Posted on 07/12/2011 1:21:27 AM PDT by Cronos
A gay elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA) says the recent rule change that removes any doubt over the legitimacy of her position makes the church more accepting, though intolerance still exists in many areas.
Beth Van Sickle was ordained in her Ohio congregation in the 1980s and faced challenges to her post. But yesterday , the church’s constitution was changed to allow unmarried, noncelibate clergy. Van Sickle says it makes the church appear more accepting to young people, who may be questioning the conflict between their religion and their sexuality.
“People will come to the church because they recognize it can be a safe place,” she says. “Certainly people will need to do some research on whether the church they’re going to attend is a safe place. Because not all Presbyterian churches are going to agree with this.”
Just as Van Sickle’s congregation did not firmly adhere to the previous rule on LGBT ordination, congregations don’t have to follow the updated rule. It’s up to each regional presbytery to decide how to handle requests for ordination. That’s how other rule changes have been treated, and Van Sickle says it’s led to gaps in how various minority groups fit into the PCUSA.
“Our church, in my opinion, still has issues around racism. There are churches in the PCUSA who still will not ordain women. We have a long way to go even within the ways that we have already voted in acceptance,” she says.
Van Sickle says some group within the church will always seek equality. She expects the approval of same-sex marriage to be the next step toward greater acceptance. The church’s General Assembly has not yet taken up the issue.
and you have got to love the way they mix racism with equality for women with "equality for gays"...
The left are incrementally killing the United States. Bit by bit, month by month. They won’t be happy until it is destroyed. When it is destroyed, they will never admit they are the ones that did it.
This lady goes beyond gay. She’s saying fornication is OK, too. Yet she has the gall to say those of us who want to follow scripture are intolerant. Yeah, I guess I’m intolerant...of sin. If that makes me an evil guy in her eyes, then so be it.
If we treat "living together", multiple divorces, infidelity as normal, then why not gay marriages, polyamory etc.?
Apostasy alert! Apostasy alert!
...it gets devalued.
///
i was the same. (probably much worse than you.)
but i gradually see the wisdom of the Church teachings,
i never understood before. (like contraception).
Liberals often have lofty ideas, like higher minimum wage,
to help the poor. but those ideas never work.
and almost always, the unintended consequences,
are worse than the original problem !
The ONE Universal church, is the opposite.
it has some archaic ideas, incomprehensible to me.
yet, a society that follows them, benefits.
and even the unintended consequences are good.
(like the African study, NOT done by the church but by NGO,
that shows abstinence lowered A.I.D.S. rates,
while giving free condoms, actually increases it...)
now, i don’t need to understand.
if a “progressive” has an idea, i know it’s bad,
no matter how good it sounds.
and, if the church has a rule, even if it sounds silly,
i trust and obey.
Jesus himself said, if you love him,
you will obey the commands of his Father.
Logically consistent, but it exposes too much of the agenda.
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