A judicial commission of the nation’s largest Presbyterian denomination found a minister guilty of violating church law for performing same-sex ceremonies for two lesbian couples, officials said on Friday.
The commission ruled against the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr of San Rafael, Calif., a lesbian activist and longtime pastor of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), saying her actions were at odds with the church's constitution.
"Regardless of the expression of conscience by the Rev. Dr. Spahr, she may not circumvent the standards of the church," the Synod of the Pacific Permanent Judicial Commission ruled in an appeal decision, which was delivered late Thursday and made public on Friday.
PC(USA) rules and precedent cases make clear that ministers are not to conduct same-sex "marriage" ceremonies, according to the ruling. The denomination's Book of Order defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
The decision overturns a lower church body's ruling last year that acquitted her of charges that she violated the church rules and that she acted within her right of "conscience."
Two members of the eight-person judicial commission dissented on some aspects of the latest ruling, according to Reuters.
"I believe the issue of freedom of conscience importantly distinguishes her actions from willful disobedience, and does not require censure," Linda Lee and Susan Barnes wrote.
Spahr, who claims to have presided over hundreds of same-sex unions over the past three years, faced the church's judicial scrutiny for officiating the weddings of two lesbian couples in May and August 2004.
"There are marriages done out of great love," Spahr told Reuters. "Where else would we want love to be celebrated but in the church?"
The higher church body said it would impose "the censure of rebuke." Although the rebuke does not affect the ordination of Spahr, her attorney Sara Taylor said the ruling would serve as a warning to other ministers and same-sex couples that their "marriages" are not to be recognized in the church.
Spahr, who retires at the end of this month, was the first openly gay or lesbian minister hired in 1991 to be a pastor of a congregation in the PC(USA). She was blocked from serving as pastor a year later and was the first Presbyterian minister tried for officiating the weddings of gay couples.
Spahr said she would appeal the decision to PC(USA)'s highest judicial body, the General Assembly.
Comments
We concern ourselves with the details of individual ministries but we fail to look at the obvious. This church does not represent Christ. Actually, Christ is not represented by any mainstream churches in 2007 that I can see.
There are thousands of false religions but there is only ONE true faith in Christ. As an example, see this link to just those of the Baptists alone! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Baptist_denominations
The differences mostly expressed are not just trivial matters but of SALVATION itself! These scholars who have devoted their lives to the study of the scriptures in order to lead us pilgrims to God cannot even agree on the very BASICS of Christianity. They do not understand the first basic aspect of a subject they all presume to champion.
When scripture tells us the way is narrow and few are those who will find it, don’t be surprised that FEW WILL FIND IT! Considering their myriad of false teachings, I don’t expect to meet very many preachers, pastors or theologians in Heaven.
BOC560
It always saddens me when people confuse "love" with "permissiveness." Love is not about looking the other way when a person is engaging in something that God says is wrong. We are commanded to love God completely and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:27-29). We are told that if we love God we will obey His commandments (John 14:15). And we are commanded to warn the wicked so that they can repent of their sin (Ezekiel 3: 18-21, 33:12-20).
(By the way, God only says an action is wrong when it's something that will kill us physically or spiritually ... or both.)
What is more "loving" - to keep silent when people are engaging in a lifestyle that God has said is an abomination that will send them to Hell (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Revelation 21:8), and allowing them to continue so that they can be "happy" in this life, or warning them about their sin and upholding God's standard so that they can live, physically and/or spiritually?
I'm sure the Kool-Aid that Jim Jones served to his congregation was cool, sweet, thirst-quenching, and made the little children feel happy at first, but its sweetness didn't change the fact that it was laced with cyanide.
What bothers me it ignorant people claiming that "Morals and ethics should be about the alleviation of human suffering, not about our fellow creatures sexual preferences which harm no one." Morals and Ethics... Someone or some creature in my family decided that having sex with a 4 year old boy was their preference... This preference was exacted on me till I was 7. Then someone else decided their preference was to molest an 8 year old boy. I guess I was just unlucky so who is going to alleviate my suffering btw one individual turned out to be a pedophile the other a self described bi-sexual. That was their sexual preference. The poor gay bleeding heart route is old. Human suffering what the would you know about alleviating human suffering, when all people like you cause divisions and walk around fist in the air about your plight.... give it a rest.
Romans 1:26-27 declares " For even their women did change the natural use into that which
is against nature,And likewise also the men leaveing the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another, men with men."
For some this is hate speech, For some the Apostle Paul was a hate monger. But for many it is the Word of God, A Word that we in ourselves cannot change even if we wanted to.
Your argument is not with people like me, But you have to understand that your argument is with God. You don't like what God has said about your lifestyle.
You don't like the fact that God has said that what you do is sin in His sight. You would like for God to condone your acts of lust. And because God does no, you then reject His Word and Him.
But please understand your argument is not with people like me. And please know that God loves you, And know that while God is against homosexuality, He loves the homosexual. He loves you and will forgive you if you will repent and turn from sin.
He ask's no more of you than he has asked of every sinner, Repent and come out of your sin. He demanded the same thing from me, and from every liar,every drunk, and every one who has ever lived.
so please don't feel that God ask's more of you than anyone else,He has not and does not, The so called straight person,While may have different sins,they are sins just the same, and we must repent just the same as a homosexual. No more,No less.
I love you,And God loves you even more. Check God out and see what you think, I beleive you will find that Hi Love is something so very different from anything you have ever experienced.
Art.
St. Aquinas patron of all universities and of students, I hope there is a president of a modern day Catholic university like him. A brilliant person with a moral compass that arguably within the church made him the greatest and most influential theologian of all time.
Thank you very much, Zamar, for once again reminding me of everything I find repulsive about Christianity. Morals and ethics should be about the alleviation of human suffering, not about our fellow creatures sexual preferences which harm no one.
As the lady said, church should be about love, but unfortunately it is all too often about hate. Hate and loathing for those different from yourselves. Thomas Aquinas set the tone for the next 1,800 years when he opined that the saints would have the front row seats to watch the unsaved burning in the lake of fire.
Greater love hath no man then that!
At odds with the church's constitution???...how about being at odds and in complete rebellion to the Word of God?!? The Bible is so clear. God is so clear from Genesis to Revelations about marriage. I read the KJV, the NKJV, the Amplified, and occasionally the NLV. Is there a socially-acceptable version I'm missing? Is there a version which omits I Cor. 6:9,10; Col. 3:5; Romans 1:31, and so many more?
Does it get any clearer than this:
"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:22-27)
But then again, this type of open rebellion is to be expected as it was prophesied in the book of Timothy: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears….” (II Tim. 4:3)
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus warned us to “Beware * of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matt. 7:15).
I encourage my brothers and sisters to stand firm in the Word of God and put on the “whole armor of God”(Eph 6:10-18) so that we are able to stand in the midst of a society that encourages us to turn away from God’s way and have it our way. Let’s continue to pray and cry out to God for mercy, for healing.
God bless