Minister convicted of same-sex marriages

Associated Press ^ | Apr. 21, 2003 | JOHN NOLAN

[new cruelty]

BLUE ASH, Ohio -Presbyterian Church (USA) officials convicted a minister Monday of violating church law for marrying same-sex couples.

In the church's first trial on the practice, the court rebuked the Rev. Stephen Van Kuiken but refrained from suspending him or removing him from ministry.

The court acquitted Van Kuiken on another charge of ordaining gays who won't adhere to a Presbyterian requirement of chastity.

Van Kuiken, 44, pastor of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church in nearby Cincinnati, has acknowledged performing the ceremonies and ordaining gays. He says the church is facing a crisis of theological intolerance.

He has said he would appeal a guilty verdict. He has also said he will continue to ordain gays and to marry same-sex couples.

Van Kuiken was the first minister to be tried on accusations of marrying homosexuals as a result of complaints filed by Presbyterian activists in about 20 locations around the country. Some complaints were investigated and dismissed for lack of evidence, and others are pending.

The activists want the 2.5 million-member denomination, based in Louisville, Ky., to require ministers and congregations to obey the Presbyterian constitution.

The Presbyterian Church follows the biblical interpretation generally held by major Christian denominations that marriage can be a covenant only between a man and a woman. The highest Presbyterian court ruled in 2000 that ministers may bless same-sex couples, but cannot marry them.

The April 8 trial lasted for little more than an hour and was open only to Presbyterian ministers and elders. A guilty verdict required votes from at least five of the seven members of the Cincinnati Presbytery court.

Van Kuiken, a married heterosexual originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., joined Mount Auburn about three years ago from the Church of the Apostles in suburban Minneapolis.

[Texas_Dawg]

This is just one more reason why the PCUSA's membership declined over 11% in the 1990s. While they still uphold traditional marriage, there are many more pastors in the PCUSA that are in agreement with this pastor. The PCUSA convention has already come very close to voting to allow same-sex marriages several times. It's only a matter of time.

[PeterPrinciple]

but refrained from suspending him or removing him from ministry.


Yep, they took a firm stand by convicting him.

[plain talk]

The activists want the 2.5 million-member denomination, based in Louisville, Ky., to require ministers and congregations to obey the Presbyterian constitution.

Activists want to require ministers to follow pre-established rules of an organization? Say what? Usually it is 'activists' that want to change things.

[dighton]

... the court rebuked the Rev. Stephen Van Kuiken but refrained from suspending him or removing him from ministry.

That'll teach him!

He has said he would appeal a guilty verdict. He has also said he will continue to ordain gays and to marry same-sex couples.

[rface]

on a related matter....

(FreeRepublic post) Methodist Bishop On Terrorism and "Jesus Will NOT Come Again" (It's hard to go to Church...)

[doc30]

I am an Elder in my church and there is a growing movement, called the "Confessing Church" movement which mt church joined last year. What it means is that our church believes in marriage between a man and a woman, and that Jesus is the only path to Salvation. This was to counter the amendments attempted at the General Assembly to permit homosexual marriage and ordination of homosexuals. What was even more objectionable was removing the beleif the CHruch holds that Jesus was to only path to salvation. A lot of churches signed onto the Confessing Church movement in order to voice their objections and these motions have not been able to pass ratification through the Presbyteries. As long as I'm onmy Church's Session, I (an all the other Elders) will never agree to these proposed changes.