Presbyterians clear way for gay clergy

[jefferson_dem]

Source: AP

NEW YORK — After decades of debate, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Tuesday struck down a barrier to ordaining gays, ratifying a proposal that removes the celibacy requirement for unmarried clergy, in the latest mainline Protestant move toward accepting gay relationships.

The change was endorsed last year by the Presbyterian national assembly, but required approval by a majority of the denomination's 173 presbyteries, or regional church bodies.

Before Tuesday, the vote stood at 86-62 in favor of change. The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, based in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., cast the key 87th vote needed for a majority in support of ratification came during a meeting Tuesday night. So far, 62 presbyteries have voted against the measure.

Differences over the Bible and homosexuality have split Protestant groups nationally and worldwide for years. Within the Presbyterian Church, about 100 of the 11,000 congregations had already broken away ahead of the vote, but a group of large theologically conservative congregations, which calls itself Fellowship, has decided to remain in the denomination for now.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42976738/ns/us_news/?ocid=twitter

[bluestateguy]

1. Great news

This was the church that Mary Griffith belonged to (see the movie Prayers for Bobby). After her gay son's suicide in 1983, and her anti-gay church's indifference, she left and became an activist for gay rights.

[AlbertCat]

2. Whoopty-feakin-doo

:eyes:

[RKP5637]

3. K&R !!! n/t

[Omaha Steve]

4. I'm Presbyterian by baptism & confirmation

OK with me. Wonder what my 86 year old mom is going to think when I tell her?

K&R!

[juxtaposed]

5. the sad thing is this makes news??

[Beartracks]

6. So, wait. They unbanned gays, or they removed...

... the celibacy requirement for singles? Or both? Those are two different things.

Surely the church doesn't think that gays can't be celibate?

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[CreekDog]

7. the celibacy requirement for the unmarried --in recognition that gays mostly cannot get married

otherwise, they would be prevented from being ordained.

[Beartracks]

8. Oh, yeah -- of course!

Okay, that makes sense, so they can now accommodate homosexual clergy in a functionally, if not legally, married status. But it sounds as though the church will allow ALL unmarried clergy to be, um, non-celibate...

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