South Africa: Pastor who says he was fired for supporting LGBTI equality fights back

Teboho Klaas, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, is challenging his firing, allegedly over his support for LGBTI equality.

The Star reported on Friday that Klass has taken AME and Bishop Paul Mulenga Kawimbe, who heads up the Church’s 19th Episcopal district in South Africa, to court in a bid to have his firing reversed.

Klaas, who also works for LGBTI organisation The Other Foundation, was charged with heresy and suspended in October 2018 before being fired last month. He claims that he was axed because of his vocal public support for the LGBTI community.

The church has denied this, claiming that it was due to him asserting that the Bible is not the direct word of God.

The Mail & Guardian, however, last year quoted a member of the church’s ministerial efficiency committee contradicting this in an audio recording of a meeting with Klaas.

In the recording, the member states: “According to the [church’s] book of discipline, you continue to deal with LGBTI … LGBTI, whatever it is. And you communicate with it on the social media. And as a pastor in the AME church, you are not supposed to do all those things. Or to promote that.” Read more via MambaOnline