While United Methodist Church (UMC) Bishop William Willimon expresses displeasure over a pro-gay event to be held at a UMC conference and retreat center, he distances himself from having invited not one, but two openly homosexual "preachers" to speak at Duke Chapel when Willimon was the Chapel's Dean.

Such is the uncomfortable position Willimon finds himself in at present.

Willimon, a newly appointed Bishop in the North Alabama Conference , is leading the charge against the use of a UMC conference center for a "Hearts on Fire" pro-gay event. Lake Junaluska, located in western North Carolina, is the host site for the Sept 2-5 conference.

While Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, Willimon invited, on separate occasions, Peter J. Gomes and Michael Piazza to "preach". Gomes is the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard Divinity School and author of The Good Book which is replete with pro-gay theology–a reinterpretation of Scripture which approves homosexual activities. Both men are homosexual.

Of note, Willimon includes a sermon by Gomes in his recent book Sermons from Duke Chapel. The book hails the fifty-eight preachers, including Gomes as "America's greatest Protestant preachers" alongside Billy Graham.

Piazza, the former pastor of the largest gay church in the world, spoke at Duke Chapel a few short years ago. At the conclusion of the service, Willimon introduced Piazza and his homosexual partner to the congregation.

When I asked Willimon, via email, why he had invited Piazza to "preach" at Duke Chapel, Willimon responded that "Piazza was invited through the preacher selection committee process." Translation: Willimon invited him.

Willimon also downplayed his knowledge of Piazza, telling me he knew little about him, but knew "that (Piazza) has a wide following of his TV program, and that he serves one of the fastest growing churches, and denominations, in America." The denomination of which he speaks is the Metropolitan Community Church- a predominantly gay church founded by homosexual Troy Perry. Willimon told me he had seen and heard Piazza preach on a videotape and "found (Piazza's) sermon... to be very pious, very traditional..."

As I see it, Willimon needs to do one of two things– either apologize for having invited two openly homosexual men to speak at Duke Chapel or–apologize to the staff of Lake Junaluska for criticizing their hosting a pro-gay event. My hope is that Willimon will do the former, but I suspect he will do neither because he prefers having it both ways.

In order to clear any misunderstanding, I do not dislike homosexuals. On the contrary, I love homosexuals more now than when I was one.