction where the bishop is a member.

[pull_quote_right]We need the whole Church to respect the supervisory process and uphold it in prayer. Everyone involved takes their role very seriously and is working for a just, healing and faithful outcome.[/pull_quote_right]The supervisory response is a review of the bishop’s ministry which “shall be directed toward a just resolution” of the complaint.  The supervisory team consists of two bishops working in consultation with one clergy and one lay member of the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy.

The supervisory team carefully maintains the confidentiality of the supervisory response, as guided by the Book of Discipline.  “We find that confidentiality protects the integrity of the process and provides the best hope of the parties reaching a just resolution and offering healing to the Church,” Bishop Stanovsky said.  “We need the whole Church to respect the supervisory process and uphold it in prayer. Everyone involved takes their role very seriously and is working for a just, healing and faithful outcome.”

For relevant positions of The United Methodist Church go to:

A Condensation of Information About the UMC Complaint Process
What is the denomination’s position on homosexuality?
¶ 363. Complaint Procedures
¶ 413. Complaints Against Bishops


Contact: Rev. Steve Goodier | 303-389-9456
Photo Caption: (From left) Bishops Roy I. Sano, Melvin G. Talbert, and Grant J. Hagiya serve communion during a Memorial Service at the 2012 Western Jurisdictional Conference. Photo by Patrick Scriven.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Will the super religious in our midst cry out “crucify him! crucify him”? Seems like I have heard those words before somewhere. There are some ideas and some individuals who are bigger than crucifiers, in whatever form they operate.

  2. perhaps they should fine Bishop Talbert $1.00 and have those who brought the charges spend 1000 hours volunteering with and AIDS Hospice.

  3. Mr. Todd has the right idea. However, people should have to face charges for doing the loving thing . .That’s what Jesus did the loving thing,

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