Pastor Donghwan Lee's 'LGBTQ Blessing'... Two-Year Suspension Upheld in Appeal Trial

Pastor Donghwan Lee (right) is waiting for the appellate trial at the Methodist Headquarters in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 20th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] Pastor Lee Dong-hwan, who offered a prayer blessing sexual minorities at a queer festival, received a two-year suspension in the appeal trial held by the Korean Methodist Church. This is the same judgment as the first trial.

The Methodist Church General Assembly's Judicial Committee held the appeal sentencing trial for Pastor Lee at the Methodist headquarters in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 20th and made this decision. A two-year suspension is the heaviest disciplinary action for suspension within the Methodist Church.

On that day, the committee explained the reason for dismissing the appeal, stating, "According to Methodist doctrine, praying in clerical attire in front of sexual minorities implies supporting, approving, or sympathizing with their actions." According to the Methodist Church, among the six members who participated in the judgment, two voted to accept the appeal, but it was not accepted as it did not meet the quorum.

In August 2019, Pastor Lee officiated the 'Sexual Minority Blessing Ceremony' at the Incheon Queer Culture Festival, scattering flower petals and offering a blessing prayer to sexual minorities, and was reported within the denomination for acts supporting homosexuality.

After the trial ended, Pastor Lee and the 'Committee for Pastor Lee Dong-hwan, who is on trial for blessing sexual minorities' held a press conference on the first floor of the headquarters, condemning the committee's judgment by saying, "We symbolically witnessed the mechanism of hatred accumulated by the Korean church."

Pastor Lee expressed regret, saying, "Today, the Methodist Church sentenced blessing as guilty. Through the entire process of this trial, the Methodist Church has thoroughly shown how discriminatory and archaic their perceptions are."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.