![[img]](http://enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/17/church_zoom.jpg)
Kyla Ford and Eryn Robinson, both 7 and of Anderson Township, hold a sign in support of Rev. Stephen Van Kuiken at Lakeside Presbyterian Church Monday.
(Mike Simons photo)
| ZOOM |
Posted on 06/17/2003 5:27:26 PM PDT by HatSteel
| Kyla Ford and Eryn Robinson, both 7 and of Anderson Township, hold a sign in support of Rev. Stephen Van Kuiken at Lakeside Presbyterian Church Monday.
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FORT MITCHELL - The Rev. Stephen Van Kuiken was formally renounced by the Presbytery of Cincinnati on Monday for continuing to perform same-sex marriages.
The action, taken by a voting body made up of minister members and elder commissioners in the Presbytery, means the pastor of the Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church can no longer serve as a minister and loses his church membership.
The vote was 119-45, with four voters abstaining.
"I'm sad, and I'm disappointed," Van Kuiken said after the vote. "This is a sad day. This is an issue that is going to continue to stay at the surface of the Presbyterian Church."
Van Kuiken was unsure of his next action. He said he will take some time to re-evaluate what he will do. He is considering filing a complaint with the Synod of the Presbyterian Church USA, claiming his due process rights were violated because he had an appeal pending on an earlier rebuke.
"It's important for me to be true to myself and be true to what my beliefs are about God," he said.
Van Kuiken's case has been closely watched across the country as Presbyterians - who also ban gay clergy - and other faiths continue to debate the roles of gays and lesbians in the church.
In the denomination's first ecclesiastical trial on the issue, Van Kuiken was found guilty in April of marrying gays and lesbians. He was given a public rebuke and told not to do it again. He wed two women on May 17.
The voting body met at the Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Fort Mitchell after a vigil supporting Van Kuiken.
"I just think it was unavoidable," said Howard Smith, one of the voters in favor of the renunciation. "His actions made the action necessary by the Presbytery unless they want to totally disregard the (church) constitution."
A number of members of Mount Auburn Presbyterian attended Monday's vote and the vigil.
"I think it's a travesty what they're doing," said Terrell Lackey. "Being a gay man and a black man, too, I can't believe the world is still the way it is. Cincinnati is sad."
About one-third of the 280 members of the Mount Auburn church are gay.
This is the first time the Presbytery of Cincinnati has removed a minister for performing same-sex marriages, and possibly the first case in any Presbytery nationwide.
Presbyteries don't have to report such cases to the Presbyterian Church USA, but the organization isn't aware of others, said Laurie Griffith, manager of judicial process and social witness at the Presbyterian Church USA in Louisville.
Van Kuiken's rebuke in April was the lightest of possible punishments.
He also faces accusations, including blasphemy, from a California lawyer who filed the original complaints against him.
Van Kuiken could become a church member again, but he would have to restart the process if he wants to be a minister again, said the Rev. Melissa Bane Sevier, Presbytery moderator.
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E-mail auhde@enquirer.com
God used women throughout Scripture to lead........look at Esther, as well as Deborah.......in addition to all the women in the New Testament who proclaimed the Gospel of the risen Lord.....starting with Mary Magdalen.
Joel, 2:28, referring to the Day of the Lord...."And afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days."
God uses women, as well as men to spread the Gospel, He has in the past, and He will in the future, as HIS WORD declares, and it is not for these people, as well meaning as they may be, to assume that they know more than God about whom he chooses to use.
I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you are a mature Christian woman (even though you have not shown me the same courtesy), so I am going to say, in Christian love, that you need to be careful about thinking that you understand Scripture fully, and have no room for growth or change in the way it looks to you.
I do not know you personally, but if you truly are the way you come across here, you have decided that you have all the answers (and you like to make sure everyone else knows you have all the answers), and that you don't have to dig deeper for the truth.....and that's very dangerous.
I hope I'm wrong, but that's the way you come across, even to a solid, grounded in the Word believer like me. Have a nice trip.
It IS abrupt, and it's rude.
The Scripture is not referring to preachers, only church leaders.
I absolutely agree. Make sure you practice what you preach.
He performed marriages for deviant degenerates?
He deserved to be thrown out. Though I notice the church still considers "blessing" same sex partners as being A-Okay.
More and more of these liberal "anything goes" churches are giving recognition to gays. The Episcopalians, the United Methodists. It's vile beyond words.
If the Lutheran Church goes their rout, I'm becoming a Baptist...
One does not have to agree with one's position on women in leadership to show courtesy. At least two other people have done that with me on this very thread. You haven't.
As previously stated, you have said, point blank that my husband and I were not able to hear God's voice when we asked for guidance, and got it wrong. You also tried to make some connection between our misinterpretation of God's leading, and those gays who think God is telling them to marry......as if there were somehow a parallel.
You have not merely defended your position. You have belittled me personally. If you don't see that, the more's the pity.
You have strong views on Scripture, and I would greatly respect that, if you didn't combine it with condescension of those who disagree.
I'm very sorry I told my story on this thread, because I knew that there were people like you who would swoop down from 'on high' and attack. I was right.
I'n still assuming that you're a believer, so I'll see you in Glory.......and I'll avoid you on earth as much as is humanly possible.
btw, Esther was a Queen. I'd call that a leader, wouldn't you? And how does Esther's being a submissive wife negate her being a strong leader? You make no sense.
Let's see, the gay couple thinks THEY hear God telling them that they should marry, and my husband and I think that WE hear God telling us that I should accept the nomination to become an elder, and you're drawing no parallel! You just think that we're all hearing imaginary voices as an excuse to sin.
Good grief!! I'm not too sensitive. You're condescending and rude.
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