The South African pastor who was fired after expressing his pro and inclusive LGBTI views has now been reinstated.
Teboho Klaas, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church also works for LGBTI organisation The Other Foundation, was charged with heresy and suspended in October 2018 before being expelled in August 2019.
Following his removal from the church, Klaas decided to take the church and Bishop Paul Mulenga Kawimbe, who headed up the Church’s 19th Episcopal district in South Africa, to court, accusing Kawimbe of being homophobic and targeting him simply because of his stance towards LGBTI people.
However, in a bizarre twist, before the matter could make it to court, Bishop Kawimbe himself has since been removed from his position over allegations of financial impropriety and ironically firing pastors without proper procedure being followed.
Following the removal of Bishop Kawimbe’s Klaas was then given the opportunity to be reinstatement at the church’s East Annual Conference earlier this month in Katlehong in Gauteng.
According to Klaas, the conference which was led by Bishop E Earl McCloud Jr from the United States withdrew the decisions made by former Bishop Kawimbe, including Klaas’ expulsion from the church.
Klaas has since withdrawn his legal action against the church and stated on Facebook, “this doesn’t mean that there are no challenges but there is at least space for engagement and for people to stop making LGBTI people unwelcome in the church.”
“Be assured, this is a matter I am not likely to put aside as I pursue the future in the church. It is a future and a ministry which puts at the centre the LGBTI Christians.”
Last Updated on Oct 25, 2019
The news team for Gay Nation love tips from our readers. Got tips or a news story that you would like published? Go here to tell us something.
Visit the Gay Nation store Now
