Minister appeals her conviction for marrying gays

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Minister-appeals-her-conviction-for-marrying-gays-3338015.php

A 69-year-old lesbian minister, who has championed gay rights in the Presbyterian Church USA for decades, will defend herself today before the denomination's highest court for marrying 16 same-gender couples.

The hearing in a conference room at the Drury Plaza Hotel downtown is a final appeal by the Rev. Jane Spahr of San Francisco, who was convicted two years ago of violating her ordination vows and church policy that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

The judicial commission has members from across the nation and rotates cities for its hearings. The denomination, based in Louisville, Ky., has more than 2 million members.

Two church courts censured Spahr as punishment for the weddings performed in 2008 in California, where gay marriage is legal. But they also praised her courage and noted that she was a faithful Christian, adding to confusion over whether the denomination's policies permit such weddings.



Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Minister-appeals-her-conviction-for-marrying-gays-3338015.php#ixzz1mgbrWNqB